Maine Oyster Festival

Schedule:

10AM – 6PM: Meet sea farmers & eat oysters, learn to shuck, shop with the vendors & food trucks, kids can make a craft or two to take home, and find out more about seaworthy organizations. L.L.Bean Moose Parking Lot & Mallard Parking Lot behind Freeport Oyster Bar

10AM – 11:15AM: Live Music by Shank Painters. Shank Painters are a pirate band from the shores of Portland, ME, featuring sea shanties, tavern songs, and music which will be sure to get you ready to plunder and pillage as you please! FMI: https://www.shankpainters.com/ Free. L.L.Bean Discovery Park Stage

10AM – 10:45AM: Live Music by Becky Krill. American singer-songwriter and producer Becky Krill has concocted a sound all her own, delivering soulful vocals over warm, nostalgic and inspired compositions. Her approach to songwriting? Classic and unquestionably folk. Inspired by a wide-range of influences including Ani Difranco, The Rolling Stones, Brandi Carlile and The Temptations, Becky released her self-produced debut album Little Girl in 2021 and is gearing up for her sophomore release later this year. FMI: beckykrill.com.  Free. Mallard Lot Stage (behind Lobster Cooker)

11:15AM – 12:00PM: Live Music by TBD. Free. Mallard Lot Stage (behind Lobster Cooker)

11:45AM – 1PM: Live Music by The Oystermen. The Oystermen have been collecting and performing Downeast fiddle tunes, humorous stories, and original songs from Maine, Quebec, and the Maritimes for half a century. Smokey McKeen, Carter Newell, and Eric Rolfson play old-time dance tunes on push-button accordion, fiddle, guitar, banjo, mandolin, and bass; sing songs of work, love, strife, and achievement from the vast repertoire of American folk history; and teach and call regional dances representing multi-cultural traditions. When not performing, Carter, Smokey & Eric all raise oysters on the Damariscotta River. Free. L.L.Bean Discovery Park Stage

12:30PM – 1:15PM: Live Music by Wes Covey. Wes Covey is the multi-instrumentalist frontman of experimental ambient collective The Ten Thousand Things (sacredmusick.bandcamp.com). When not bending his strings into soundscape narratives, Covey is a fingerpicking folksinger. The Serpent Eats His Tail is his first solo acoustic album, collecting favorite covers, instrumentals and songs written over the past dozen years. His second solo album is due out this year. FMI: https://www.facebook.com/WesCoveySongs  Free. Mallard Lot Stage (behind Lobster Cooker)

1:30PM – 2:45PM: Live Music by The FLUKES. The FLUKES – or the Fun-Loving Ukulele Society – boast a membership of over 35 ukulele musicians. They play everything from Bach to the Beatles and beyond! During weekly Wednesday night rehearsals, led by their fearless leader, Nina Allen Miller, they’ve built a repertoire from many different musical genres, practicing, playing and most of all having a lot of fun. FMI: https://www.facebook.com/FunlovingFLUKES Free. L.L.Bean Discovery Park Stage

1:45PM – 2:30PM: Live Music by John Sayles. John Sayles is a singer, songwriter, guitarist, and producer who calls Portland home. John has been an avid home recorder since the 1990s and has been active in the music scene in and around Portland over the past decade, playing frequently at the Portland Food Co-op as well as at local coffee shops and area farmers’ markets. John gigs in Freeport often, too, most recently last month as part of Meetinghouse Arts’ “Music in the Parks” series. John’s solo recordings as The Franklin Farm are available via Bandcamp as well as through Spotify and other streaming services. The Franklin Farms’ most recent album, Always From Away, was released in August 2023. FMI: https://www.facebook.com/thefranklinfarm Free. Mallard Lot Stage (behind Lobster Cooker)

2PM–4PM: Seacoast Tours of Freeport, South Freeport. Oyster Farm Tours aboard the Pamela B! All trips include oysters and lobster rolls, and beer and wine is available for purchase. Reservations required, book online

3PM: Oyster of the Year awards ceremony.  Emceed by Maggie Knowles of Edible Maine.  L.L.Bean Discovery Park stage.

3PM – 3:45PM: Live Music by TBD. Free. Mallard Lot Stage (behind Lobster Cooker)

3:15PM – 4:30PM: Live Music by Roll & Go. Roll & Go is a Downeast sea music group based in Portland, Maine. They bring the great days of sail to vivid life in sea shanties and fo’c’sle songs, in acapella harmony or with banjo, guitar, penny whistle, washtub bass, and concertina accompaniment. FMI: https://www.rollandgoseasongs.com/  Free. L.L.Bean Discovery Park Stage

4:15PM – 6PM: Live Music by Paddy Mills. Paddy Mills is an award-winning folk singer/songwriter whose songs are as salty as the Maine coast he calls home. Whether at a coffee house, Festival, folk club or the corner of a bar, Paddy has a way of making listeners feel like they’re sitting in a living room listening to the telling of old familiar stories about their own family and friends. As a Folk Singer, Paddy maintains an extensive repertoire of Irish, American, Maritime, Nicaraguan and Labor folk songs. His knowledge of and respect for traditional music is reflected is his own writing. FMI: https://paddymills.com/ Free. Mallard Lot Stage (behind Lobster Cooker)

5PM – 6PM: Live Music by Juke Joint Devils. The Juke Joint Devils is an old school Jump and Swing combo whose musical style draws heavily from Chicago, Memphis and New Orleans blues music of the 1950s, as well as the modern West Coast style of today. FMI: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100053286042344 Free. L.L.Bean Discovery Park Stage

5PM–7PM: Seacoast Tours of Freeport, South Freeport. Oyster Farm Tours aboard the Pamela B! All trips include oysters and lobster rolls, and beer and wine is available for purchase. Reservations required, book online  

6PM-9PM: Maine Beer Company, 525 US Rt 1. Join us for a The Maine Oyster Festival After-Party — enjoy fresh beer, pizza, and community!

6PM: Freeport Oyster Bar. 43 Main St. Festival After Hours.

There’s no admission fee for The Maine Oyster Festival! Plus, parking is free and plentiful in Freeport.

Throughout the Weekend (more to come!)

Bow Street Market, 79 Bow St. Local oysters, shuckers and accouterments are available to purchase to enjoy at home! The wine, beer, and spirit department houses one of Maine’s most varied and expertly curated selections. FRI, SAT & SUN 6:30AM–8PM

Casco Bay Cutlery & Kitchenware, 5 Depot St. Seacuterie! Shop with a purpose! PIck up shucking knives, serving wares, and other specially selected oyster products and they’ll donate 20% of your purchase to Freeport Community Services. FRI & SAT 10-6, SUN 11-5

Double Barrel, 115 Main St. The Grande Burritos cart will be open and Lil Choppy Barrel Swag Co. will be popping up on the front lawn. SAT 10AM – 6PM, SUN 10AM – 4PM

FIORE Artisan Olive Oils & Vinegars, 88 Main St. Pop in for free tastings of fresh EVOO & aged Italian balsamic! Featuring Sicilian pestos & tapenades, Italian pasta & cruets exclusively imported by FIORE. Once home, whip up a batch of the official The Maine Oyster Festival mignonette recipe featuring FIORE ingredients, or create your own! Open FRI, SAT & SUN 11-6

Lola Aesthetics, 42 Mallet Dr. Let’s celebrate Freeport’s The Maine Oyster Festival! Discounted themed treatments include the Holy Mother of Pearl, the Oh Shuck Yeah, &  the My Skin is Dry, I Need M-oyster-izer! Hours vary, call or book online.

Meetinghouse Arts, 40 Main St. Seacoast Maine gallery show celebrating our long history with the waterfront industry. Free. FRI & SAT 10AM–5PM, SUN 12PM-4PM

Wilbur’s of Maine Chocolate Confections, 174 Lower Main St. or 13 Bow St. You’d better believe we are getting in on all the fun with a chocolate bivalve creation! Visit us in Freeport for oyster-shaped chocolates featuring candy pearls! FRI, SAT, SUN 10AM-5:30PM