Schoonerfest to make waves in Wiscasset Sept. 21

Wiscasset’s waterfront festival, Schoonerfest, will provide a day of free dockside fun this Saturday, Sept. 21 from noon until nightfall, concluding with a fireworks display over the Sheepscot River.

Music will ring out from the town pier all day, including toe-tapping fiddle tunes, much-loved classic rock, and some lively Calypso percussion. Children will enjoy games, popcorn, races, and craft-making from noon to 3 p.m. And mariners will marvel at Maine’s First Ship, the Virginia; a remarkable hand-crafted Pinky schooner, the Sycamore; and Maine’s lone remaining lobster sloop, the Sarah Mead.   History will come alive throughout the day. In addition to the extraordinary vessels, a small contingent of colonial reenactors will be on hand on the Common and dockside. High Street will be the site of strolling story-telling, with stories told of Wiscasset’s early, well-heeled residents. And for those drawn toward the water, White’s Island will be the subject of two kayak tours circumnavigating the former nexus of Wiscasset’s shipbuilding past.
The Virginia, currently docked at its homeport of Bath, will be ceremonially welcomed into Sheepscot Harbor between 1:30 and 2:00 p.m. Friday afternoon.   Walk-aboard tours of the Virginia will be offered during Schoonerfest on Saturday – for $5. Taste-tempting food options will be available from Mazu, Back River Bistro, and Reggae Eats; the town-pier ice cream shack will be open, as well. Schoonerfest’s musical acts this year are Dam Jam, Pan Fried Steel, Salty Dogs, and Leopard Girls.   Visit WiscassetSchoonerfest.com or follow wiscasset_schoonerfest on Instagram for schedule information. Join the fun on Saturday, from noon to 8 p.m.