EASTPORT, Maine — When the Eastport Salmon & Seafood Festival returns this weekend, it will include several new attractions, including a fiber arts show.
“The salmon festival has always been known for having fun crafts,” said Meg Keay, executive director of the Eastport Area Chamber of Commerce and one of the organizers of the event. “[The show will] exhibit an array of all the different fiber artists in Washington County.”
The salmon festival, set for Sunday, Sept. 6, kicks off at 7:30 a.m. with registration for a 5K run and one-mile fun run. A salmon dinner, exhibits, beer on tap and live music by Washington County musicians continue through 4 p.m.
While the salmon festival is only on Sunday, the fiber arts show will run 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 6. It’s being held at the historic Frontier Bank building on Water Street, Keay said.
“I thought it would be really nice to showcase local fiber artists in an exhibit of their own with demonstrators,” she said.
The fiber arts includes spinning, carding, weaving, dyeing, knitting, quilting, needle stitching and wall arts such as tapestry. The show will feature 25 different artists who also will demonstrate their skills.
“It’s fun to see people do their craft,” Keay said. “These people are so excited.”
Also new this year is “Tales of Quoddy Bay,” a professional puppet show that debuted at Bay Day on Aug. 1. It returns to Eastport for a 2 p.m. performance at the salmon festival on Sunday.
A new sauce for the salmon dinner also debuts. It is a blueberry and white chocolate sauce by Ganong Chocolates of St. Stephen, New Brunswick.
Keay described the sauce as “sweet and savory.” Of course, the traditional Raye’s Mustard sauce will still be available, she said.
At 10 a.m. Sunday, participants can tour Lighthouse Lobster & Bait LLC, which is the largest lobster pound on the Atlantic coast, she said.
Keay said the festival also will include a Trees of Eastport walking tour 9-11 a.m.
In addition to the fiber arts show, other activities scheduled for Saturday include the 17th annual Paint Eastport Day, a farmers market, a flea market and a silent auction and reception at which the works from Paint Eastport Day will be sold.