IF THE OYSTER IS YOUR WORLD — The Walrus and the Carpenter, despite their gluttonous trickery in Lewis Carroll’s poem of the same name, had the right idea: It’s easy to eat a lot of oysters. And nowhere will it be easier than at the 2009 Pemaquid Oyster Festival from noon until dusk Sunday, Sept. 27, at Schooner Landing in Damariscotta and throughout the downtown area. This year the festival includes a new event, the World’s Biggest Oyster Contest. Oyster farmers and the public are invited to bring their largest oyster to compete for a $100 first prize. The oyster must be alive upon arrival at the weigh-in at 3 p.m. There will also be a gourmet selection of oyster toppings. Selections will include freshly made cocktail sauce, along with some less orthodox toppings such as apple, seaweed and cucumber, mixed herb, sesame Asian, and toasted leek. Performances by bands including Old Grey Goose, Holy Mackerel and the Boneheads will also be featured. Boat rides, a children’s area and educational booths are also scheduled. Entry to the festival is free, though food and beverages are not. For more information, call 380-9912.
WINE’S TIME — In keeping with the festival spirit, the first weekend of October will be a celebration of wine. Cellardoor Winery will hold its annual Vinfest on Saturday, Oct. 3, at the vineyards at 367 Youngtown Road in Lincolnville. Starting at 10 a.m., there will be an array of family-friendly events, including an Antique Tractor Club display, a scarecrow decorating competition, a home winemaking competition, a display from Portland’s Shoestring Theatre Puppets, and an artisan product fair in the vineyard tent. An assortment of treats from local shops, a winemaking class featuring Cellardoor vintners, and performances from the Lincolnville Band, the Steelin’ Thunder Steel Drum Band and the Slippery Sneakers Zydeco Bands are also on the schedule. Perhaps most important, a grape-stomping competition takes place at 12:30 and 2:30 p.m., and there will be hot air balloon rides over the vineyard beginning at 5 p.m. Admission for adults is $10, and are available at www.mainewine.com.
INTO THE WEE HOURS — Late-night denizens of downtown Bangor, take note: Giacomo’s, the sandwich and coffee shop at Central and State streets, is under the new ownership with a new mission. Brett Settle has revamped the shop’s hours to capitalize on the growing influx of nighttime bar patrons in the Queen City. Giacomo’s will close at 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and reopen around 11 p.m., when it will serve breakfast sandwiches, sandwiches from its regular menu, and coffee and other beverages to those craving a late-night snack. Since it won’t be serving alcohol, it will remain open until 3 a.m. Downtown Bangor folks need no longer rely solely on gas stations or fast-food joints to grab a midnight bite — a welcome change to the dining landscape.
