We’re about to host one of coastal Maine’s most popular summer events, Windjammer Days, with a wide variety of events planned, highlighted by the arrival of the beautiful sailing vessels Wednesday afternoon, June 29. The Windjammer Days Committee has gone to great lengths to offer something to interest everyone during the festivities, spread out over a seven-day period.

One of the new events will be the Blessing of the (fishing) Fleet Sunday afternoon, June 26 at 4 p.m. When Boothbay Harbor’s annual Fishermen’s Festival, which has ushered in the spring season for over 40 years, was discontinued, arrangements were made to make the fleet blessing a part of Windjammer Days since it was a popular event.  The area’s fishing vessels will parade past the Fishermen’s Memorial opposite Our Lady Queen of Peace Church to receive a blessing for a safe and prosperous year ahead.  We’re glad this important part of the Fishermen’s Festival will live on and we hope fishermen will continue to support it.

The Windjammer Days Committee is also incorporating the former Shrimp Princess pageant, renamed the Miss Windjammer pageant, into this year’s schedule, slated for Monday evening at 7 p.m. at the YMCA, for girls age 9 thru twelve, and the lobster eating contest will take place Wednesday at 2 p.m. on the waterfront, followed by the hilarious codfish relay race, and on Friday evening, July 1, we’ll get to see who can shuck oysters the fastest at Mine Oyster, Pier One.  Those who always enjoyed the tugs of war each spring won’t want to miss the Tug of War Across the Harbor Saturday afternoon, July 2, on either end of the footbridge.

A lighted boat parade, open to all vessels, promises to be as impressive as ever. All in all, it will be a busy week, with the usual street parade and our own well-known Mac Andrews as grand marshal, music to please everyone, arts and crafts, food, food, food, tours, pirates galore, sailboat races, and even a carnival on the school field. Take in all of the events you can and enjoy!