The Best Maine Lobster Festivals

If you love lobster and want to experience a unique cultural event, it's worth heading to one of the following Maine lobster festivals.  

The Maine Lobster Festival: Rockland, Maine;  August 1st - August 5th, 2012 

The official "Maine Lobster Festival" is held in Rockland Maine each August.  It features a big parade, the coronation of a "Maine Sea Goddess,"  a Maine seafood cooking contest (which amateurs can enter), and unique coastal events such as lobster crate races, blindfold row boat races, a cod fish carry and a lobster eating contest.  There is also a road race and live entertainment plus craft stalls, educational displays and, of course, lots of lobster eating. During the 2011 Lobster Festival, about 20,000 pounds of luscious lobster was prepared in the traditional Maine way for lobster lovers. 

This year, Maine Lobster Festival visitors can tuck into a single, twin or triple lobster dinner, which includes steamed lobster(s), melted butter, corn on the cob and a dinner roll, or a Maine Shore Dinner which, in addition to the aforementioned items, also comes with steamed clams and coleslaw. Fried clams, scallops and fish are also served. 

On Saturday, the 4th of August, from 1-4 PM,  I will be at the festival, selling and signing copies of my new book, How To Catch A Lobster In Down East Maine, in the Marine Tent.  

The festival wraps up on Sunday with a wreath laying ceremony in honor of fishermen lost at sea.  This year will be the 65th year of the Maine Lobster Festival.  It's an event not to be missed. The Maine Lobster Festival organizers have a very active Facebook page where you can ask questions and glean additional information.

The Winter Harbor Lobster Festival: Winter Harbor, Maine; August 11th, 2012

For lobster lovers looking for a Down East lobster festival, take a trip to Winter Harbor. Much smaller in scale, and crowds, than the Maine Lobster Festival, the Winter Harbor Lobster Festival includes a blueberry pancake breakfast, parade, road race, craft fair and lobster eating.  Visitors can feast on lobster dinners which come with steamed lobsters, corn on the cob, coleslaw, drinks and dessert.  The Winter Harbor Lobster Festival also includes one unique event not offered at the Maine Lobster Festival, lobster boat races.  Between 10am and 12pm, spectators can watch a variety of lobster boats roar down Henry Cove, leaving giant rooster-tails in their wake.

I will also be at the Winter Harbor Lobster Festival, doing a book signing by the lobster dinner tent. 

The Lobsterfest: Portland, Maine; June 30th, 2012

Beyond the above mentioned lobster festivals, for the last four years Portland has hosted a Lobsterfest, which has included a lobster eating contest and live music.