Tue, 09/01/2015 - 8:45am

Greg Latimer

Stars of the Show: The mighty Pemaquid oyster, fresh from the Damariscotta River, is the star of the Pemaquid Oyster Festival. set for Sunday, Sept. 27 at Schooner Landing in Damariscotta. Over 20,000 oysters were shucked by hand for the 2014 Pemaquid Oyster Festival. Courtesy of Michael Austin Kane

The Pemaquid Oyster Festival, Damariscotta’s annual celebration of the working waterfront, marine conservation, and the Pemaquid oyster, is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 27, from noon to dusk. The popular event is an important fundraiser for the Edward A. Myers Marine Conservation Fund.

As always, the Pemaquid Oyster Festival will feature a great line-up of entertainment, food, educational exhibits and thousands of oysters fresh from the Damariscotta River. (There is also a menu with plenty of choices other than oysters.) The festival is held right on the banks of the Damariscotta River at Schooner Landing Restaurant & Marina on Main St. in Damariscotta, and includes other Main St. businesses.

While the event is held outdoors on Schooner Landing’s riverside deck, there are tents provided by Renys to cover the educational exhibits, entertainment stage, and other locations so that the Pemaquid Oyster Festival can be held rain or shine.

The Pemaquid Oyster Festival is the primary fundraiser for the Edward A. Myers Marine Conservation Fund. The fund is named after Edward Myers, a Walpole resident who pioneered aquaculture in the Damariscotta River and many other areas.

"This fund is intended to continue Edward Myers’ vision of having a sustainable working waterfront as well as protecting our marine environment; implemented through education and research projects with a focus on marine conservation," said Chris Davis of the Pemaquid Oyster Company.

Since the first Pemaquid Oyster Festival in 2001, the event has been hosted by the Pemaquid Oyster Co. and Schooner Landing. Both of these hosts contribute all of their profits from the day to the Edward A. Myers Marine Conservation Fund. The fundraising efforts of these hosts are supported by sponsors that help cover expenses including entertainment, tents, and fuel for the boat rides.

The generous sponsors last year were The First, Damariscotta Bank & Trust, Renys, Narragansett Leathers, Mexicali Blues, Ames Supply, Colby & Gale, The Cheney Companies, Newcastle Square Realty, Sartrex Corporation, Waldo Stone Farm and The Lincoln County News. Additional sponsors are sought to help with the 2015 festival.

The Pemaquid Oyster Festival is also seeking volunteers to fill a variety of positions. Some of the activities volunteers will be needed for include: stage management, festival set-up and take-down, boat deck hands, boat ride gate management, oyster shucking, general assistance on the food line, and contest management.

The Pemaquid Oyster Festival runs from noon to dusk, Sunday, Sept. 27, at Schooner Landing in Damariscotta. There is day-long musical entertainment, boat rides to the oyster beds aboard River Tripper, an oyster poetry contest, and the Maine Champion Oyster Shucking Contest. There is no charge for admission.

For more information on volunteer work or sponsorships please contact Greg Latimer at 207-380-9912 or pemaquidoysterfest@gmail.com.