Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce Announces "Claw Down"

Local Chefs vie for the title of best lobster bite at the kick-off event for restaurant week

Boothbay Harbor, Maine - The Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce has issued a Claw Down for local chefs, challenging them to come up with the best lobster bite for the title of Claw Down Chef of the Year.

The event will take place on September 19 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the historic Boothbay Harbor Opera House.  Attendees will get to enjoy all of the savory lobster bites and vote on the People's Choice Award while sampling a selection of wines from Central Distributors.  The winner will be selected in a blind judging competition.

Tickets are $35.00 and a portion of the proceeds from the event will go to Boothbay Region Community Resources and help the Chamber in its efforts to bolster local businesses; serve as guardian of the region’s economic well-being; advocate on behalf of area businesses; and promote avenues of tourism for the communities of Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, East Boothbay, Edgecomb, Monhegan, Newcastle, Southport, Westport and Wiscasset.

"As part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Chamber we really wanted to create a new and exciting event, ‘Claw Down’ to kick off Restaurant Week that brings the community together by not only promoting and supporting our talented chefs in the area but also supporting our local lobster industry and a charity that helps our community," said Catherine Wygant, executive director of the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce.

Lynn Archer (a.k.a The Queen of Clubs), owner of Archer's on the Pier and the Brass Compass Cafe and winner of the "Lobster Dekkah" challenge on the Food Network Show “Throwdown with Bobby Flay,” will emcee the event along with Mike Rovin of  94.9 WHOM.  Judges will include Meredith Goad, writer of the Portland Press Herald "Soup to Nuts" column; Dane Somers, executive director of the Maine Lobster Promotion Council; and Kelly Patrick Farrin, 2010 Maine Lobster Chef of the Year and sous chef at Primo restaurant in Rockland.

Participating restaurants in the "Claw Down" include:

The Boat House Bistro & Tapas Bar
www.theboathousebistro.com

Boothbay Lobster Wharf
www.boothbaylobsterwharf.com

Brown’s Wharf
www.brownswharfinn.com

Fisherman’s Wharf Restaurant
www.fishermanswharfinn.com

Davis Island Grill
www.davisislandgrill.com

Linekin Bay Resort
www.linekinbayresort.com

McSeagull's Restaurant
www.mcseagullsonline.com

Newagen Seaside Inn
www.newagenseasideinn.com

Newcastle Publick House
www.newcastlepublickhouse.com

Ports of Italy
www.portsofitaly.com

Robinson’s Wharf & Tugs Pub
www.robinsons-wharf.com

The Rocktide Inn & Restaurant
www.rocktideinn.com

The Thistle Inn
www.thethistleinn.com

TugBoat Inn ~ Restaurant & Marina
www.tugboatinn.com

The World is Mine Oyster
www.mineoyster.net

This event is hosted by the Boothbay Region Chamber of Commerce as part of its 50th Anniversary celebration and in conjunction with the Maine Lobster Promotion Council's Lobster Lover Celebration (lobsterfrommaine.com), an effort to promote buying and eating more Maine lobster to support the industry. Event sponsors include:  Central Distributors, 94.9 WHOM, Maine Lobster Promotion Council,  Boothbay Region Greenhouses, The Opera House at Boothbay Harbor, Marshall Tent & Event Rental,  Jim Taliana, Ted Axelrod Photography, Lobster Maine and MS Walker Inc..

The Claw Down will kick off Boothbay Harbor's Restaurant Week which runs from September 22—28, 2012. Restaurant week is a celebration of the cuisine scene in the Boothbay Harbor Region. From fine dining to casual, participating restaurants will feature special menu items, including an appetizer, entree and dessert for the special price of $24.95 per person (tax and gratuity not included).

Cocktail attire is suggested for the Claw Down event.  Tickets can be purchased online by visiting Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce (www.boothbayharbor.com) or by calling 207-633-2353.

Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce Announces Artist Alley for Windjammer Days

Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce Announces Artist Alley for Windjammer Days


Boothbay Harbor, Maine - The Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce a new event, Artist Alley, to the 50th Annual Windjammer Day's roster of unique and exciting things to do during this celebration.  On June 26, two streets (Bridge Street and By-Way Street) will be blocked off for this street fair that will be a mixture of pieces to view, artists performing live demonstrations and creating artworks on the spot for the public to enjoy.

Among the talented artists doing live demonstrations are Tony VanHasselt, John Seitzer, Barbara Eldred, Margaret Canepa and Jim Taliana.  The Boothbay Region Art Foundation will be displaying the works of many Maine artists in their two tents.  The CocoVivo Gallery tent will feature many of the gallery’s fine artists.  Margaret Canapa will be showing her work as well as demonstrating her painting techniques.  Helen Farnham and Pat Young will be showing their unique line of greeting cards.  Bob Rose will be drawing portraits.  Jim Taliana will be demonstrating palette knife painting.  The multi-talented Ruth Monsell will be exhibiting her oil paintings as well as cutting her famous silhouettes of people.

There will be a large array of colorful stained glass by Richard McDonald, and displays of photography by both Carl Jackson and the Mainely Landscape Photography group.  Barbara Eldred will be showing her clay work, giving children a chance to try their hand at it.  Donna Denniston, president of the Boothbay Region Art Foundation, will be demonstrating sculpting the human figure in clay.

This festive atmosphere will crackle with creativity; and the vast variety of art work by Maine artists will be impressive.

The 2012 Windjammer Days is scheduled to take place June 24-27, with the schooners appearing in Linekin Bay on the 26th and in the harbor on 27th.

To learn more about Windjammer Days and to track updates, please visit the Chamber's Website at www.boothbayharbor.com or find us on Facebook.

Windjammer Days 2012 sponsors include Pinnacle Vodka - White Rock Distilleries, Inc., Rideout Marine, WHOM 94.9, WMTW Channel 8, Downeast Energy, Pepsi Beverage Company, First Federal Savings, KeyBank, N.A., Spruce Point Inn, Wyman & Simpson, O'Donnell, Lee, McCowan & Phillips, LLC, Federal Distributors - Bud Light, Shipyard Brewing Company, Balmy Days Cruises, Bath Savings Institution, Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club, Cabbage Island Clambake, Fisherman's Wharf Inn, Flagship Inn, Marshall Tent & Event Rental, Sherman's Books and Stationary, The First, N.A., Boothbay Region Land Trust, McSeagulls Restaurant, The World is Mine Oyster, Schooner Eastwind, Lincoln Medical Partners , Lincoln County Healthcare, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, Hannaford, Harbor Children's Center, House of Pizza, J. Edward Knight Insurance, Lafayette Hotels - Boothbay Harbor Hotels, Lincoln Arts Festival Chorus, Brown's Wharf Inn, Carousel Marina, Atomic Studios, Good n' You Fuel & Service, Pat Farrin & Sons, Wiscassett Ford, Maine State Aquarium, Edgecomb Boat Works, Inc., Southport Island Marine, LLC, Boothbay Region Boatyard, Ocean Point Marina, Paul E. Luke Boatyard, Boothbay Harbor Shipyard, Blake Builders, Inc., Margaret Jones Perritt, Pottle Realty Group, Town of Boothbay, Hodgdon Island Inn, Lyn & George Doran, Seaside Cupcakes, Tile Connection & Cottage Connection of Maine Inc., Mary and John Yokabaskas, Topside Inn, The Boothbay Register, Experience Maritime Maine, Boothbay Harbor Embroidery, Boothbay Country Club, Boothbay Region Y-Arts Chorus, Boothbay Playhouse, Boothbay Fire Department, George McAvoy, US Coast Guard, Boothbay Region Historical Society, Steve & Ann Demeranville, Dale & Richard McCoy, Brooke Hubner, Coastal Shipping, Melissa Nein & Sue Burge and Sam’s Electric.

Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce Announces Antique Boat Parade Details

Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce Announces Antique Boat Parade Details


Boothbay Harbor, Maine - The Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce has announced that the  Antique Boat Parade is back for the 50th Annual Windjammer Days. Get your seafaring vessel ready and join the parade.  The event takes place Tuesday,  June 26 at 3 p.m..

Every year  30 to 50 boats line up off Tumbler Island with the oldest boat in the front of the line.  They sail into thru harbor for everyone to see as the boats come around Fisherman's Wharf and are announced over a loudspeaker.   Then the boats head back to the Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club in West Boothbay Harbor for a cocktail reception.

Boats in the parade must be at least 25 years old. In years past participating boats have included an 1898 Wilton Crosby Catboat, and a 1932 44-foot Goudy and Stevens powerboat called the Nellie G.

"This is always a really fun event for Windjammer Days and some of the boat captains really get into the spirit of it all by dressing up in period costumes," said Doug Goldhirsch, one of the organizers of the Antique Boat Parade. "We are looking forward to seeing all of our boat friends celebrating a great milestone in what is now an important event for our community."

Bruce White is a faithful participant in the Antique Boat Parade with his 1968 Brownell Sport fisherman, the 37-foot Hay Val. "I do this every year because it is an excuse to go for a boat ride and see the other boats and socialize with all the captains...any excuse for a boat ride is good excuse for me."

Windjammer Days is scheduled to take place June 24-27 with the schooners appearing in Linekin Bay on the 26th and in the harbor on 27th.

To learn more about Windjammer Days and to track updates, visit the Chamber's Website at www.boothbayharbor.com or find us on Facebook.

Sponsors of the Antique Boat Parade include: Edgecomb Boatworks, Paul E. Luke Boatyard, Boothbay Region Boatyard, Ocean Point Marina, Boothbay Harbor Shipyard and Southport Island Marine.

Windjammer Days 2012 sponsors include “Pinnacle Vodka” White Rock Distilleries, Inc., WHOM 94.9, WMTW Channel 8, Rideout Marine, Downeast Energy, Pepsi Bottling Company, The First Federal Savings Bank, KeyBank, N.A., Spruce Point Inn, O'Donnell, Lee, McCowan & Phillips, LLC, Bath Savings Institution, Federal Distributors, Shipyard Brewing Company, The First, N.A, Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club, Fisherman’s Wharf Inn, Marshall Tent & Event Rental, Boothbay Region Land Trust, Flagship Motor Inn, Cabbage Island Clambakes, McSeagulls Restaurant, The World is Mine Oyster, Lafayette Hotels, J. Edward Knight Insurance, Hannaford, Carousel Marina, Brown’s Wharf Inn & Restaurant, Lincoln Arts Festival Chorus, Harbor Children’s Center,  Edgecomb Boat Works, Inc., Southport Island Marine, LLC, Maine State Aquarium, Blake Builders, Pottle Realty Group, Experience Maritime Maine, Steve & Ann Demeranville, Margaret Jones Perritt, Lyn & George Doran, Dale & Richard McCoy, George McAvoy, Brooke Hubner, Boothbay Region Y-Arts Chorus, Boothbay Playhouse, Boothbay Country Club, Hodgdon Island Inn, Boothbay Harbor Embroidery, Boothbay Fire Department, U.S Coast Guard, Boothbay Region Historical Society, and the Boothbay Register.

Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber Announces Jammers and Joggers!

Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber Announces Jammers and Joggers!

This is not your ordinary torch run!


BOOTHBAY HARBOR, Maine—“Jammers and Joggers,” a land-and-sea race event, will kick off the 50th annual Windjammer Days Festival in Boothbay Harbor on June 25, and, in addition to being the first-of-its-kind torch run in the area, it will, indeed, be a family affair for both participants and eager spectators.

Aquilino Alamo, an affable and popular Boothbay Harbor physician for the past decade, or as he puts it, “a regular country doctor,” is a veteran marathoner with the dream of running a marathon in each state before he’s 50. (He’s 45 and up to 11 marathons, but says, good-naturedly, that he’s more than willing to extend his timeframe if pressed for time.). Alamo will start running from Rockport early on the morning of the 25th bearing the Windjammer Days signature torch. Simultaneously, experienced schooner captains Joe Tassi and Bob Tassi, identical twins and both schooner owners and charter operators who live and work in Camden, will set sail from Rockport’s harbor aboard Capt. Bob’s historic top-sail schooner Timberwind. Capt. Joe’s schooner, the Lazy Jack, with its lines taken from the Fredonia fishing schooners of the 1800s, will be waiting for him in Boothbay Harbor.

Alamo and the Tassi’s will both start their journeys from Rockport Marine Park, on Pascal Avenue, Rockport, ME at 7a.m. on June 25th.  Alamo will start his run south down U.S. Route 1 and the Tassi brothers will travel down the rocky coast, planning to arrive in Boothbay Harbor at the same time as Alamo. By land, it’s slightly more than 41 miles—a daylong run; by sea, it’s about it’s about 45.5 nautical miles, depending on weather conditions and the route taken, Joe Tassi says. Dr. Alamo will be joined along his relay-race route by his three sons, Jude, 16, and Kyle and Karl, 15, all renowned schoolboy runners in the area. His wife, Charito, and daughter, Ariel, 6, plan to join him for the last half-mile to the finish line, along with the Alamo family’s pet, a 2-year-old Husky. They’ll meet up with the Tassi brothers to pass the torch at the Whale Park in Boothbay Harbor, and thus the celebration of windjammers coming into Boothbay Harbor begins.

“It’s for the community,” Alamo says of his motivation for participating in this special inaugural event. “I just want to get people to be active. If I can make an impact and get people to think about staying healthy and active, and combat in some way childhood obesity, that’s what I’m doing it for.” He also noted that he would like to promote Boothbay Harbor as a great place to stay, play and work.

Bob Tassi added, "We are thrilled to take part in this exciting event and appreciate the opportunity to help commemorate an important time in our history."

Jammers and Joggers will kick off Monday morning at 7:00 a.m. on  June 25th at Marine Park, on Pascal Avenue in Rockport, when passengers will board the Schooner Timberwind  and depart at 7:30, and with your help they will race Dr. Alamo, and his family from Rockport Harbor to Boothbay Harbor.  Dr. Alamo and family (the joggers) by land, and the Schooner Timberwind, passengers, and the crew (the jammers) by sea. A home cooked hearty schooner breakfast and lunch will be served fresh and hot from the galley while racing, with a reception planned after anchoring in Boothbay Harbor once the winner is determined.

Come cheer on a veteran marathoner and the Schooner Timberwind http://schoonertimberwind.com/schooner-timberwind-special-events.html as they race down the coast of Maine by land and sea for nearly 50 miles to kick off the gorgeous ships making their way to Boothbay Harbor in the 94.9 WHOM sponsored Jammers vs. Joggers event.  You can enter to win http://www.949whom.com/Article.asp?id=2454329&spid=21699 tickets courtesy of 94.9 WHOM or  you can make a reservation http://schoonertimberwind.com/schooner-timberwind-reservations.html  for $125.00 per person ... bring your own "personal beverages" everything else is provided and the chamber has arranged return transportation with Country Coach Charters http://www.countrycoachcharters.com/ back to Rockport Harbor for guests who may require the return transfer at $20 per person.

Windjammer Days is June 24- 27 with the schooners in Linekin Bay on the 26th and in the harbor on 27th. To learn more about Windjammer Days and to track updates, visit the Chamber's website at http://www.boothbayharbor.com  or find us on Facebook.

Windjammer Days 2012 sponsors include “Pinnacle Vodka” White Rock Distilleries, Inc., WHOM 94.9, WMTW Channel 8, Rideout Marine, Downeast Energy, Pepsi Bottling Company, The First Federal Savings Bank, KeyBank, N.A., Spruce Point Inn, O'Donnell, Lee, McCowan & Phillips, LLC, Bath Savings Institution, Federal Distributors, Shipyard Brewing Company, The First, N.A, Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club, Fisherman’s Wharf Inn, Marshall Tent & Event Rental, Boothbay Region Land Trust, Flagship Motor Inn, Cabbage Island Clambakes, McSeagulls Restaurant, The World is Mine Oyster, Lafayette Hotels, J. Edward Knight Insurance, Hannaford, Carousel Marina, Brown’s Wharf Inn & Restaurant, Lincoln Arts Festival Chorus, Harbor Children’s Center,  Edgecomb Boat Works, Inc., Southport Island Marine, LLC, Maine State Aquarium, Blake Builders, Pottle Realty Group, Experience Maritime Maine, Steve & Ann Demeranville, Margaret Jones Perritt, Lyn & George Doran, Dale & Richard McCoy, George McAvoy, Brooke Hubner, Boothbay Region Y-Arts Chorus, Boothbay Playhouse, Boothbay Country Club, Hodgdon Island Inn, Boothbay Harbor Embroidery, Boothbay Fire Department, U.S Coast Guard, Boothbay Region Historical Society, and the Boothbay Register.

Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce Announces Windjammer Poster Contest Winner

Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce Announces Windjammer Poster Contest Winner


Boothbay Harbor, Maine - The Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that the winner of its poster contest is Pat Berger of Brookline, Massachusetts.  Windjammer Days is  scheduled to take place June 24-27 with the schooners appearing in Linekin Bay on the 26th and in the harbor on the 27th.
Berger's Poster is an acrylic on canvas showing the ships coming into the inner harbor of Boothbay and the people and activity on the shores there as the ships come in.  Her family has been summer residents of nearby Southport since the 1900's.

"I love Windjammer Days and I am so excited that my poster will be used to publicize this very special 50th anniversary year," said Pat Berger. “My mother, Elinor “Fuzzy” Downs, is 100 years old.  She told me about the contest after she read about it in the Boothbay Register and insisted I enter it.  She knew that I have been making posters for over ten years to support single payer health care reform and that I have done many paintings of Fisherman’s Festival and figured I might be able to combine these experiences and make a poster for Windjammer Days.  I followed my mother’s advice and tried to design a poster that would portray the festive feeling of the schooners and the harbor as I have experienced it for many years.  If you look closely you will find me in my red sailboat Wildfire enjoying the celebration."

Berger's interest in art didn’t begin until she was in her late 50’s when she started drawing in her spare time. She took a few art courses in Boston and joined Turtle Studios where she has continued learning and painting.  Berger got her medical degree at Cornell University and worked as a primary care physician in the Boston area for 32 years.  She retired from medicine in 2002 and lives with her husband Dr. Robert Berger in Massachusetts.  They have two daughters and a three-year-old granddaughter.  Besides her art life she figure skates, loves to sail, and works as co-chair of an organization that is leading the campaign for a single payer health care system in Massachusetts.

The judges of the poster contest included the editor of the Boothbay Register, Kevin Burnham; a Representative of the Windjammer Committee, Kris Ward; a member of Arts27, Jim Taliana; community leader and past president of the Board of The Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce, Cindy Mastrella.

The poster will be available for sale at the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce offices and at the Whale Park at the Chamber tent during the festival.  The original painting will be auctioned off through a silent auction that will be held at the Chamber booth at the Whale Park during the Windjammer Days Festival.  People interested in bidding on the piece should stop by the Chamber tent at the Whale Park during the Festival.  They will be given a number and they can bid on the artwork.  The bidding will close when we announce the Grand Prize Raffle Winner at 8:00 PM on Wednesday, June 27th.

To learn more about Windjammer Days and to track updates, visit the Chamber's website at www.boothbayharbor.com or find us on Facebook.

Photos are the poster by Pat Berger and Pat.