Summer in Maine passes too quickly to not squeeze in every last bit of fun. That’s especially true when some of Maine’s biggest events bailed in 2020 and 2021 and are back for 2022. It’s time to get out your calendar and plan to go big this season, whether you golf with a pro, float over the Androscoggin River in a hot air balloon, compete in the Maine State Clam Shucking Contest or just chill out with live music and craft beer and play a lot of cornhole. It’s all good.

JUNE 19

York Auto Show

Up to 600 vehicles, including hot rods, classic cars, Jeeps and antiques, will be on display and compete for awards in this annual fundraiser for York High School Athletic Boosters. General admission is $5, and the gates open to the public at 8 a.m.

York High School, 1 Robert Stevens Drive, York. yorkautoshow.com

JUNE 20-26

Live + Work in Maine Open

An official week-long event on the Professional Golfers’ Association Korn Ferry Tour, held at Falmouth Country Club. Tickets benefit Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital.

Falmouth Country Club, 1 Congressional Drive, Falmouth. themaineopen.com

JUNE 23-26

La Kermesse Franco-Americaine Festival

A community festival with a cruise night/car show (Thursday), a parade (Friday), fireworks (Saturday), a free crepe breakfast (Sunday), food, crafts, cornhole, a beer garden and a full schedule of live music.

St. Louis Field & Waterhouse Field (parking at JFK School), Biddeford. lakermessefestival.com

JUNE 24-26

Maine Oyster Festival

This first-time event celebrates the more than 150 oyster farms along Maine’s 3,500-mile coastline. But the focus will be in Freeport, where there will be shucking competitions, cooking demos, restaurant specials, and two evening events featuring live music, local craft beer and beverages, and, of course, oysters.

Various locations, Freeport. visitfreeport.com/themaineoysterfestival

JUNE 25

Wicked Maine Outdoor Festival

A family-friendly festival showcasing all things outdoorsy, from fly casting to rock climbing, complemented by live music, local artisans, food trucks and craft beer. General admission is $10, free for kids 12 and under, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Proceeds to benefit Girls Scouts of Maine.

Cumberland Fairgrounds, 175 Blanchard Road, Cumberland. wickedmaineoutdoorfest.com

JULY 1-4

Bath Heritage Days

A community festival with concerts, art for sale, kids’ activities, an antique car show and Maine’s largest parade. As the grand finale, Fourth of July fireworks over the Kennebec River.

Downtown Bath. visitbath.com/events/heritage-days

JULY 3

Maine Attraction waterski team performance followed by fireworks

The Maine Attraction waterski team, the 2021 Eastern Region Champions, performs traditional and barefoot water skiing with human pyramids and jumps. They have six shows in Sanford throughout the summer, but on July 3 you can stay for fireworks. Donations accepted.

Number One Pond, William Oscar Emery Drive, Sanford. maineattractionwaterski.com

JULY 8-10

Moxie Festival

Named in honor of the official soft drink of Maine, this three-day festival includes a Moxie recipe contest, a Moxie Congress, a Whoopie pie eating contest, a (rubber) chicken chuckin’ competition, a hamster wheel snow cone machine, a 5K road race, a parade, concerts, a clambake dinner and fireworks.

Lisbon Falls High School, 2 Sugg Drive, Lisbon Falls. moxiefestival.com

JULY 9

PSO Summer Concert Series: The Music of Star Wars

Experience the epic score of one of the most iconic film franchises of all time with this Portland Symphony Orchestra performance at 7:30 p.m. in an open-air concert pavilion.

Seaside Pavilion, 8 Sixth St., Old Orchard Beach. portlandsymphony.org

JULY 15-17

Maine YogaFest

Three blissful days of yoga every which way, plus workshops, live music, healthy food and yoga-related vendors.

East End Community School, 195 North St., Portland. maineyogafest.com

JULY 15-17

Yarmouth Clam Festival

A community festival featuring the Maine State Clam Shucking Contest, Diaper Derby, the Main St. Rumble car show, a parade, a road race, a kids’ fun run, concerts, carnival rides, crafts and vendors. Community nonprofits, churches and school groups serve clams, lobster rolls, shore dinners, pancakes, pies, strawberry shortcake and Lime Rickeys.

Route 1 and Main Street, Yarmouth. clamfestival.com

JULY 20 TO AUG. 6

Maine State Music Theatre presents “The Color Purple”

The musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel (and the popular 1985 Steven Spielberg film), “The Color Purple” has a joyous Grammy Award-winning score featuring jazz, ragtime, gospel, African music and blues. This moving American classic is a story of hope, a testament to the healing power of love, and a striking celebration of life.

Pickard Theater, 1 Bath Road, Brunswick, msmt.org

JULY 21-24

Mast Landing’s Wavy Days Festival

A four-day celebration of beer featuring tap takeovers in the Portland area, a Casco Bay beer cruise, a festival at The Downs in Scarborough, events at Mast Landing in Freeport and Novare Res Bier Cafe in Portland, and brunch at Mast Landing in Westbrook.

Various locations in Greater Portland. mastlandingbrewing.com/wavy-days-festival

 

JULY 28-30

Casco Days

A three-day community celebration and fundraiser with a parade, road race, midway rides, live music, food and fireworks.

 Casco Day Park, 948 Meadow Road, Casco Village. cascodays.com

JULY 29-31

Bates Dance Festival

Bates Dance Festival celebrates 40 years with a gala, two days of workshops and three days of performances featuring established and emerging dance artists.

Bates College, Lewiston. batesdancefestival.org

 

JULY 30

Festival of Nations

Food, dance and music from many cultures come together in Northern New England’s oldest diversity festival. Co-hosted by the City of Portland, the Mugadi Foundation, Women in Need Industries and Poland Spring.

Deering Oaks, Deering and Park avenues, Portland. festivalofnationsmaine.com

 

JULY 30

Woofstock

A festival and fundraiser on the grounds of the Animal Welfare Society, featuring dog agility courses, kids’ activities, food trucks and local craft beer.

46 Holland Road, Kennebunk. chamber.gokennebunks.com/events

 

Maine Lobster Festival in Rockland. Carl D. Walsh/Staff PhotographerAUG. 3-7

Maine Lobster Festival

Five days of fun and feasting, including the Great International Lobster Crate Race, Maine Sea Goddess Coronation, a big parade, a seafood cooking contest, a road race and live entertainment.

Harbor Park, Rockland. mainelobsterfestival.com

 

AUG. 9-14

Topsham Fair

A traditional agricultural fair with all the fixins: fair food, midway rides and games, live music, farm exhibits, baking contests, harness racing, pig scrambles, truck pulling and a demolition derby.

Fairgrounds Road, Topsham. topshamfair.net

AUG. 12

Classic Watercraft Parade

Watch an orchestrated parade of classic wooden boats from anywhere along the Causeway, beginning at 7 p.m. (Come early to see the amphicar car splash demonstration at the Causeway Marina, 5-5:20 p.m. Is it a car? Is it a boat? It’s both!)

Naples Causeway, Route 302, Naples. naplescauseway.com/events

AUG. 13

Woodies in the Cove

You know those antique cars with bodywork constructed of wood or styled to resemble wood? Those are woodies. The free car show starts at 8 a.m., followed by a parade at 2 p.m. through Wells and Ogunquit and into Perkins Cove.

974 Post Road (Route 1), Wells. wellsogunquithistory.org/woodies

 

AUG. 19-20

Fringe Fest and River Jam

Fringe Fest (Aug. 20, 5-8 p.m. at Shevenell Park and on Main Street) features live music, spoken word poetry, visual arts, dance and a Pie-Luck potluck of pies. River Jam (Aug. 21, 4:30-9:30 p.m., Mechanics Park) includes live music (blues, folk, bluegrass and Cajun), dance performances, a giant slip-and-slide, food trucks and a cultural cuisine tent, and fireworks.

Biddeford and Saco. riverjamfest.com

 

AUG. 19-21

Great Falls Balloon Festival

Dozens of balloons float over the Androscoggin River and rocky Great Falls at dawn and dusk. Come for the view but stay for the parade, food and drink, carnival rides and live entertainment.

Simard-Payne Memorial Park, off Oxford Street, Lewiston. greatfallsballoonfestival.org

 

AUG. 20

Maine Highland Games and Scottish Festival

A fun day of traditional athletics, pipe bands, Highland dance, historical re-enactors, Scottish-themed vendors, genealogical information and a variety of Scottish and fair foods and drink. Hosted by the Saint Andrews Society of Maine. Admission is $20 for adults, $5 for ages 6-12, and free for under 6, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Bonus: A pre-Games Ceilidh with a bonfire, lively music and dance, camp stew and homemade bread, Aug. 19 starting at 6:30 p.m. Donations accepted.)

Thomas Point Beach & Campground, 29 Meadow Road, Brunswick. mainehighlandgames.org

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