Maine Lobster Festival in Rockland. Carl D. Walsh/Staff Photographer
Maine Lobster Festival
Wednesday to Sunday. Harbor Park, Rockland. mainelobsterfestival.com
If your summer hasn’t been all it’s cracked up to be, claw your way to Rockland and join the crustacean nation known as the Maine Lobster Festival. Harbor Park and surrounding spots become not only the lobster capital of the world but home to a wide range of entertainment including the Sea Goddess Pageant, Coronation Parade, international lobster crate race, arts and craft show, cooking contests, Steins & Vines tasting event, live music and more. Don’t worry if you’re not a lobster eater, the festival also will have plenty of fried clams, shrimp, mussels and a slew of standard summer-fair food options. Here, it’s more than OK to be shellfish.
Scene from “#Adulting” presented by Vivid Motion Dance Company. Photo by Genevieve Coombs
‘#Adulting’
7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 5:30 p.m. Sunday. St. Lawrence Arts Center, 76 Congress St., Portland, $15, $7 for kids under 7. stlawrencearts.org
Vivid Motion Dance Company presents a humorous take on life set to one heck of a soundtrack. “#Adulting” opens with a high-school graduation and ventures into adult challenges, from paying bills to figuring out relationships and achieving some semblance of balance, while also delving into the purpose of life, the highs and lows of raising kids, and taking care of elderly parents. “#Adulting” features music by Queen, Enya, Cheap Trick, Avicii, Bobby Vee and Avril Lavigne, to name a few. P.S. If you’re on a budget, there’s a Thursday pay-what-you-can dress rehearsal performance at 7 p.m.
Picnic craft fair happens in Lincoln Park in Portland. John Ewing/Staff Photographer
Picnic Craft Fair
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, rain date Sunday. Lincoln Park, Portland. picnicportland.com
If you appreciate handmade indie crafts and all things vintage, this is the craft fair of the summer. Picnic assembles more than 120 vendors with ceramics, housewares, bags, clothing, soap, stationery, jewelry, prints, accessories and other items you suddenly can’t live without. Coffee by Design will keep you caffeinated, and Fishin’ Ships and Mr. Tuna will have their trucks parked and stocked to keep you fed. This year marks the 11th summer for Picnic, and it’s always a fun day of shopping and hobnobbing with friends.
The Hawaiian Luau Pub Crawl hits several spots in the Old Port in Portland. Photo courtesy of Pub Crawl3rs
Hawaiian Luau Pub Crawl
5:30 p.m. to midnight Saturday. Starts at Brian Boru, 57 Center St., Portland, $19.95 in advance, $30 day of (cash only day of), 21-plus. eventbrite.com
You don’t need to be a member of the Brady family to have a Hawaiian adventure because there’s one happening right in Portland. The Hawaiian Luau Pub Crawl, presented by local party-throwers Pub Crawl3rs, features stops at Brian Boru, Bonfire, Foreplay and Oasis, all in the Old Port in Portland. At each stop, you’ll find drink specials, door prizes and a whole bunch of fun. Tickets include a souvenir cup and koozie, leis, glasses, glow sticks and photographers who will snap shots of you having the best night of your summer.
The pond at Deering Oaks in Portland will be aglow with lanterns similar to the ones pictured here on Sunday. Photo courtesy of Water Lantern Festival
Water Lantern Festival
4 to 9 p.m. Sunday. Deering Oaks, Portland, $35 in advance, $40 day of. waterlanternfestival.com
Imagine, if you can, the pond at Deering Oaks aglow with hundreds of water lanterns. That’s exactly what’s going to happen at the Water Lantern Festival. What’s more, you’ll design and decorate your own floating lantern. The festival also features live music, and several food trucks will be on hand. All attendees will receive a lantern, marker, wristband and commemorative drawstring bag. And don’t worry, all of the eco-friendly lanterns and any other items in and around the water will be removed after the festival. The event is presented by One World LLC, and the overall theme is one of hope, love, happiness, healing, peace and connection.
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