Summer seems a season meant for celebration. Life slows down, we get to enjoy the long summer days, mild temperatures, and a great variety of outdoor activities like swimming, tennis, golf, and sailing. In New England, summer is also a time for prolonged celebration of some of the local food favorites. Using a major food product that is served and enjoyed throughout the area as the center piece for summertime fun is a tradition that is part of life in New England. If you life in New England or if you are planning to visit New England during the summer it might be worth the effort to schedule your visit in conjunction with one of these New England Summer Food Festivals.
Yarmouth Clam Festival. For the 42nd consecutive year the the Yarmouth Maine Chamber of Commerce is continuing what folks from these parts like to call “A Village Tradition”. It has also become a full weekend of fun, food and festivity that succeeds each year in putting money into the coffers of local non-profit organizations, churches and schools. On July 20-22 Yarmouth will celebrate its annual Clam Festival
What is central to the Yarmouth Clam Festival is the multiple opportunities to sample and enjoy all manner of seafood but of course especially clams. The festival promises to have on hand clam chowder, whole fried clams, fried clam strips, fried calamari, fried oysters, steamed clams , clam cakes, lobster, shore dinners, crabmeat rolls, lobster rolls, scallops and tuna rolls. If your tastes prefer something less fishy, there are also booths selling more land oriented favorites like hot dogs, hamburg and chicken.
While food is certainly the reason for the celebration, there is more to the Yarmouth Clam Festival than just eating. Throughout the weekend there are multiple events going on at a variety of sites. You can choose between carnival rides , face painting, an art exhibit, a wagon ride through Yarmouth, a tennis tournament or a crafts sale/display. On Friday , July 20, at 6 p.m. there will be a grand parade through the town . During the day on Friday you can also join in the fun from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. as the Wheel of Fortune “Wheelmobile” visits Yarmouth and allows random participation in its audition show. Saturday and Sunday are filled with all manner of competitions from clam shucking to canoe and kayak races. It’s just plain fun for competitors and spectators alike. At 9:15 p.m. on July 21 there will be a fireworks display.
This festival is really packed with activities and you may decide that you need to come back again in 2008 because of the things you loved but also because of the things you missed out on. You can after all only eat so much seafood in one 3 day period.
Maine Lobster Festival The Yarmouth Clam Festival has a proud history, but it is bested in longevity by the Maine Lobster Festival at Rockland Maine which in 2007 is celebrating its 60th event. This year’s celebration will run from August 1-5 and it promises to share with you all things lobster. Lobster will be served throughout the week. There will also be a pancake breakfast to open the festival each morning. There will be exhibition tents, booths, carnival rides , free concerts and contests for adults and children . Don’t miss the 60th anniversary Maine Lobster Festival Parade on August 4 at 10 a.m. or the crowning of the Maine Sea Goddess. This festival is always well attended but because it is a special anniversary year everyone will be turning it up a notch. You may single this out as the one festival you really should try to catch, especially if you really enjoy lobster.
Machias Wild Blueberry Festival. Perhaps a little less “busy” than the Clam or Lobster festivals, the Machias Wild Blueberry Festival is a great event for kids and families. This year the festival runs from August 17-19 in Machias Maine. Visitors are welcomed to participate in a blueberry pancake breakfast or eat their way through a blueberry pie eating contest. There is a children’s parade and a massive crafts fair. During the Weekend their are blueberry races, blueberry recipe contests, blueberry deserts and all sorts of music. Community style meals are offered throughout the weekend including a lobster dinner. Machias, Maine is in the Downeast area of the state that comprises Washington County. Unbelievable as it sounds, 85% of the blueberries produced in the world each year come from Washington County Maine. Being able to share the joy of their annual harvest is reason enough for a festival and the one in 2007 will be its 32nd.
Norwalk Oyster Festival Along the Atlantic coast in Connecticut one can locate the seacoast community of Norwalk. There the t Norwalk Seaport Association makes it their business to sponsor an annual Oyster Festival each year. In 2007 they will celebrate their 30th event on Sept 7-9. The celebration marks the 30th such occasion in Norwalk, Connecticut . The festivities will include musical performances and entertainment provided by international and regionally known stars. Past Festivals have featured the likes of Little Richard, Willie Nelson and Judy Collins and every year new surprises are introduced.
At the Norwalk Oyster Festival you can expect to find plenty of activities for children including carnival style rides. Kids can join the parents to watch Sky divers, oystering exhibits and take part in a harbor cruise. Of course the high light is the opportunity to taste the great seafood, especially oysters, that are prepared throughout the weekend. As with many summer food festivals the proceeds from this event goes to support many non-profit community organizations and youth programs. Its a win/win . You can enjoy some great food and entertainment and the Norwalk area can raise the support it needs to fund worthwhile activities for the community.
Central Maine Egg Festival From July 23-28 in Pittsfield Maine families can gather to enjoy the 35th annual Central Maine Egg Festival. Manson Park is the center of most activities and the theme for this year’s festival is “Staying Egg-live. Throughout the week there will be concerts, live entertainment , a car show, egg related arts and crafts. The festival includes an incredible egg breakfast cooked in a 300 lb. frying pan. There is an Egg Festival Pageant with winner receiving scholarships up to $2000. The festival brings everyone together for the annual Central Maine Egg Festival Parade that takes place in the center of Pittsfield on Saturday July 28, 2007. If you are anywhere near central Maine and you are looking to break the routine of your daily life or your vacation, try the Central Maine Egg Festival and take care of your protein needs for the foreseeable future.
There are lots of festivals in New England from Memorial Day throughout the summer. There are art festivals, music festivals, craft festivals, even religious festivals. But whatever else you do, work at least one of these fabulous food festivals into your summer fun. They are fun and delicious too.
