Yummy Lobster Festival in Maine

Every year during the first August weekend, we would make the 400-mile drive to Maine for one and only reason – the Lobsterfest! And every time we go visit, we always go home with satisfied lobster cravings that will last us until the next year (NOT! I always have cravings for lobsters). The Maine Lobster Festival site is at Rockland’s Harbor Park, which is about a four-hour drive from Boston.

I have never tasted lobster before I came to New York because (a) crabs are my absolute favorite and (b) lobsters are expensive back home. Growing up in the Philippines, my parents would treat us with fresh boiled crabs and shrimps on weekends. I would dip the fresh meat in calamansi juice, which is a round citrus fruit, freshly picked in my mom’s garden and eat it with rice. This is one of my happiest childhood memories, and I always looked forward to it whenever I come home for a visit. On the other hand, crabs available in the U.S. taste differently (I never appreciated king crabs), so I looked forward to every chance I get to eat lobsters.

Packed with our camping gear and lobster-hungry tummies, we would would begin driving in the wee hours in the morning. Before checking in to the event, we would set up camp in the pet-friendly Megunticook Campground in Rockport, Maine. We travel with our three puppies, and so our camp has to be pet-friendly!

The Maine Lobster Festival is five days of fun and feasting on the fabulous coast of Maine! This annual event takes place during the first weekend of August, from Wednesday through Sunday. (Maine Lobster Festival website)

General admission tickets (typically $8) are required to enter the festival, except for the last day (Sunday) when you can join in on the fun for free. Here are a couple of pictures from  two years ago from the parade before they opened doors:

And here is the magical tent where you can buy the soft-shell lobsters. You can buy lobsters in singles, doubles or triples ($16, $30, $38, respectively – prices in 2015). There’s seating inside the tent as well. And we also get clam chowder from the stall on the right.

Here is my personal Lobsterfest food checklist (I eat everything!):

• fresh soft-shell lobsters (of course) with corn and bread
• clam chowder
• fresh oysters and baked oysters
• calamari

Hope this inspires you to come check out the Lobster Festival! Unfortunately, I won’t be able to join the festival this year 😦 But I’ll definitely be there next year!