On March 15, 2020, the state of Maine celebrated its 200th birthday. In 1820, Maine officially left the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to become the nation’s 23rd state. Many of the original signature celebrations have already been pushed to the summer, putting an additional spin on an already historic year.
Ironically, it was also in March of 1947 that the concept of the Maine Lobster Festival was originally formed. Local Midcoast citizens wanted to find a way to throw a celebration “reviving the summer activities that Camden had prior to the war years.”
The desire for Maine communities to find the good times while shouldering through national challenges was just as strong then as it is today. The first Festival was planned not only as a large-community food extravaganza, but also as a way to share the stories of Maine lobstermen and fishermen and highlight their economic and cultural importance to the Midcoast with a parade and a coronation ball. At first, it was promoted as the Camden-Rockport Lobster Festival and took place for one day in August of 1947 promising “All the lobster you can eat for $1.” While a noble concept, the sheer number of people who took the Festival up on their offer caused the event to lose money, so townspeople abandoned the idea for the following year. It took another couple of years for the Maine Lobster Festival logistics to work out the kinks and take the shape of what it is today.
Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 the 2020 Maine Lobster Festival has been cancelled. Organizers are planning ways to hold some events, like the Maine Sea Goddess Coronation, virtually. The 2021 Maine Lobster Festival will be held August 4-8, 2021.
Stay tuned to see what The Maine Lobster Festival has in store for this year. For more information about local events, upcoming entertainment and other news, visit our blog and like our Facebook page.
