No, you didn't miss the deadline to get your Alumni Banquet tickets. Why? Because there won't be an Alumni Banquet this year.

For many, many years, the Boothbay Region Alumni Association has organized and held a banquet for the high school graduating class. Venues have included the YMCA, Boothbay Region Elementary School, Fisherman's Wharf and, for the first time last year, at Boothbay Harbor Inn.

“Attendance by alumni, parents and students has waned over the years; and last year, I think we had a third of the class in attendance, most of their parents and only about four alumni,” said Lynn Orne, president of the Alumni Association. In fact, last year's event wasn't called a banquet – it was a reception with light fare.

Orne explained that when the price of the catered meals got to be too expensive (over $25), the association moved the venue to Fisherman's Wharf four or five years ago.

“Laura Honey (at Fisherman's Wharf) gave us a good deal for $25 per person,” said Orne. “But  even then, the attendance continually went down.” The charge for last year's reception was $15 per person.

Orne said the association board members agreed to let “sleeping dogs lie” for this year and perhaps next year, a different kind of event might be planned.

“We even moved last year's reception to the week before Memorial Day to see if that would improve attendance, but it didn't,” Orne said.