Big plans are in store when Boothbay turns 250 years old this summer. 

There have been talks around town of a three-day festival happening at the Boothbay Common and waterfront this summer, thanks to the efforts of the Boothbay Civic Association.

“This is more of a community thing,” said Dawn Gilbert, a member of the BCA. “We’ve got some big plans, but everything is still in the works.”

With a rough plan in place, the BCA is inviting anyone who wants to be involved on the planning process for Boothbay’s sestercentennial birthday bash. 

While it is still in the planning stages, the festival is slated for August 23, 24 and 25. The party will kick off on the Boothbay Common with a seafood festival Friday afternoon, with fresh fares provided by local restaurants and food vendors.

On Saturday, the festivities continue with kid games and live music on the Common, accompanied by a pig roast and street parade. Then the lights dim low for Saturday night's storytelling event. The association is calling all storytellers who might have a good “corker” to tell. Campfires will be temporarily installed exclusively for this event.

For Sunday's finale, the festival will wrap up with a possible Civil War reenactment and a spectacular fireworks show on the East Boothbay waterfront.

“There are a lot of good ideas out there, and we want to hear from the whole community,” said Estelle Appel, a longtime member of the BCA. 

 When it comes to giving back the the community, no one might be better suited for the job than the BCA.

Known for its good deeds and contributions, the BCA has not only kept the community spirit alive, but they have become a staple of our small town fundraising, especially when it comes to bean suppers and Fourth of July celebrations.

In the past 26 years, the BCA has contributed $860,000 in total to the Boothbay region, and this year is no exception when it’s time to honor our town and its people.

“We're just really trying to keep this all hometown centered,” Gilbert said. “It's going to be what we are. It's going to be nice.”

The BCA intends to keep the festival “close to home” while staying true to the fishing heritage and ship building industry that shaped our town’s history. 

As the festival draws closer, expect to hear more about the event in the Boothbay Register and around town, Appel said. The townspeople are already offering their services, such as local signmaker Jon Marsh, Boothbay Town Manager Jim Chaousis and Catherine Wygant Fossett, executive director of the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce.

For anyone interested in donating or helping organize this event, please contact Dawn Gilbert or Estelle Appel. Donations can be made out to the Boothbay Civic Association: P.O. Box 81, Boothbay, ME 04537.