Perfect weather, combined with the collaboration of hundreds of individuals, businesses and organizations resulted in astounding success for the ten-day festival that began on Friday, Sept. 2 and ended Sunday, Sept. 11. Final results are still being gathered, however, preliminary stats for each major event are as follows:

Taste of local flavor

A total of 523 passports were sold. About 25 percent of attendees purchased online, representing 23 U.S. states and three countries. More than half had never before visited our region. Overall reviews were outstanding. A financial planner from Boston wrote: ‘Thoroughly enjoyed the 2016 Harbor Fest, my first time attending.  Please send dates for the 2017 Harbor Fest.”  Another first time visitor wrote: ‘We had so much fun at Harbor Fest. We were in Boothbay Harbor for a portion of our trip from Wisconsin - what a great way to get out and explore the town!’ Several attendees have already made reservations for 2017.

In response to the online survey that asked tasting passport holders this question: Best of the Fest?  Who made you the All Around Happiest?  offering the most festive, fun and friendly atmosphere?

One attendee replied: “For three days the footbridge made it for me. The three days that I walked across the footbridge hearing the people talking about how much fun they were having, people taking pictures out over the harbor, people of all ages laughing, hearing different languages from other parts of the world, watching dogs swimming and playing in the water and Sunday there were so many people on the bridge it was unbelievable. For me, the footbridge showed that fun and friendly atmosphere that brought people together in BBH.”

 Taste of Local Flavor People’s choice winners

BEST TASTE - 1st Place: Caper’s Deli, Savory Lobster Bread Pudding; tied for 2nd Place: Harborside Tavern, Maple BBQ Riblet with a Tangy Slaw and Fisherman’s Wharf Inn, Schzwan peppercorn crusted house smoked yellow fin tuna with spicy suba noodles wakame seaweed salad, five spice wontons and honey wasabi;  3rd Place: Kaler’s Restaurant Lobster & Shrimp Sliders

BEST COCKTAIL - 1st Place: Harborside Tavern, Crayfords Cold River Cocktail; 2nd Place: Cod’s Head Fish House & BBQ Watermelon Mint Jennup; 3rd Place Rocktide Inn & Restaurant, Juniper River.

BEST LIVE MUSIC - 1st Place: Paul Mellyn at Harborside Tavern; 2nd Place: Crown Vics at Mine Oyster; 3rd Place: The Torpedos at Boothbay Harbor Inn.

BEST OF THE FEST- 1st Place: Rocktide Inn Kickoff Party; 2nd Place: Mine Oyster WCLZ Dance Party; 3rd Place: Harborside Tavern

5k & Half Marathon Road Race

The two races welcomed 222 registrants; 85 percent of attendees registered online, representing 25 U.S. states and 2 countries. Forty-six had never visited our region before and 145 had never participated in race before.

A first time visitor from NYC, NY sent this note: “I loved the course and the town and had a beautiful day racing, thank you.” Pat Martin, a first time visitor from Seattle, WA, was planning to meet a friend in Boston and vacation in Maine. They chose Boothbay Harbor specifically due to the festival: ‘I wish we could have stayed for the entire 10 days, but our 5 days with you all were magical!! Harbor Fest was so much fun!”

The race raised money (amount to be determined) to benefit the Diabetes Prevention program, offered through a partnership with the Boothbay Region YMCA, the Central Lincoln County YMCA and Lincoln Health. This DPP program will serve all of Lincoln County and is planned to begin this fall.

The First Annual Wellness Fair was a spectacular addition to the road race, offering 25 wellness vendors, food, music, massage, yoga, and healthy products. The Channel 8 news team broadcasted their morning show live from the fair, located at Sherman Field.

The 2^nd Annual A Stroke of Art welcomed over two dozen artists for the 7- day painting event. The artists were hosted by Harborfields Waterfront Cottages and daily art receptions brought collectors together at a variety of locations, to include Fisherman’s Wharf Inn, with an attendance of over 100 collectors. Dozens of artworks were on display at Chowder House Restaurant for the final weekend.

The 3^rd Fishin’ For Fashion Show was a smashing success with more than 200 attendees, 11 original designs and 11 local merchant designs. Original design winners were: Best local design: Sandy Barry;  Best Use of Materials, Tobi Nevers; Grand Prize, Drift On Island; and People’s Choice, Team Calypso. Proceeds go to BRHS Project Graduation. Final numbers are still being tallied and will be available next week.

Channel 8 News Anchor, Cristina Frank visited Boothbay Harbor for the first time to attend Harbor Fest and had this to say: “We had such a wonderful time and cannot wait to come back. The festival was fantastic. We LOVED Boothbay Harbor and are so excited to be a part of this ‘family!! Thank you for the amazing hospitality - it was a joy to be a part of this!!’

Harbor Fest is a privately produced event that generates a $150,000 marketing campaign for the region. The festival is not funded by grants, town monies, donations or investors. It relies primarily on the support of local businesses who participate and/or sponsor it. If your business enjoyed increased traffic or residual benefits from this 10-day festival, and you would like to see this festival continue in years to come, please consider joining the team next year.

We wish to extend our tremendous gratitude to those who made it possible for 2016

Event Directors: Race: Meagan Hamblett, Wellness: Pam Wiley, A Stroke of Art: Mary Phelps, Fishin’ For Fashion: Dana Paolillo

Participants: A Sliver Lining, Abacus Gallery, Alison Evans Ceramics, Bath Savings, Blue Tin Farm, Boothbay Lobster Wharf, BBH Apparel, Boothbay Harbor Inn, Boothbay Harbor Framers, Boothbay Region YMCA, Boothbay Register, BBHR Chamber, Browns Wharf Inn, Calypso, Capers Deli, Casual Interiors, COCO VIVO Artful Living, Cod’s Head Fish House & BBQ, Cottage Connection, Crow Point Yoga, doTERRA essential Oils, Eagle Spirit Health, Finest Kind, Fisherman’s Wharf Inn, Footbridge Shop, Gimbel’s Country Store, Gretchen’s Closet, Log Cabin Shoes, Smiling Cow, Harborside Tavern, House of Logan, Janson’s Clothing, J Edward Knight, Kaler’s, McSeagull’s, Merry Auld Tea Company, Michael Leonard Photography, Mine Oyster, Monhegan Wellness, Nerium International, Ocean Point Studio, Big Barn Coffee, Red Cloak Haunted History Tours, Rocktide Inn, Sadie Green’s, Slicks Boutique, Sherman’s Books, Spruce Point Inn, Sweet Bay Shop, Two Salty Dogs, Tugboat Inn, Wanser’s Market, Whale’s Tale at Carousel Marina, Whole Woman Health, Yoga Firm Studio

Sponsors: Maine Magazine, WCLZ Portland Radio Group, WMTW Channel 8,TravelMAINE, Harborfields Waterfront Cottages, Boothbay Register, Lincoln County Magazine, Dave Dostie Photography, Rocktide Inn & Restaurant, Key Bank, Maine Distilleries, COCO VIVO Artful Living, Spruce Point Inn Resort & Spa, Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce Claw Down, BRCTV, Townsquare Media -92 Moose, Topside Inn, First National Bank, Sweet Bay Shop, Fisherman’s Wharf Inn, Maine Coastal News, Knickerbocker Group, Sherman’s Book Store, Calypso Clothes, Flagship Inn & Suites, BBH Apparel

Lodging Partners: Boothbay Harbor Inn, Brown’s Wharf Inn, Carousel Marina,  Cottage Connection, Fisherman’s Wharf Inn, Flagship Inn & Suites, Greenleaf Inn, Harborfields Waterfront Cottages, Harborage Inn, Harbor House Inn, Harbour Towne Inn, Rocktide Inn, Spruce Point Inn, Topside Inn, Tugboat Inn

Final results for all events will be posted at BoothbayHarborFest.com as soon as they are available.