It’s not about the numbers (although we had the highest attendance ever with over 600 passports in circulation before cutting off – we could have had more!). And it’s not about who wins. It’s all about old friends reuniting, new friends being made and people discovering our region for the first time ever (even fellow Mainers!).

These are the real results of the Taste of Local Flavor event:

A young couple called Sunday morning from Old Orchard Beach. They were looking for something fun to do for the day and found this event online. I told them I would save them two tickets and they arrived in time for the first tasting at Kaler's. They had never been to Boothbay Harbor (They always go to Camden when up this way). They told me at the last tasting at Cod’s Head how much fun they had had, how much they love the town and that from now on they were coming here instead of Camden. They said they were headed back to Kaler's for dinner before they left town and they couldn’t wait to return!

Two traveling nurses from Colorado stationed at St. Mary’s Hospital in Lewiston called Sunday morning. They were looking for something fun to do and found the event online. I told them I would save them tickets and they arrived in time for the first tasting. They attended every location and booked a room with one of the festival lodging partners for Sunday night. They planned to go out to breakfast and shop before they left town. They loved Boothbay Harbor and are coming back as often as they can over the next 13 weeks.

A young couple from Delaware en route to Bar Harbor found this event online Sunday morning and took a detour. They had never been to Boothbay Harbor. They attended every tasting and plan to schedule their vacation next year to come here for the entire weekend instead of going to Bar Harbor.

A family of six attended this event for the first time two years ago. They stayed for the weekend, ran the race and attended every tasting for the weekend. A few months after the event, the son was shipped off to Afghanistan where he remained for a year. When her returned, his mom asked him what he wanted to do and he said “Go back to Boothbay Harbor Fest!” They did! They all ran the race again and attended every tasting!

Last photo attached is of Molson and his “parents.” Molson has attended this event every year since his birth.

Smany new friends are made every year. This is why I do this.

Many, many thanks and a huge congrats to: Taka Mediterranean Bar & Grill, Pier One Pizza, Mine Oyster, Fisherman’s Wharf Inn, Tugboat Inn, Blue Moon Cafe, Caper’s Deli, Boathouse Bistro, Harborside Tavern, Boothbay Harbor Inn, Whale’s Tale, Boothbay Lobster Wharf, Kaler’s Restaurant, Thistle Inn and Cod’s Head Restaurant.