Maine Lobster Festival
Maine Lobster Festival
4
About
The Maine Lobster Festival is five days of fun and feasting on the fabulous coast of Maine. This annual event takes place during the first weekend of August, from Wednesday through Sunday. The Maine Lobster Festival attracts tens of thousands of visitors to Rockland, Maine, each year with the promise of fresh, local lobster dinners, nationally renowned entertainers, cooking contests, carnival rides, Maine craftsmen and artists. What started as an idea for a local marine festival to revive Midcoast Maine communities has turned into an internationally-recognized celebration of local seafood. The Maine Lobster Festival attracts visitors from as near as Owls Head, Maine, to visitors from countries throughout Europe and Asia. Since 1947, the Maine Lobster Festival has given more than $500,000 to Midcoast Maine’s communities. As a non-profit organization, the Maine Lobster Festival donates all proceeds back to the Midcoast Maine communities each year.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
100 reviews
Excellent
48
Very good
32
Average
14
Poor
3
Terrible
3
Sue
Cove City, NC68 contributions
Aug 2022 • Couples
The lobster was so good! Not very organized. You should pay first, get ticket, then get food. So hard to hold food line, then try to pay. Then you have to go to different line to get chowder and mussels if you ordered that with lobster. Hard to break in line to get items. Then some good not ready but you need to pay to eat lobster before it and corn gets cold. Long, long lines
Written August 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Matthew P
2 contributions
Aug 2024 • Family
Such lovely people. Do the sunset sail, one of the most beautiful sites of my life.
We wanted to go to Maine and the lobster festival happened to be going on. Lots of vendors to see for great shopping. The lobster rolls are amazing. And best, we met so many lovely people. Will go back.
We wanted to go to Maine and the lobster festival happened to be going on. Lots of vendors to see for great shopping. The lobster rolls are amazing. And best, we met so many lovely people. Will go back.
Written August 26, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
John L
Kirkville, NY53 contributions
Aug 2023 • Couples
We had an awesome Lobster Dinner with Corn on the Cob and Cole Slaw followed by Fresh Strawberries over a homemade Biscuit. Thank goodness for the plastic bib. We enjoyed the “Great (Lobster) Crate race and all of the vendors.
The parking and shuttle service was very good and a driver a great tour guide.
The parking and shuttle service was very good and a driver a great tour guide.
Written August 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LotsATravels
Milton, WA327 contributions
Aug 2018 • Couples
The Maine Lobster Festival has been on our list of things to do for years. Well, this year we made the trip from Washington State to attend. We arrived on opening day (Wednesday) which was nice because it was only a dollar to get in. It was a lot smaller than we thought it was going to be, but we did have a great time. After walking around the grounds and visiting the booths, we had seen everything in less than an hour. Then it was time to eat. We were novices to the whole lobster thing when we arrived here. We got 3 lobster meals and sat down struggling a bit. Then a very nice local guy came over the properly schooled us on the proper techniques. (We are pros now). We had planned on 3 days attending the festival but after our first day we decided to concentrate our time visiting other local areas and some great lobster at some of the area restaurants, that was actually cheaper and better. We are happy we attended, but keep in mind it is a small community festival and can be done in one day.
Written September 16, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TexasShutterbug
Wyoming102 contributions
Aug 2017 • Couples
The way it was talked up, I was underwhelmed. Small venue, few tents with crafts and vendors. Huge tent for lobster eating and food vendors. I thought it was overpriced, too. $8 for the privilege of entry, $14 for a lobster roll that was more bread than meat. Fortunate to find handicap parking just a block away. Was neat to watch them boiling the lobsters.
Written September 17, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stephieyl
Tucson, AZ46 contributions
Aug 2016
We traveled all the way from Tucson, Arizona for the 69th annual lobster festival and it was one of the best trips we have ever taken! The town of Rockland and the small towns around it are so sweet and charming:) The people at the festival are incredibly nice and hospitable! This is a small festival so don't expect amusement park attractions but know they will have great people and amazing food!! We only hope we get the chance to do this again in the future!
Written August 14, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mecca S
25 contributions
Aug 2017 • Friends
I've been going for the last two years to visit my bestie from college. Most people come early and park a few blocks away and walk to the main Street. Bring a beach chair and sunglasse and set up shop to watch the parade. The festival itself has a bunch of food, shopping, carnival rides, and a concert.
Written March 19, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MVA311
New York788 contributions
Aug 2019 • Family
The festival was much smaller than what we anticipated but had a good selection of vendors and the lobster was hands down the best we’ve ever had. Fresh and delicious! Prices were very reasonable and a nice relaxed atmosphere. There was free parking available at the local school where you could park and bus in. Very nice to have this option as parking is extremely limited by the bay.
Written August 10, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JimBIII
Wisconsin10 contributions
Aug 2018 • Couples
Lobster was great! But overall, we wondered if we were in the right spot.
Smaller than a midwest church social. Seriously. And, don't believe it's cheap. $8 gets you into the festival where you get to pay for everything but the free music, which, really wasn't very good. Single lobster dinner $16, 2 lobsters $31, 3 = $42... so your second lobster costs $15? $1 less than a full single meal?
No beer tent? Instead, one day there was an "extra" Wine and Beer tasting event which cost an additional $30 to enjoy.
No lobster/seafood cooking contest? Where are the local chefs? No cooking classes or events?
No real reason to spend more than an hour here, no real reason to go back.
Too many "carnies" Plenty of "lobster" just not enough "culinary" or reasons to spend more time.
Bring in a beer/refreshment tent, sell some premium tables, bring in some local lobster chefs, have a lobster/seafood cooking contest with the winners serving their dishes to the premium tables. Feature local/regional bands during the days with a single moderately well known feature act in the evening, followed by a moderately known regional band. Again, with a refreshment tent, table seating, premium tables, and plenty of local mid to high end cuisine.
Give me a reason to go back! PLEASE!
Smaller than a midwest church social. Seriously. And, don't believe it's cheap. $8 gets you into the festival where you get to pay for everything but the free music, which, really wasn't very good. Single lobster dinner $16, 2 lobsters $31, 3 = $42... so your second lobster costs $15? $1 less than a full single meal?
No beer tent? Instead, one day there was an "extra" Wine and Beer tasting event which cost an additional $30 to enjoy.
No lobster/seafood cooking contest? Where are the local chefs? No cooking classes or events?
No real reason to spend more than an hour here, no real reason to go back.
Too many "carnies" Plenty of "lobster" just not enough "culinary" or reasons to spend more time.
Bring in a beer/refreshment tent, sell some premium tables, bring in some local lobster chefs, have a lobster/seafood cooking contest with the winners serving their dishes to the premium tables. Feature local/regional bands during the days with a single moderately well known feature act in the evening, followed by a moderately known regional band. Again, with a refreshment tent, table seating, premium tables, and plenty of local mid to high end cuisine.
Give me a reason to go back! PLEASE!
Written August 6, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
gwilson86
Atlanta, GA74 contributions
Sep 2017 • Couples
We drove an hour and a half to go to the fest. The Oysters were STELLAR, and everyone was GREAT!
The band was INCREDIBLE... they knew the audience and played flawlessly.
Schooners restaurant, hosts the fest as a fundraiser, so we had dinner there (after a cpl dzn oysters). The Bacon Scallops and fried Haddock were excellent.
The band was INCREDIBLE... they knew the audience and played flawlessly.
Schooners restaurant, hosts the fest as a fundraiser, so we had dinner there (after a cpl dzn oysters). The Bacon Scallops and fried Haddock were excellent.
Written September 24, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Is there a place to stay in walking distance of the lobster festival
Written March 9, 2022
Is there an advantage to arriving a week or two before the official start of the Maine Lobster Festival to beat the crowds and still enjoy terrific lobster?
Written December 19, 2019
Where is the best place to park Saturday afternoon 8/6/16 about 2or3 In the afternoon.
Written July 3, 2016
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