| 15 July 2010
The end of this month marks another year of the annual Harpswell Festival. On July 24th and 25th, citizens and visitors to the Harpswell area can enjoy a multitude of events, some new, some old.
"Food, fun, fireworks. That's been the tagline from the beginning," says Tom Allen, the Festival's executive director. "Come get a bite to eat, do some activities, browse the vendors, listen to music, take a walk on the beach, stay for the fireworks at 9."
"The location is unequaled," Allen says. "I'm sure there are other waterfront venues around, but the view across Middle Bay at sunset is incredible. I'm not sure even Harpswell people really know how lucky we are to have such a beautiful property to share."
Among the festivities will include the annual Harpswell Lobster Boat Races, perhaps the town's most famous tradition. This year, the races will be held in a new area over by Middle Bay. Henry W. Barnes, this years LBR's director, discusses the thought process behind the relocation.
"Higher visibility for the public," Barnes says. "Where it's been in the past, is surrounded by private land, and if you weren't there by boat, there wasn't a good chance to watch the races ... that's the whole idea, so we could get more people to see the race from the shore, and it would be easier."
Apart from the relocation, Barnes mentions that all other aspects of this year's Lobster Boat Races will be familiar.
"It's all held on the water, we'll issue the prizes right there on the float, we've got a permit from the Coast Guard, and that's all we need. It's going to be the same show that's gone on for 23 years.
"I've been to all of them up and down the coast, and we have a nice spot there, and it's a pretty good time," Barnes adds.
The Harpswell Lobster Boat Races will be held at 11 o'clock on July 25th. Before the race begins, however, a new element will be added.
"I'm pronouncing an invocation and blessing over the boats that are participating in the races," says Veronica Gonsior, pastor of the Cundy's Harbor Church. Gonsior, a newcomer to the Harpswell Festival, mentions that it will not be a traditional blessing.
"It's going to be just a mass blessing. It's really more of just a blessing over the boats, of the day, [as opposed to] the Cundy's Harbor days where the boats parade by and each one is blessed."
Accompanying the Races will also be a Shindig, coordinated by Alison Hawkes.
"The Shindig is not going to be as big as the Festival is," Hawkes says. "It's going to be a lot of family-oriented things that we are going to be doing. It's not going to as busy as the Festival. We are looking at doing some games ... we're still working on what kind of family games we might try and incorporate, something that really gets everyone in and cheering."
"This is my first year, and this is the first year that the Boat Races have ever been in this spot," Hawkes says. "I'm trying to get more fishing businesses, such as local fishing, local crafters, maybe even if I have to go out into surrounding communities to get fishing businesses involved, but that's going to be another one of my goals."
"It's all volunteers that make it happen. They go out and get sponsors to help because nobody can afford to do it out of pocket."
As far as the benefit of having events such as the Harpswell Festival, LBR and Shindig, "We're such a small town," Hawkes say, "It helps bring a lot more people down to Harpswell."
"We have some feature events, and we are advertising them a lot more differently than we have in the past. For example, Motor Booty Affair (this year's musical guest) is a big draw. Also the boat races have never been viewable from shore. Spectators now have access to put a blanket down and watch."
"There's a lot of businesses that perhaps people don't know about," Hawkes says. "I think it's a good way not only for people to come down to Harpswell and see what we have to offer as a town, but also for people from all the sides of the town to get together, to work together and to see what we have to offer together."
"While it would be nice to make a profit each year, the Festival's goals are much broader than that," Tom Allen says. "When we ask for donations to put on the Festival, we are using that money to put on an event that will do several things we think are beneficial whether we make a profit or not."
"First of all, the many non-profit organizations with information booths, food, or other events, benefit greatly from participation. They raise funds and increase awareness of their mission in and around Harpswell. The Festival also benefits the town at large, especially businesses that can profit from the many visitors that come to Harpswell to attend the Festival."
Much of the plans of the Festival have already been set. One of the premier participants in this year's events will be the aforementioned disco band Motor Booty Affair.
"Motor Booty Affair is a good band with a wide range of appeal," says Stacy Welner, concert coordinator. "We now have a whole new attraction that we didn't have before."
"MBA has a huge following, and every showing they've had that I know of has been packed," Welner adds.
So while many of the games, vendors, music, fireworks, etc. have been set, Allen mentions that work is not yet done.
"Many of the larger events for this year are already planned," Allen says. "The fireworks are contracted, the entertainment is pretty well lined up. But there are always last-minute things to take care of. We can always use more help, by the way."
"I think," Allen continues, "That the Festival is a source of pride for Harpswell. Much has been said about how the town is fractured into disparate communities, villages spread here and there, separated by geography and habit. Cundy's Harbor, The Islands, the Neck - they all have their own events with long histories of success. The Festival, I think, is one event that all Harpswell residents can participate in."
"We can all help it to succeed," Allen says. "If that's not a good thing, what is?"
FMI on the Harpswell Festival, Tom Allen can be reached at 207-833-0562 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it