(Photo Courtesy The Courier-Gazette/www.MaineCoastNOW.com)

What do you get when you mix the world’s largest lobster cooker, a sea goddess, a big parade, entertainment that includes Celtic fiddling sensation Natalie MacMaster, a Seafood Cooking Contest, fine art, talented crafts people, a lobster crate race, marine heritage, road races, kids events, over 20,000 pounds of lobster, plus over 1,000 volunteers and a group of dedicated directors?

The Maine Lobster Festival!

For real small town fun with big time entertainment and events, The Maine Lobster Festival in Harbor Park Rockland has it all! This year's Festival will open on Wednesday, July 29th when King Neptune and His Court, along with the 2008 Sea Goddess, arrive from the Briny Deep to raise the flag. It will run through Sunday, August 2nd with a Wreath Ceremony commemorating fishermen lost at sea. After the Ceremony, King Neptune and His Court return to the Deep until next year.

The focus of the Festival is, of course, fresh hot Maine lobster! Enjoy your lobster dinner under the Maine Eating Tent. What could be better on a warm summer day than feasting on fresh lobster while taking in a spectacular view of Maine's Penobscot Bay?

During the 2008 Lobster Festival, 20,000 pounds of luscious lobster was prepared in the huge steamer on the shore. That's a show in itself! In addition to lobster, you can choose from steamed and fried clams, fried Maine shrimp, shrimp cocktail, steamed mussels in wine and vegetable sauce, and many varieties of traditional summer fair food, all prepared in the traditional Maine way.

For more on the Festival including the schedule of events & travel info go to: Annual Maine Lobster Festival