Margaret Hoffman, executive director of Boothbay Railway Village, said the organization wanted to make Antique Cars, Rails, Tails, and Ales different from other brew festivals being held in New England during the summer. “We wanted something family-friendly, a little bit of everything,” she said.

If that was the mission, then the July 16 event was a huge success. There was something for everyone and their dogs, from pizza to beer to glorious cars and trucks to the jazz band playing in the background and, of course, train rides.

The festival started at 10 a.m., which was a little early for beer, but three rows of beautiful automobiles and trucks took the spotlight. Ford and Chevy were well-represented, along with Oldsmobile, Mercury, Plymouth, Pontiac, Buick and others, with coupes and roadsters, convertibles, and sedans, leather and metal hood ornaments and grills, whitewall tires and beautifully appointed details; cars as art, with owners who treat them like babies.

Lou Luscher’s 1969 hardtop, eight-cylinder, red Ford Mustang stole his heart the minute he saw it sitting in a car dealer’s showroom. Its curved top makes it looks as if it’s ready to pounce. Luscher said it has “positraction,” which gives the rear wheels extra grip. He feeds it only premium gas and keeps the car in a garage most of the time. “She never sees the rain,” he said. He and his two boys worked on it together when they were growing up. “I’d like to think it made them better men,” he said.

Thunderbirds were also big draws. “I want this one,” a girl said about the cream-colored convertible next to Luschner’s Mustang.  

A big, white and black matte-coated automobile in the next row looked out of place between the buffed-to-the-nines, sleek cars. The 1952 Ford Business Coupe named Kasper belongs to Richard and Suzannne Duka. “I told him to go car shopping for a shoebox Nova,” Suzanne said. “This is what he brought home.” Kasper is chunky and comforting. “I love this car!” said a little boy.

Two cars in the last row were truly antiques. One was a 1931 Ford Model A Roadster Coupe and the other was a 1929 Ford Model A Roadster convertible. Both had rumble seats occupied by relatives of David Dubois, owner of both vehicles. Laura Dubois and Carmen Castonguay sat in the Coupe’s rumble seat. Laura is Dubois’s daughter.  Her father took the Roadster’s wheel, while her brother, Nathan, started up the Coupe. “He lets my brother drive, not me,” said Laura, with a smile.

A fine jazz and blues band began to play at about noon, and craft brewery vendors scattered throughout the Railway Village opened for business. A young couple with two very different dogs made their way toward a tent.  Badger, a pit bull mix, and Bailey, a dachshund mix, were rescues, the couple said. Lindsey Timberlake held Baxter, while Kevin Sawtelle managed the lively Bailey. “They like to see people,” Timberlake explained. “It’s good for them to get out.”

All kinds of dogs represented the Tails part of Saturday’s event, including Labrador retrievers in all sizes, ages and shades. Also making the rounds were a goofy Newfoundland, a Swiss Mountain dog, the occasional terrier, and many thoroughbred mutts.

And there was beer, and it was good.  Craft brewing has taken off in Maine, and the variety of brews is as big as the imagination. Nook-Noi Ricker, representing her partner and husband, Cory Ricker, at Bangor’s 2 Feet Brewery stand, recommended Barn Burner, a jalapeno and ghost pepper blend she said was spicy, but not hot. “It’s really great,” agreed a taster. The grapefruit shandy was also refreshing.

Vendors hawked their brews with the finesse that used to belong to wine salespeople. “This is a pilsner-based ale. We did things to it that we’re not supposed to do,” said Scott Bandson, the head brewer of Thresher Brewing in Searsmont. He and brother Eric were celebrating the brewery’s first anniversary. Several breweries are young companies with vivid imaginations and passion for their product, while some have been around for a while. Sheepscot Valley Brewing and Atlantic Brewing Company are 22 years and 26 years old, respectively.

Flight Deck Brewery, located at Brunswick Landing, where the Brunswick Naval Air Station used to be, makes a tea-like brew using hibiscus flowers, cinnamon and lemon myrtle. “Wine drinkers like it,” explained Nate Wildes. Next to them, Liberty Craft Brewing featured Dewey’s double-hopped IPA, a best seller named for a nearly seven-foot tall lumberjack named Duane Jewett, who said he wanted them to brew him a full-flavored, rugged beer. Boothbay Craft Brewery has a beer called The Thirsty Botanist, which includes melon and passion fruit.

One of the main ingredients in beer, hops, were also on display in large bins. Mike Barker grows them on his Alna farm. The perennial plants twine 22 feet high, Barker said. “Hops have lots of medicine,” Barker said. “Drink lots of beer.” 

A large display of different kinds of beer soap from Rockland company Home Brewed Soaps rounded out the day. Melanie Landi began making beer soap about eight years ago. She uses home-brewed beer, which she discovered while experimenting with her partner’s home brew. She discovered that the addition of hops in the beer added extra anti-bacterial ingredients. Her products are completely organic and she likes using stout.

Boothbay Railway Village threw a great party for people and dogs of all ages. There was so much going on, it was hard to leave. At the front of the village close to Route 27, a train chuffed as it waited for passengers to board. When they were all seated and ready, the train chugged off with a high lonesome whistle and a cloud of pure white steam.