This year’s Maine Lobster Festival will open on July 30, 2025. The last day of the festival will be on August 3, 2025. The town where the festival will happen is Rockland, Maine. The setting in Rockland will be Harbor Park. Parking for the festival will be available free of charge at South Elementary School. At the school, there will be free shuttles to take people to the festival site.
At the festival, you can check out the Sea Goddess coronation and the Big Parade. Another featured event will be the Great International Lobster Crate Race. These events all happen every year. You will be able to try a tasty lobster dinner. There will be tasty things to eat at the food trucks and food stands. There will also be a Seafood Cooking Contest that you can enter if you want.
Overview of the Maine Lobster Festival
The website of the Main Tourism Association states that the festival is a “celebration of local seafood.” People come from near and far to attend. The Maine Lobster Festival operates as a non-profit organization. Volunteers help make the festival happen. Proceeds from the festival are donated to community areas of need in Midcoast Maine. For example, donations help support emergency services, food pantries, and college scholarships.
Attending This Year’s Festival
The Maine Lobster Festival website announces “five days of fun and feasting.” The first day of the festival this year will be July 30, 2025. This date will fall on a Wednesday. The last day will be August 3, 2025. This day will be a Sunday. The event will take place on the Maine coast in Rockland, Maine. The site of the event’s activities will be held at Harbor Park in Rockland. The park is located on Main Street.
The festival will be accessible by car. You can arrive from Bangor and Portland, two cities in Maine, in under two hours. Getting to Rockland from Boston, MA by automobile takes about four hours. Free parking will be available at the event. You will be able to park for free at South Elementary School in Rockland. The school is located at 30 Broadway. A shuttle bus will be available. This bus will bring you from the school to the festival at no cost. There are also airports nearby for people flying in. Travelers can fly into Bangor International Airport, Knox County Regional Airport, or Portland International Jetport.
What to Look For at the Maine Lobster Festival
One Maine Lobster Festival tradition to look for is the crowning of the Sea Goddess. Another is the Big Parade. Both of these traditions have been in existence since 1948. To become the Sea Goddess, you must win the Maine Lobster Festival Pageant. Glen Cove Inn & Suites states the winner is “an independent and strong ambassador.” The winner of the Sea Goddess competition represents positively the Maine region and the festival. The Sea Goddess is part of the Big Parade. This parade is one of Maine’s longest parades. It is the highlight of the Maine Lobster Festival.
Another competition you can check out is the Great International Lobster Crate Race. This race has thousands of spectators annually. It is open to anybody who wishes to claim a spot. However, spots are limited. According to Glen Cove Inn & Suites, the race “involves running across… lobster crates.” These crates are next to each other and sitting on top of the ocean water. Competitors attempt to perform the feat of traversing the crates without falling into the water.
Seafood and More at the Maine Lobster Festival
There will be plenty to eat at the Maine Lobster Festival. There will be a main tent for eating, where lobster dinners will be available. In addition, food trucks and food stands will be present. Along with the featured seafood, there will be other options available. These will include such offerings as hot dogs, fried dough, and French fries. If you have a delicious seafood recipe, you can participate in the Seafood Cooking Contest. According to Glen Cove Inn & Suites, “the recipe must contain local seafood.”
