What’s Happening in Maine this weekend: Sept 15th & 16th 2012

There are so many times that I wish I actually was super woman, capable of being in many places at one time or able to handle some serious multitasking. Most of the time that crosses my mind it’s because I’m spinning too many plates and in danger of crashing.

This time it’s due to my desire to be able to attend more than one of the fun things going on in Maine this weekend. Our state is incredibly vast in size and offerings, so choose wisely!

Portland Head Light

One of the coolest things going on is happening all over Maine. It’s Maine Lighthouse Day, this Saturday September 15^th. This is the day that some of our famous and some of our little known lighthouses are open for the day and you can visit and tour them. The U.S. Coast Guard, the State of Maine and the American Lighthouse Foundation come together to sponsor and orchestrate this event each year. If you’re into lighthouses or visiting along the coast and want to check one out, here’s where you can find information.Maine Lighthouse Day

Mt Katahdin from Sandy Stream Pond

In one of my favorite parts of the state – the Katahdin area – is a fabulous festival that starts today.  It’s the Trails End Festival.  All trails lead to Millinocket this weekend.  Mt Katahdin is the northern end of the US Appalachian Trail, or the AT.  For those who’ve hiked any portion of this trail, you know how demanding it can be and certainly could see the desire for celebration upon completion.  The Trails End Festival will offer live music, food, a parade, a chili cookoff, and also the opportunity to do some gold star earning work on the trail.  Check out the whole schedule at their website www.trailsendfestival.org

Stephen King's house in Bangor

Stephen King Fans!  This tour only takes place a few times each year and Sunday September 16^th is one of those times.  Author Stephen King lives in Bangor and over the years has set many of his novels in Maine.  This tour is a gotta-go for you if you’ve ever wondered “where in Maine is that?”  

Get on the Tommyknockers and More Bus Tour and find out. Join your guide on an air conditioned motorcoach for a tour of Bangor as seen through the books and movies of Stephen King. You'll see where Ellie saw the "Skinny Santa". You'll see the "Sematary" where Stephen King presided over the funeral of Missy Dandridge. Do you dare stop in "the Barrens"?Tickets are $20 per person. Tour is on an air conditioned motorcoach bus. All reservations must be pre-paid prior to space being confirmed. www.VisitBangorMaine.com 207.947.5205

 

Bring on the pink!  Sunday is the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Bangor

The Bangor Race for the Cure is the largest 5K run/walk in the State of

Maine, drawing about 5,000 participants and raising over $250,000 for

the Komen Maine Affiliate each year.  Preregistration and t shirt pick up is at a new location this year: Broadway shopping center.  Race day registration and the race itself is on the Bangor waterfront, Broad Street and Front Street in Bangor.  Registration opens at 7:30 with the race warm up at 9:45am.  Here are the complete details:  Komen Race for the Cure Bangor

Maine Coon kittens

 Another good feeling kind of happening this weekend is the Whisker Walk to raise money for the Human Society of Knox County.  Saturday, September 15 in Harbor Park, Rockland from 9:30-2:00.  Beyond the walk and the view there will be food, fun pet contests, raffles, an agility demo, kids crafts, a bounce house, and live music.  More info here:  www.hskcme.org

 

Yet another pet related event is taking place this weekend in Biddeford.  Friday, September 14 to Sunday, September 16; 11 a.m. to 5 p.m at PetSmart in Biddeford.  National Adoption Weekend will be held in Biddeford Sept. 14-16 (Fri, Sat & Sun). The Mobile Adoption Team will visit with adoptable dogs from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday. Adoptable cats will also be at the store. Adoption counselors will be available in the store on Thursday: 5-7 p.m., Friday: 9 a.m.-Noon, Saturday: Noon-5 p.m., and Sunday: Noon-5 p.m. For more information, call Animal Welfare Society at (207) 985-3244 or PetSmart at 283-6546.  Website:animalwelfaresociety.org

Ok --- is that a ton of great stuff to do or what?  Now Go!!

What's Happening in Maine this weekend . . . Pirates, Wheels, Seaplanes, Dark Skies and Ducks

Wheels on the Waterfront in Bangor this weekend!

Listen up people!  This is a great weekend to be in Maine, especially in my neck of the woods (channeling Al Roker here). 

So, let’s start here, in the Greater Bangor, Maine area:

 

1                    Wheels on the Waterfront – the Greater Bangor Convention and Visitors Bureau is again hosting the Bangor Car Show.  Having more than doubled last year’s entrants at this point, this show is gearing up to be a spectacular event.  It’s not too late to get in on the action either.  The weather’s looking good with plenty of blue sky and sunshine to showcase this collection of chrome and attitude.  Visit the CVB’s website for details:   Bangor Car Show

    

2                    15^th Annual Bangor Rubber Duck Race - The Rubber Duck Race is an exciting family and community event. The rubber ducks will dive off the footbridge behind the Pickering Square Garage and float to the finish line at the Central St. Bridge. Sponsors of the winning ducks will win one of several great prizes and there will also be a special prize for the last duck to cross the finish line. Come join the fun and cheer on your duck! You can participate by sponsoring one or more ducks. The sponsors of the winning ducks do not need to be present to receive a prize. Sponsorship forms are available at Good Samaritan Agency, and several greater Bangor area locations, or by calling Duck Central at 942-7211, you can also get your tickets at the race on Saturday. Proceeds from the 15th Annual Bangor Rubber Duck Race will support Good Samaritan Agency’s services for single parents, our childcare center and adoption program.  More info here: Bangor Runner Duck Race

 

3                    39^th Annual International Seaplane Fly In – in Greenville on and around Moosehead Lake, the Seaplane Fly In brings thousands of flying enthusiasts and spectators to the region.  Raising funds to sponsor aviation education, the event is also a feel good opportunity to help carry on the traditions.  Bring your chairs, binoculars, cameras, good spirit and love of flying to this little town on the south shore of Moosehead Lake.  You can find more info here:  Seaplanefly-in.org

Tall ships

 4                    Argh!  The Eastport Pirate Festival  is also happening this weekend in Maine.  Come in costume.  Come ready to have fun.  Just come.  This three day weekend event begins today.  Tall ships, Thieves Market with specials, parades, kids games, an Old Sow Pig Roast dinner, Cannon lessons, and Pirate and Wench parties all over town, this is a well organized good humored good time.  Bonus is the visit to the Lubec and Eastport area!  

5                    The MaineStarlight Festival .  It’s easy to take the dark skies for granted here in Maine.  We tend to forget that in many places in the world, light pollution obscures the stars.  There’s a small stillness that you feel when you see that huge expanse of deep dark night sky.  This event is a coordinated effort all over the state and goes on from today, September 7^th until September 16^th.  Check out the website for details, schedule and inspiration.

   

6                    Harvest Hoot 2012 in Camden - A full day of fun for the whole family on the mountainside at the Camden Snow Bowl. Four live bands......Kelly Parker Band, Jerks of Grass, Three Button Deluxe, Everard Dodge...Grammy-nominated children's entertainer, Judy Pancoast and tons of children's activities.  Local food vendors, chair lifts open all day.  Barefoot on the grass, great music and food - a blast for adults and kids!  

Garlic & Press

 

7                    MDI Garlic Festival -  More than 800 people attend the Mt. DesertIsland Garlic Festival. Held at the Smugglers Den Campground, in Southwest Harbor, the 14th annual event will feature local restaurants, musicians, brewers and garlic growers.

If you can’t find something to do in Maine this weekend . . . you’re clearly not looking hard enough!  Late summer is clear, cool, and dry here and perfect time to visit.  Check out a festival, try something new, explore this fabulous state, and keep coming back.  If you live here, all the better!  Get out and support your communities.  Meet some new people.  Encourage visitors!  All boats rise with the tide so when we share our state with others, we all benefit.  Come and spend the day, spend the weekend, enjoy Maine. 

“Everything is so superb and breathtaking. I am creeping forward on my belly like they do in war movies.”
-Diane Arbus

Good Times Review: The Big E, West Springfield MA

Agricultural art is only the start of what you'll find at the Big E.

 

The road that leads through the Big E

Here it comes, folks!  Each year in West Springfield Massachusetts, the Eastern States Exposition, affectionately known as The Big E, consumes 17 days of life in that part of the state.  Self dubbed “New England’s Grandest Fair” the Big E is a BIG DEAL.  While open for business for those 17 days, the preparation for this fair goes on all year long.  With full time staff and specialized buildings on the grounds, the actual fair days are the culmination of hard work done by so many people that you can almost sense a cumulative sigh of relief at the end of day 17. 

This year’s Big E beings on September 14^th and ends September 30^th.  Tradition rules here.  Each of the six New England states has its own building on the Avenue of States.  The buildings are bona fide brick and mortar replicas of each state’s original state building.  Inside, the state’s finest products and places are celebrated.  There are of course the things you would expect from each state, based on its history and lore, like maple products in the Vermont building and clam chowdah in the Massachusetts building.  There are also many vendors whose products stretch your perception of their state.  In the Connecticut building last year, I had some crunchy, cheesy, savory brick oven pizza.  The guys set up behind the New Hampshire building had the best kettle corn on the avenue.  I tasted lobster ravioli in Massachusetts and bought some really cool pottery in Vermont. 

Vermont pottery

Each state’s building also has tourism information.  That’s where I come in.  I went to the Big E last year for my tourism work, spending the better part of two weeks there in the Maine building.  I’m not sure that this is the case for all the states, but the Maine building is operated by our Department of Agriculture.  This is a true agricultural fair, as I’ll show you later on.  The Maine building’s vendors had products that included our traditional lobster rolls, whoopee pies, blueberry cobbler, and what I think is the biggest food hit of all, the baked Maine potato.  My organization’s booth was set up across from the potatoes and the line to get one was out the side door the entire time.  The line was so long, and the tradition of getting a Maine baked potato so entrenched, that the building operators have had to add a queuing area outside, complete with an awning for protection from rain and sun.  you can get that potato covered with sour cream, bacon, cheese, chives, or loaded with all of them.  Smoked salmon on a stick was also available.  Fine art paintings and beautiful silver jewelry could be yours, too.  

The Maine building on the Avenue of States

The buildings house specialties from each New England State, like lobster rolls in Maine.

The fair has special events and parades every day.  Each state gets a day of its own, and then there are days that salute the local towns, Agawam, Westfield, Springfield and Chicopee.  4H day, Harvest New England Day, Salute to Girl Scouts are planned for this year. 

 

As you would expect with an agricultural fair, there are the animals.  The animals come with their people, the kids and teens who work all year to be able to show here.  Cows, goats, sheep, pigs, horses, the whole barnyard is a-coming.  I went into the Mallary Complex last year and was simply stunned at the number of goats in the building.  Rows upon rows of pens with little goats and big goats, some shorn, others not, the sounds of their rustling and communication just deafening, each of them sporting some insignia or ribbon to announce their success.  Apparently, that was when the goat competitions were scheduled.  In the next days, the animals and the people changed over in a smooth transition. 

looks cozy huh?

Room for the whole barnyard!

Another part of the agricultural aspect of this fair is the produce.  This is where you can check out the giant pumpkins and blue ribbon winning berry pies.  I’m not sure exactly what the competition is built around, but there are beautiful presentations of garden vegetables.  Gorgeous fanned peppers balanced with purple skinned new potatoes and wedged in with bright carrots, the displays are art, or as I like to refer to it, food porn.

Here are a few of the photos I took at last year’s fair:  

Chicks hatching with supervision

Piglets born at the fair

A big winner

 More agricultural art:

Buildings on the grounds, such as the Better Living Center and the New England Center have demonstrations and crafts, gadgets and bargains.  There’s a Super Circus, an Auto show, a petting zoo, and you can even check out a butter sculpture.  There is so much to see and take in, you’ve got to plan at least a whole day. 

And I haven’t even touched on the food . .  yet.  Let’s just go with this:  Deep . . . Fried . . things I didn’t even think you would fry.  Now of course I’ve seen or heard of or tried quite a few deep fried things in my life.  There are things here that I need to study further, like deep fried – get this – kool aid.  Deep fried – yep – BUTTER.  How do they do that?  Okay, so not in the mood for fried food?  How about barbeque or dessert?  The Big E has two historically significant desserts – the crème puff and the éclair.  I’m not sure how they came to be such traditional treats here but the lines for them make it clear that they’re fabulous.  Put them on my list for this year’s fair food.

The Big E also has a never ending midway, with games and rides, and each year brings in some big names for concerts at the Comcast Arena Stage.  This year’s stars are Billy Currington, Jeff Dunham, and Alan Jackson. 

I’ve used the word “tradition” a lot in this post.  I’ve done that on purpose because tradition here goes way beyond the fair’s events and other draws.  What I’ve found, from the years I lived in southern New England to the discussions I had with people at last years show, going to the Big E is a tradition in itself for many families.  People take vacation days and plan family reunions around this fair.  I heard lots of “oh I’ve got to get my baked potato” like the day wouldn’t be complete without it or without seeing the butter sculpture or getting a crème puff or visiting the Maine building just for a whiff of home (I did that!) or participating in the parades or working the parking lots or spending too much money and buying things you don’t need (I did that, too) but having a great time while you’re there.

SO GO!  Spend the day at the Big E.  Come to the Maine building and say hi when you’re in line for that baked potato, too!  Make it a tradition for your family.  Schedules, daily events, and lots of fun can be found at www.thebige.com

Flea Market Fun: Searsport Maine

 Traveling along Route 1, through the midcoast region of Maine, just north of Belfast (a very cool little coastal town worth a stop, but that’s another post . . ) there’s the town of Searsport.  They have an island (Sears Island) and a funky little downtown with one of the Grasshopper Shop locations (a really great FUN store).  Further on, you’ll find a peppering of antique shops and a craft consignment store.  It’s a nice part of the drive.

The reason I’m writing about this today is that I was recently looking through my photo archive for some images from a couple of years ago.  I came across some that I took one day that I went to Searsport’s flea markets.  Fun, quirky, nostalgic – if you have time to look around you’ve got to check it out.  Go with friends who like a good laugh or have an eye for value. 

Here are some of the photos from one of the trips I took:

Not exactly sure what these are but I liked the light.

There’s some true creativity living here!

Enlarge these to read the detail.  It's hilarious!

I had these as a child!!  Brought back memories! I also remember a farm with barnyard animals and a barn door that mooed. 

Ah the Fisher Price house . . . doorbell rang and everything!

I think we had this .  . but didn't play with it much.  Telling isn't it?

I’m not sure what it takes to collect all of these bottles (other than a permanent spot at the flea market!) but they did look pretty cool in the sunlight.

I loved the signs.  I’ve got a thing for signs.

I liked "my cow or your cow" in the top sign.

Do you see these things on Antiques Roadhouse?

Other neat stuff . .

Thought you might enjoy this little trip to Searsport and the flea markets.

Happy Halloween: Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia

Being the day before Halloween, it’s perfectly acceptable to be thinking about the creepiest experiences you’ve ever had. One of the most recent of mine was on a recent trip to Philadelphia. First trolley stop on my list: the Eastern State Penitentiary.

It’s located right near the Museum of Art – home of the “Rocky” statue. Pretty darn near downtown.



The first thing I noticed was that it’s in a neighborhood. A neighborhood where people live and drive and walk their dogs. This evil history, just set amongst the townhouses.



We walked in from the street into the gift shop and paid for our admission. There’s an audio tour you can get so that you can listen to different parts of the story where ever you are in the complex. Many parts of it are narrated by Steve Buscemi. We got our headsets on and started off.

It was really hot that day and stepping into the first spoke of the wagon wheel shaped set of buildings was at first refreshing. Then your eyes become accustomed to the dimness and focus on the corridor for what it is: cell after cell, door after door, a place in history where the worst offenders where kept.

We learned that in its earlier years, it was a model for prisons around the world. It was the Pennsylvania System and was based on the true concept of “penitence”. Inmates were kept completely solitary, not seeing another human being for months or years at a time. Even while being led into their cells, their heads were covered. It was “confinement in solitude with labor” and worked extremely well for years.



I found the extensive corridors mesmerizing.



I had seen one of the ghost shows do a visit of this place, declaring it haunted. This place, on a catwalk across the second level, was the area of the most paranormal activity. I found that out after we went, but recall feeling, as I stood on the catwalk, that I couldn’t get out of there fast enough. I took a few photos and hurried back down.

There are artist installations throughout. One is in homage to the many cats who moved in after the prison was closed in the early 70’s and the man who continued to feed them. There are plaster cats in various poses throughout.



Another artist’s installation had these small models of cell and prison life. I found this one extremely unsettling.

Women were incarcerated in separate wings.

Al Capone spent some time in here. His cell was outfitted in the finest of the time.

Mostly, what struck me, as a photographer, was the age and decay, the texture and ruin, the glimpses of lives lived in this place. Men, women, sleeping, eating, living here in these small rooms, doing penance for their crimes.

The aging provides some beautiful terrible texture to these walls. So pronounced in some places that the layers of paint curled inches away from the surface.

One of my favorite musicians, Sting, used this dimension as a backdrop for an album cover shoot.

Another creepy place in the prison was the hospital, although we could not enter the actual rooms, the implication of disease and death hung heavily in that part of the prison.

This is a scary and fascinating place.

With some unusual and unexpected beauty.

When you are here in Philadelphia, come and check this place out. It’s really worth a few hours of your time to understand the evolution of the prison system in this country and the power of this place.











You can read all about the history and check out the plans for this year’s Halloween.

http://www.easternstate.org/