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2009 Eastport Pirate Festival & Maine Salmon Festival
It will be a celebration of Eastport come September 11, 12, 13 when the Eastport Pirate Festival and Maine Salmon Festival join forces to create the most exciting and diverse weekend on the Eastport Coast of the United States and Atlantic Canada.
The Maine Salmon Festival will return to its traditional Salmon Sunday schedule and showcase Maine made wines along with Maine micro brews. "Salmon Sunday is a perfect venue to showcase all of Maine’s superb wines," says spokesman John Miller. "We will be extending an invitation to the wine makers here in Maine to be part of this great culinary event."
Over the past two decades Eastport's Salmon Sunday Festival has grown into one of the largest cultural events of the year on the Coast of Maine. "We are working on a menu of great locally grown foods to compliment the salmon meal,” says Jett Peterson. She and Jeanne Peacock are co-chairs of this years Salmon Sunday celebration. They are also planning staggered seating to avoid any visitors having to stand in long lines.
The entire Salmon Festival event will take place on Sunday, September 13th with the Pirate Festival events kicking-off the weekend on Friday and Saturday, September 11 and 12. They will be moving the entire Salmon Festival event back to the downtown Eastport area to make it more user friendly for participants of all ages. "We are looking to also bring back many of our fine quality vendors that have been a big attraction to visitors in the past. The combination of vendors and quality shops along our historic downtown streets has always been a big attraction for people looking for a special gift with early holiday shopping in mind.” says Peacock.
Both the Pirate Festival and The Salmon Festival will be expanding and improving their family and children's Events. Walking tours of historic Eastport and visits to the Salmon Pens by boat will return this year for Salmon Sunday, September 13th.
The Eastport Chamber of Commerce is very pleased to be the presenting sponsor of these prestigious events, and above all to have this opportunity to share with those visiting the Festivals and Eastport the unparalleled quality, variety, innovation, diversity and style that has become synonymous with Salmon Sunday and the Eastport Pirate Festival," says John Miller.
The Pirate Festival, which has grown each year and attracted visitors to the island from all over the world, promises to be better then ever. Born over a cup of coffee at sunrise shared between Captain Butch Harris of Eastport Windjammers and several local merchants on the historic waterfront,,, the Annual Eastport Pirate Festival has come of age.
Each year the Pirate Parade and Pirate Ship race have grown in number of participants and spectacle. They have generated press coverage all over the United States and Canada. Both events draw thousands of spectators to the Eastport waterfront located on Moose Island. Both events are scheduled to take place on Saturday, September 12th.
The kick-off of the Eastport Pirate Festival will be the annual Pirate Invasion of Lubec on Labor Day weekend. Pirates take the town (or attempt to) by storming their waterfront in a flotilla of pirate ships with Eastport Based Windjammer Sylvina Beal in the lead. Once landed, the pirates, scalawags and wenches endeavor to hoist the Eastport flag up every flagpole in Lubec.
Organizers Christopher Wadsworth Brown and Ross Furman have been working all this past winter to grow and expand the pirate events. Brown's family had been operating S. L. Wadsworth on the Eastport Waterfront for almost two hundred years. Originally a ship's chandlery; there's a very good chance that a few pirates of legend have crossed his threshold in the past.
"The streets of Eastport will be filled with offerings for pirates of all ages on Friday and Saturday, September 11 & 12," says Brown. "On Sunday the 13th, several Pirate events will take place on the Pier at Bob Del Papa's Chowder House."
The traditional Pirates Ball and the crowning of the new King and Queen of the Pirates will take place on Friday, September 11 at 9:00 PM with the infamous and charming Christopher Gardner as Pirate of Ceremonies. It is here that participants will see cutlass demonstrations and other antics of the Pirates of The Dark Rose.
This professional Pirates group travels the world and has always been a major part of the Eastport Pirate Festival. Their pirateering are part of the entire Festival schedule.
"It only makes sense in this difficult economy to work hand in hand in the promotion of Eastport, Salmon Sunday and The Pirates Festival,” says Pirates Festival Co-chair Ross E. Furman. "These events happen as a result of dozens of local volunteers giving hundreds of dollars to celebrate our historic city so deeply rooted in fishing and maritime trade. This is community synergy at its very best working to promote Eastport, Commerce and local businesses."
Furman also is quick to add “If you can pick only one event to be part of on the Coast of Maine this summer it should be The Celebration of Eastport the weekend after Labor Day where visitors get two giant events on one little and magical island… The Pirate Festival and Salmon Sunday.”
Eastport’s Historic Downtown shopping district traditionally gets dresses up for the Pirate Festival and offers great Pirate and Salmon Sunday Bargains.
Raye’s Mustard even does a limited edition of Pirate Mustard that is always a hit for shoppers at the famed Mustard Mill.
For a full list of events for both Salmon Sunday and The Eastport Pirate Festival visit www.eastportpiratefestival.com for Pirate Festival information and www.eastport.net for Salmon Festival information.
For more Information, contact: John Miller 207-853-2518.
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