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| Dancing Under the Tent: The crowd at the Pemaquid Oyster Festival enjoys the entertainment on stage under the comfort of a large tent sponsored by Renys. Thanks to the tent, the event has never been closed due to weather, and has survived heavy rainfall and high winds, which sometimes seem to be a Pemaquid Oyster Festival tradition. |
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| Oyster Shuckers: This volunteer oyster shucker is hard at work during a past Pemaquid Oyster Festival to keep up with customer demand for the tasty bivalves. Over 17,000 oysters, fresh from the Damariscotta River, were served at the event in 2014 |
Entry to the Pemaquid Oyster Festival is free of charge. Money raised through oyster, food and beverage sales during the festival goes to benefit the Edward A. Myers Marine Conservation Fund. The fund is named after Edward Myers, who pioneered aquaculture in the Damariscotta River. Expenses for the event are covered by sponsors so that all of the money raised goes directly to the Edward A. Myers Marine Conservation Fund.
Past Pemaquid Oyster Festival beneficiaries have included the Darling Marine Center, Oceans Wide (underwater exploration), South Bristol School, Pemaquid Watershed Association, the Carpenter's Boat Shop, Damariscotta River Association, Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder, and Great Salt Bay School. Awards of the 2015 grants will be announced at the festival.
Over its 15-year history, the Pemaquid Oyster Festival has written grants totaling over $100,000 to benefit the working waterfront.
Much of the focus of the Pemaquid Oyster Festival is on education, and one of the festival highlights is the exhibit area. These exhibits are not only educational, but many of them are interactive. Generous sponsorships from Colby & Gale and Damariscotta Bank & Trust helped cover expenses for this exhibit area.
Education at the Pemaquid Oyster Festival will also include boat trips to the aquaculture leases on the Damariscotta River, where some of the finest oysters in the world are raised. The boat trips will leave from the Schooner Landing dock every hour beginning at 1 p.m. and continuing until at 5 p.m. aboard Teciani “the River Tripper,” a large comfortable vessel provided by Damariscotta River Cruises. Fares for the cruises will be $15 for adults and $10 for children under 12-years-old. The fare will include a donation to the Edward A. Myers Marine Conservation Fund. Passengers aboard the boat may enjoy refreshments at an additional cost.
There will also be a special early run of the Teciani departing from the town landing. This trip requires reservations through 888-635-4309 or damariscottarivercruises.com.
Both the performance stage and the exhibit area are covered with a tent sponsored by Renys, so the Pemaquid Oyster Festival will go on rain or shine.
Of course, the big star of the Pemaquid Oyster Festival will be the oysters. Last year over 17,000 oysters were served at the festival. This year the Pemaquid Oyster Co. will have over 20,000 oysters on stand by and a corps of volunteer oyster shuckers to maintain a constant flow of freshly shucked oysters to the crowd. Mine Oyster of Boothbay Harbor and Mexicali Blues are the sponsors for expenses related to the harvest and transportation of the oysters.
Oysters are served in a tempting variety of choices: fresh on the half shell, broiled, stewed, and baked as Oysters Rockefeller. All oyster choices are sold individually, so festival attendees can fill their plates with as many selections as they like.
There will also be a gourmet selection of oyster toppings provided by WaldoStone Farm in collaboration with Schooner Landing. WaldoStone Farm, based in Montville, markets their own line of gourmet foods.
For those who may not be oyster fans, more menu items will also be available from the Schooner Landing kitchen and other in-town restaurants.
The festival stage will provide entertainment throughout the day with a line-up of favorite local bands sponsored by the Cheney Companies Financial Group and Ames Supply.
The fun starts with traditional favorite Old Grey Goose with their lively renditions of folk songs and bluegrass.
They will be followed with the toe-tapping tunes of the group Driving Charlie Home.
Next on stage will be local rock ‘n’ roll favorites including the Holy Mackerels, Eric Green, and the Boneheads.
Then the party beat picks up with a special appearance from Tuba Skinny.
One of the music traditions of the Pemaquid Oyster Festival is a closing jam session featuring a mix of many of the musicians who played on-stage. This highlight offers the crowd a rare chance to see many of the area’s best musicians working together on the same stage.
Expenses related to the musical entertainment are covered by the First and Ames Supply.
The Pemaquid Oyster Festival is also home to the Maine Champion Oyster Shucking Contest.
Top prize for the Maine Champion Oyster Shucker will be a custom belt buckle and belt designed by Alan McKinnon of Narragansett Leathers in Damariscotta.
Since the first Pemaquid Oyster Festival in 2001 the event has been hosted by the Pemaquid Oyster Co. and Schooner Landing. Both of these hosts contribute all of their profits from the day to the Edward A. Myers Marine Conservation Fund.
Volunteers are still being sought to fill a variety of positions for the Pemaquid Oyster Festival. Some of the activities volunteers will be needed for include: stage management, festival set-up and take-down, boat deck hand, boat ride gate management, oyster shucking, general assistance on the food line, and contest management.
For more information on volunteer work, or sponsorships, please contact Greg Latimer at 207-380-9912 or pemaquidoysterfest@gmail.com.
The fun begins at noon on Sunday, September 27 and continues until dusk at Schooner Landing located on Main Street next to the Newcastle/Damariscotta Bridge in Damariscotta. From either north or southbound Route 1, exit in Damariscotta at Business Route 1. For additional directions, contact Schooner Landing at 207-563-7447.
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