Summer in Maine is a time of fairs, festivals and all sorts of other organized fun.
It’s when Maine’s long and varied agricultural fair season starts, with more than two dozen of the events scheduled all around the state between June and October. It’s also when some of the state’s signature annual events, like the Yarmouth Clam Festival and the Maine Lobster Festival happen.
Wherever you are, or wherever you’re headed, you can probably find some festival or community gathering nearby. Here’s the schedule of some of the fairs, festivals and community gatherings happening in Maine this summer.
FAIRS
Ossipee Valley Fair, Thursday through Sunday, Hiram. One of Maine’s quintessential small-town fairs, it’s located in a small town near the New Hampshire border with a focus on local farmers and their animals. There’ll be a pig scramble, with kids racing to catch a slippery, fast piglet. There’ll also be horse pulling and oxen pulling contests, antique cars and trucks, drag racing, a dunk tank, and food and rides. For more information, go to ossipeevalleyfair.com.
Waterford World’s Fair, July 14-16, Waterford. This is a little fair that thinks big, as you can tell by the name. It started in 1852 as Tom Greene’s Fair, because was held near his home in this rural town north of Bridgton. There will be plenty of animals, including steer and oxen demos, a pig scramble, and sheep dogs herding their sheep. There are also apple pie and molasses cookie contests and live entertainment. For more information, go to waterforworldsfair.org.
Demolition Derby is an exciting part of Skowhegan State Fair. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel
Topsham Fair, Aug. 8-13, Topsham. The Topsham Fair is one of the summer fairs closest to Portland and a great opportunity to sample all that Maine fairs offer. The 168-year-old fair will offer goat-milking demos, harness racing, a long hauling contest, a demolition derby, steer and oxen pulling, juggling, a whoopie pie contest, pony rides and pig scrambles. For more information, go to topshamfair.net.
Skowhegan State Fair, Aug. 10-19, Skowhegan. The fair’s slogan is “10 Days of Awesome,” so we know the organizers do not lack confidence. There will be demolition derbies, truck pulls, harness racing, and animals of all sorts. There will be contests for canners and bakers hoping for a blue ribbon. For more information, go to skowheganstatefair.com.
For a list and info on all the fairs scheduled in Maine this year, go to mainefairs.net.
Clam shucking contests are part of the fun at the Yarmouth Clam Festival. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer
FOOD FESTS
Yarmouth Clam Festival, July 21-23, Yarmouth. One of southern Maine’s signature summer events focuses on the humble clam. This is the festival’s 56th year and one of the highlights is always the massive parade, which kicks off at 6 p.m. on the Friday of the festival. Locals often put out their lawn chairs on the route weeks in advance. Other highlights are the Maine State Clam Shucking contest and the Diaper Derby toddler race. There’ll also be live music, a craft and fine art show, carnival rides, and lots of food and drink, including clams and the festival’s famous Lime Rickeys. For more information, go to clamfestival.com.
Maine Lobster Festival, Aug. 2-6, Rockland. Another of Maine’s best-known summer festivals, focused on maybe Maine’s best-known summer food. Don’t miss the International Great Crate Race on Aug. 6 at 2 p.m., when brave souls race across lobster crates strung across the harbor. There’s also plenty of food, music, a parade, children’s events and the Maine Sea Goddess Coronation. For more information, go to mainelobsterfestival.com.
International Great Crate Race is an event like no other and a big part of the Maine Lobster Festival. Photo courtesy of the Maine Lobster Festival
Maine Red Hot Dog Festival, Aug. 12, Dexter. People from Maine might not get the allure of the red hot dog, but it does exist. It might be a little snappier, and it certainly makes the backyard cookouts more colorful. This festival includes a Red Hot Dog Eating contest and a cupcake eating contest for the kids. There will be food, crafts, a magician, entertainment, and beer and wine tents. For more information, go to redhotdog.org.
Machias Wild Blueberry Festival, Aug. 18-20, Machias. Go to beautiful Down East Maine to celebrate the state’s iconic berry. Based at the Centre Street Congregational Church, the festival includes crafts, food, entertainment, crafters and artisans, contests and all things blueberry. During the festival days there is also an official Blueberry Festival Musical Comedy – “The Record of Washington County” – which will be presented on festival evenings in the church. For more information, go to machiasblueberry.com.
The Bahre Collection of classic and antique cars will be a focus of Founder’s Day in Paris. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal
COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS
Sebago Days, July 13-15, Sebago. The summer celebration in this Lakes Region town includes a midway of carnival rides, a car show, a talent show, a 5K run, a parade, live music and fireworks. There’s also a corn hole tournament, a cake walk, a chicken barbecue and a skillet tossing competition. The parade is July 15 at 10 a.m. For more information, go to sebagodays.com.
Founder’s Day, July 15, Paris. The small town of Paris, just up the road from the larger South Paris, holds an annual Founder’s Day to raise money for the Hamlin Library and Museum there. It’s a pretty important place because it’s the hometown of Hannibal Hamlin, Abraham Lincoln’s first vice president. The showcase of Founder’s Day is the Bahre Collection of antique and classic cars, including Duesenbergs, Stutz, Graham-Paige, Alfa-Romeo and a Tucker. For more information, go to hamlin.lib.me.us.
A variety of Moxie theme floats proceed down Main Street in Lisbon Falls during the annual Moxie Festival Parade last year. Carl D. Walsh/Staff Photographer
FUN AND GAMES
Moxie Festival, Friday through Sunday, Lisbon. This festival celebrates a soft drink created by a Mainer, Dr. Augustin Thompson of Union in the 1880s, who happened to be living in Massachusetts at the time. The beverage had no connection to Lisbon at all. But a gregarious Moxie fan named Frank Anicetti began collecting Moxie memorabilia and hosted a book signing for the author of Moxie book, in the early 1980s, at his store on Main Street in the village of Lisbon Falls. The idea of celebrating Moxie in town caught on and the formal festival started in 1982. There are fireworks Friday night and the big parade is at 10 a.m. Saturday. There will be also be food trucks, carnival rides, a Moxie recipe contest, Moxie whoopie pie eating contest, a Moxie chugging contest, a 5K race, book sale and a lobster feast. For more information, go to moxiefestival.com.
The Maine Renaissance Faire, July 22-23 and 29-30, Acton Fairgrounds, Acton. For fans of life in olden times and maybe watchers of “Game of Thrones,” this two-weekend festival has a lot of historical action. There’ll be jousting, a fire whips and sword show, musical comedy and shows on nine stages. For more information, go to themainerenfaire.com.
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