66th Maine Lobster Festival Volunteers

Doug Mills story and video
David Mills Photography
RCN America Network

Rockland, Maine- It's the last day before the start of the 66th Maine Lobster Festival and it is the volunteers that make the difference.  It takes a minimum of 1000 volunteers to make the Maine Lobster Festival happen.  A quick trip around the grounds and we find many of our Sea Princesses helping to prepare for this years opening day. So many jobs to be done.  "Every year, more than 1,000 volunteers make this festival run – there wouldn't be a festival without them! Our volunteers come from all over the country. Local residents, summer residents, and vacationers of all ages volunteer for at least one shift on the grounds. People plan their vacations around their obligation at the Festival.

Each volunteer receives an exclusive Maine Lobster Festival Volunteer T-Shirt – these shirts are not for sale and can only be obtained by volunteering! In addition volunteers receive free admission on the day they volunteer.

Volunteering is fun and exciting! You meet old friends and make new."

• Sign up to Volunteer - Fill out this form (use the link to the left) and we will contact you.
  
• How to volunteer
• How to register individually
• How to register a group
• Job descriptions

http://www.mainelobsterfestival.com/festival-info/volunteer/

Here is the opening day's schedule:

JULY 31
All Day	ART SHOW AT MAIN STREET BRANCH OF CAMDEN NATIONAL BANK Art Show at Main Street branch of Camden National Bank.
All Day	FREE SHUTTLE BUS The Festival provides free shuttle services to and from the festival grounds from the following locations (free parking at both locations): Oceanside High School (formerly Rockland District High School) Rockland District Middle School Bus arrives at each location approximately every 30 minutes.         CHECK DAYS FOR DETAILED SCHEDULE: Wednesday July 31 - Bus starts running at noon and ends at 10PM Thursday and Friday August 1 & 2 - Bus starts at 10AM and ends at 11PM Saturday August 3 - Bus starts after parade (usually around noon) and ends at 11PM Sunday August 4 - Bus starts at 10AM and ends at 5PM
9:00 a.m.	4-DAY PASSES AND ENTERTAINMENT TICKETS Four Day passes and Entertainment tickets on sale at the Main gate.
12:00 p.m.	66TH MAINE LOBSTER FESTIVAL OPENS Festival officially opens, along with exhibition tents, booths, vendors, carnival rides and games. Gates open at noon and stay open until 10pm. Admisison is $5 for adults and $2 for children. Also, lobster serving begins in the Eating Tent immediately, fresh from the ocean. King Neptune and his court, along with Alexandra Dienesch-Calamari, the 2012 Maine Sea Goddess, arrive on the main dock from the briny deep to raise the flag and officially open the 2013 Maine Lobster Festival. Opening ceremonies will take place next to the flagpole by the Harbor Master’s building. All tents open at 1pm - Children's Tent, admission free - Fine Arts Tent - Marine Tent - Maine Craft Tent: ongoing demonstrations - Maine Products Tent - North Tent - all vendors. We close at 10PM today.
12:00 p.m. -1:00 p.m.	CORONATION REHEARSAL The Coronation rehearsal takes place on the Main stage.
12:00 p.m. -9:00 p.m.	LOBSTER SERVING BEGINS Lobster serving begins in the Food Tent. All food vendors also open as well as the new Lobster Cafe Lobster Rolls, Lobster Wraps and Lobster Caesar Salad. Come in for one, two or three lobster dinners includes a buttery roll and fresh local corn on the cob. The menu includes lobster dinners, but also steamed clams, Fisherman's platter, crab cakes, Shore dinner, fried shrimp, fried haddock, and fried calamari. Check out our 2012 menu, it will be available by July.
12:00 p.m. -10:00 p.m.	SMOKEY'S GREATEST SHOWS CARNIVAL Smokey’s Greatest Shows carnival: July 31, Thursday - Aug 3, Saturday - Noon - 10pm Aug 4, Sunday - Noon - 6pm  • Bracelet Day/Pay One Price days are Thursday, Friday, and Sunday. Cost: $15. Purchase bracelets from noon-5pm each bracelet day at the carnival. Festival admission is not included in bracelet price.
1:00 p.m.	ALL'S TENTS OPEN Children’s Tent, Fine Arts & Crafts Tent, Marine Tent, Maine Made Tent, ongoing demonstrations, all vendors.
1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.	TOURS OF THE US COAST GUARD STATION ROCKLAND Tours of the US Coast Guard Station Rockland will be open every day except for Sunday. Check the particular day for details. US Coast Guard tours of the four units run every 30 minutes.
3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.	CASTLEBAY North Entertainment Tent Castlebay has been musically weaving together the heritage of New England and the Celtic lands since 1987. Members Julia Lane and Fred Gosbee have loved and researched traditional music for most of their lives and blend history, legend and experience into their personable performance style. Their concerts feature poignant ballads sung in Lane's ethereal soprano and Gosbee's rich baritone interspersed with joyous dance tunes played onCeltic harp, guitar, fiddle and tin whistle. Castlebay treats the audience to a musical journey through time and across the Atlantic. The duo also presents special theme concerts on various aspects of Celtic lore, nautical life or Colonial America.
6:00 p.m. -10:00 p.m.	SIDEWAYS HIGHWAYS North Entertainment Tent Sideways Highways is a band based out of Rockland and Owls Head, Maine. We play many different styles of music, from rock to prog, jazz to blues, and everything in between, though we do mainly play rock. Our repertoire is composed of originals and covers, at about a 60/40 split. We only cover songs if they are incredibly inspirational, or if they just sound like fun to do. That being said, we do have quite a large repertoire of covers, as we find many things inspirational and fun.
8:00 p.m. -10:00 p.m.	THE 66TH MAINE SEA GODDESS CORONATION Main Stage Come see the coronation of the 66th Maine Lobster Festival Sea Goddess be crowned! Festivities start at 8pm with music and the introduction of the Sea Princesses with their US Coast Guard escorts from our own Rockland Station. The winner received a cash prize and the title of The Maine Lobster Festival Sea Goddess with a very lovely crown. She reigns at many events throughout the year culminating with the start of the 2014 Lobster Festival. Also crowned is the Crown Princess and Miss Congeniality.