The leaves are changing, the air is getting crisp, and couples across Maine are preparing to compete in a wife-carrying tournament. Sounds about right for fall in the Pine Tree State! Ring in the new season at one of these five autumn festivals in Maine. Can’t pick one? Pack up your car and embark on a fall-themed pilgrimage. With attractions including live music, delicious food, outlandish contests, and artisanal vendors, any one of these delightful events could become your new autumn tradition.
Acadia's Oktoberfest comes correct and with all the necessary fixings: live music, finger-licking good lobster, keg tosses, and all the craft beer you could drink. Located in the charming Bass Harbor community near Acadia National Park, this first entry on our list has been pleasing brew-loving revelers since 1997.
This might be the best fall festival near Portland, Maine. Picturesque Freeport is cute as a button and home to L.L. Bean, a mega-brand that has kept Mainers warm since 1912. The Freeport Fall Festival is hosted on the L.L. Bean campus and offers delicious food, rocking music, and over 200 vendors, including food purveyors, craftspeople, and local artists.
3. North American Wife Carrying Championship, October 7
We're all familiar with the trope of the suave groom sweeping his new bride over their threshold and into wedded bliss. The fine folks at Sunday Resort in Newry, Maine, would argue that they simply took this concept to its logical conclusion at the North American Wife Carrying Championship.
In this absurdist 278-yard dash, husbands haul their spouses over hurdles, up hills of slipping sand, and through a mud pit. The entry fee for couples is $70. The reward? The wife's weight in beer and five times her weight in cash! Luckily for us, spectating this outrageous and hilarious event is free.
This Portland staple celebrates all that's stupendous about Mainer cuisine. And, as it turns out, there's a lot to celebrate. Portland's gastronomic excellence has won international acclaim. In the States, it's been named The Foodiest Small Town in America and the Restaurant City of the Year! Though one event can't possibly encompass every permutation of Maine's culinary tradition, Harvest on the Harbor gets about as close as any food festival could hope. That's why we think that this seasonal bonanza is mandatory for foodies.
Bangor's Maine Harvest Festival might be the best fall event near Bar Harbor. This large-scale bash shines a well-deserved spotlight on the artisanal creations of Penobscot County, both edible and artistic. Feed your stomach and your creativity at this delightful exhibition of Mainer talent. My favorite part? This year's sponsor is Maine's Potatoes. If a gathering receives Big Potato's blessing, it immediately becomes an iconic fall festival near me.
Are you on the hunt for seasonal fun? Or are looming 4 p.m. sunsets and bitter cold causing you to forget what makes fall great? Any of these five autumn festivals in Maine will help you get in the season’s spirit. Let us know your favorite fall traditions!
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