Festivals to cook up fun

The 27th annual Eastport Salmon and Seafood Festival will be held on Labor Day weekend, Friday, August 30, through Sunday, September 1. Sponsored by the Eastport Area Chamber of Commerce (EACC), the event is sporting a new name this year that is indicative of all of the different delicious bounty that comes from the local waters.
"We're going to have 10 or 11 chowders this year in the chowder cook-off on Saturday," says Meg Keay, president of the EACC. "And this year's salmon dinner on Sunday will include rosemary potatoes, green beans, freshly baked rolls and all kinds of desserts, including one with blueberry, a carrot cake and pudding."
Friday, August 30
The festivities will begin with the fourth annual Community Potluck Pie Supper from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Unitarian Meetinghouse. The annual Young Persons' Concert will begin at 7 p.m. in the Eastport Arts Center (EAC).

Saturday, August 31
The 16th annual Paint Eastport Day will be held. All artists, young and old, professional or beginner, are invited to paint their favorite scenes of Eastport. Registration begins at 7 a.m. at the EAC, and the finished products need to be back there no later than 3 p.m., in time for the silent auction and reception at 4:30 p.m.
A two day city-wide yard sale will be held on Saturday and Sunday. Look for sunflower flags at yard sale addresses.
The third annual George Harris Sr. Memorial Fishing Derby will be held at the breakwater from 8 a.m. until 12 noon, and the Camera Obscura can be visited from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. near the fish pier parking lot on both Saturday and Sunday.
A way to make no-knead bread will be taught from 9 to 10 a.m. at the Labor of Love Food Pantry.
Food and craft vendors and educational exhibits will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A trolley tour of Eastport will be available from 10 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., and art lessons for children will be given from 10 to 11 a.m. at Sutherland Amphitheater. The farmers' market will be held in the same place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
A Chinese auction will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the tent. "We have some wonderful items," says Keay. "They include a sunset cruise, restaurant gift certificates, artwork, jewelry and overnight stays."
An exhibit by Lizbeth Firmin, titled "Coming Home," can be seen at the Tides Institute & Museum of Art, and Elizabeth Ostrander's one-person show can be viewed at the Eastport Gallery, on Saturday and Sunday.
From 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. musicians will perform under the tent, where there will be a nice selection of seafood chowders, oysters on the half shell and beer and wine.
Michael Closen and John Brunkowski will sign their book about campers and RVs from 1 to 2 p.m. in front of the Quoddy Crafts shop, and the Little Eagles, a Passamaquoddy drum group, will perform for one hour at 3 p.m. under the tent.
A downtown street dance, featuring Breakwater Revival, will be held under the tent from 8 to 11 p.m.

Sunday, September 1
Registration for the Eastport Salmon and Seafood Festival 5K Run will be held on Sea St. from 7:30 to 9 a.m. The annual Kids' One-Mile Fun Run for youngsters 14 years and younger begins at 8:15 a.m. and the 5K Race/Walk starts at 9:15 a.m.
Local food and craft vendors and educational exhibits will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and a Trees of Eastport walking tour will depart from the library at 9:45 a.m.
The Salmon Dinner will run from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. under the tent, and diners will be entertained by several different Washington County bands and musicians. Cooke Aquaculture donated 650 portions of salmon for the dinner. Those who purchase a dinner ticket can also enjoy a tour of aquaculture pens, sponsored by Skretting North America.
Closen and Brunkowski will again sign their book from 1 to 2 p.m. in front of Quoddy Crafts, and another local author, Sarah Graves, will sign copies of her newest home repair mysteries from 1 to 2 p.m. in front of Wadsworth's.
The schooner Ada Lore will take a 1:30 p.m. cruise along the bay, and landlubbers can take an architectural walking tour from 1:45 to 3 p.m. It will begin in front of Quoddy Crafts.
The final event of the festival will be an organ concert by Edward French and Mark DeVoto at the Perry Congregational Church at 4 p.m.
Sponsors of the Eastport Salmon and Seafood Festival are Moose Island Marine, The Commons, Raye's Mustard, Cooke Aquaculture Inc., Bangor Savings Bank, The First bank, Ocean Renewable Power Company, Eastport Port Authority, Rockdale Farm, John Foster, Esq., Port O' Call, Quoddy Pilots, Seaview Campground, R&M IGA and the Tides Institute & Museum of Art.