Salmon and Seafood Festival dishes up annual feast of fun

The annual Eastport Salmon & Seafood Festival is celebrating 35 years on Saturday, September 2, and Sunday, September 3. The event, sponsored by the Eastport Area Chamber of Commerce, will be held under the tent at the fisherman statue downtown, along with street vendors specializing in handmade Maine crafts and wares, musicians, art displays and more. On both days craft and local vendors will be at the ready from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. between Boynton Street and Bank Square.

Saturday's line up
On Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. everyone is invited to conjure up their inner artist and add their mark to the "Paint ON Eastport" community mural located under the tent downtown. For some inspiration, all weekend painted sails by Italian artist Vittoria Chierici will be on display downtown as well as the whimsical beach trash and sea junk art created by Lubec artist Chuck Kniffen.
The mural is sponsored by the Eastport Arts Center and hosted by the Eastport Gallery. Gallery member Alison Ross will lead the project. Paint ON Eastport is a new twist to replace the gallery's popular annual Paint Eastport Day for this year. The portable canvas mural has a map of Eastport on it and, once completed at the festival, will be moved around to different locations in the community. Muralists will be provided with paints, brushes and aprons.
The George S. Harris Memorial Fishing Derby for Youth will be held at the breakwater from 10 a.m. to noon. If the past derbies are any indication, the youth fishing will be fun watching, with the younger set learning quickly from the old hands casting out their lines with glittering mackerel jigs. And for those who'd like to learn a bit about the marine environment down below the mackerel lines, the Downeast Institute's traveling touch tank of marine animals will be located at the Peavey Memorial Library lawn from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
After working up an appetite, Saturday's lunch line up under the tent includes the Christ Church and Eastport Senior Center annual fundraiser of crab rolls and clam chowder starting at 11 a.m. until gone. Regional musicians O'McCrelli, a Celtic duo, will play from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and from 1 to 3 p.m. will be a string jam hosted by Moose Island Contra Etc. (MICE).
Following will be an open mic night from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Sutherland Amphitheater.

Sunday's events
Sunday's roster starts right up with a chance auction to benefit the chamber of gifts from local businesses and crafts from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at fisherman statue and with second drawings for gifts taking place at 1 and 3 p.m. However, the main event, the chamber's Salmon Dinner, takes center stage from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and features a salmon fillet grilled over charcoal and served with Raye's Winter Garden sauce, rosemary roasted potatoes, peas, homemade rolls and a blueberry dessert.
Free with the salmon dinner ticket purchase of $25 is a boat ride to the salmon pens, with Cooke Aquaculture staff providing an educational tour aboard Butch Harris' passenger boat. Sign up for times at the dinner ticket table. The boat leaves from the north floats at the breakwater.
Regional musicians will play under the tent with Minor Characters, Jazz Manouche Quintet, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Eastport Jazz featuring Ellis Sanchez playing from 1:30 to 3 p.m.
For those inspired to try their hand at printmaking and creative expression, the Tides Institute & Museum of Art (TIMA) will hold drop in art projects from 1 to 3 p.m. for all ages at the StudioWorks building at 48 Water Street. A variety of printmaking methods will be offered to make salmon imagery, as well as an opportunity to contribute to a larger community artwork. TIMA will also open the GAR Hall at 6 Green Street from 2 to 4 p.m. to view the GAR Civil War mural.
For the full schedule, including business specials and additional information, visit www.eastportchamber.net.