Lobster Festival Maine 2010

Where is the best place to eat lobster? Oh, there is more than one. However, if fresh Maine lobster during the height of Maine lobster season, cool Atlantic breezes, and a fun-filled atmosphere appeal to you...

...the Rockland, Maine Lobster Festival overlooking Penobscot Bay, is definitely one of the best places to indulge in this decadent crustacean.

Every year, since 1948, Rockland, Maine has welcomed thousands of tourists and Mainer's alike, as they descend upon this Midcoast Maine community to take part in a feast and celebration that includes...

...20,000 pounds of live Maine lobster, the Big Parade - with floats, marching bands and the Sea Goddess and her Sea Princesses - the world's largest lobster cooker, arts and crafts, seafood cooking contests, road races, crate races, live entertainment, carnival rides, kids games and activities...

...along with an all you can eat blueberry pancake breakfast!

Lobster Festival Maine - Dates, Times, Directions

When is the Maine Lobster Festival 2010? According to the folks at the Penobscot Bay Chamber of Commerce, it's very easy to calculate when the annual Rockland Lobster Festival will occur.

The festival always runs Wednesday to Sunday and begins the Wednesday before the first FULL weekend in August.

That means that the Rockland Lobster Festival 2010 will run from August 4th through August 8th, and the Maine Lobster Festival 2011 will run from August 3rd through August 7th.

Where is the Rockland Maine Lobster Festival? The festival is held at the waterfront Harbor Park in downtown Rockland, Maine.

What are the Maine Lobster Festival hours? Each year a new schedule is posted.

The Maine Lobster Festival 2009 opened at noon on the first day, and then at 7:00 AM on subsequent days, for an all you can eat pancake breakfast. Closing time ranged from 10:00 PM to 11:00 PM, with the exception of the final day when the festival closed at 6:00 PM.

The annual Lobster Festival schedule is usually available late in the spring at: www.mainelobsterfestival.com.

How to get to the Lobster Festival Maine...

Although parking in downtown Rockland is limited, the 2009 Maine Lobster Festival offered free shuttle service between the free parking lot at Rockland District High School (400 Broadway, US Route 1A), MacDougal and Rockland District Middle School, and the festival fairgrounds. Hopefully, that will remain the same for the 2010 Lobster Fest in Maine.

• From Boston: Approximately 185 miles. Take I-95 into Maine. Follow I-95 North to I-295, Exit 44, South Portland/Downtown Portland. Take I-295 North to Exit 28, which is U.S. Route 1 North (Coastal Route) Brunswick/Bath. Follow U.S. Route 1 to Thomaston. Rockland is another four miles on Coastal Route 1.
• From Portland: Approximately 82 miles. Take I-295 North to Exit 28, which is U.S. Route 1 North (Coastal Route) Brunswick/Bath. Follow U.S. Route 1 to Thomaston. Rockland is another four miles on Coastal Route 1.
• From Quebec, Canada: Approximately 251 miles. Take 73 South to 173 South. At the U.S. border 173 South becomes 201 South. Exit 95 South, continue to the City of Augusta. In Augusta, take 17 East to Rockland.
• Alternative route from the South: So as to avoid heavy summer traffic on U.S. Route 1 - take I-95 to Exit 109 Augusta and follow Route 17 East into Rockland.

You can also get to the Lobster Festival Maine by train...

The Maine Eastern Railroad travels from Brunswick to Rockland and can be a great alternative to driving. For a look at their schedule and fares you check out www.maineeasternrailroad.com. However, you may need to wait until late spring to get a look at the Maine Eastern Railroad summer schedule.

How to buy tickets for the 2010 Maine Lobster Festival...

Daily Festival General Admission tickets are typically available at the gates only, while four day passes could be purchased on-line, or at the Main Gate on Wednesday and Thursday of the festival. In 2009 four day passes were $25 for adults and $8 for children ages 6 to 12.

What else is there to do when you visit Maine? My other site, great-maine-vacations.com (also a work in progress), has more on Rockland, ME, and great Maine travel ideas and tips.

Lobster Festival Maine Accommodations

Book your reservations early! New England is busy in the summer season, particularly along the east coast. And since the Lobster Festival Maine is tremendously popular, rentals fill up long before the lobster festival dates.

Many motels, inns, B&B's and hotels in downtown Rockland are within walking distance of the festival, which makes parking for the event very convenient.

However, the nearby towns of Thomaston, Camden and Rockport, all centrally located along Maine's Midcoast, are also a wonderful alternative for festival lodging. For your lobster festival Maine vacation you will be able to choose between a wooded campground, a secluded one-room cottage, a cozy motel room for two, or a luxury hotel with a waterfront suite overlooking Penobscot Bay!