Summers are short in Maine, with so many festivals and fairs, don't miss this one.

The Maine Lobster Festival in Rockland, Maine, turns 78 this year and is the one family adventure you need to put on your calendar. It runs this year, July 30 through August 3, 2025. Five days packed with lobster and fun.

Maine Lobster Festival
Maine Lobster Festival via Facebook
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Celebrate all things lobster at Harbor Park in Rockland, Maine

If you think it's just eating lobster, well, there IS a lot of lobster, but there's tons to do over the five days. Many activities are kid-centric. So it's great for the whole family. Maybe pick another festival if there's a shellfish allergy in the family. There's a parade, live music, arts and crafts, the International Great Crate Race (try to float in a lobster crate), and how fast can kids pick a lobster?

Maine Lobster Festival
Maine Lobster Festival via Facebook
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Never forget the star of the Lobster Festival in Rockland, Maine, IS the lobster

Over 20,000 pounds of fresh Maine lobster are cooked and served each year. This impressive feat is made possible by a dedicated team of volunteers who work tirelessly to prepare and serve the lobsters to festival attendees. And it's not just lobster and butter, there's a whole ton of lobster favorites, including lobster rolls, lobster mac & cheese, and lobster bisque. ​

READ MORE: 5 Things I Never Knew About Maine Lobstermen

Maine Lobster Festival
Maine Lobster Festival via Facebook
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"Love it. My home away from home." Helen on Maine Lobster Festival Facebook

Heck, maybe if you bring your dog (well-behaved on a short leash), they can pick up a few pointers and make you dinner later in the week.

Mark it on your calendars, July 30, the fun starts!

 

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Gallery Credit: Arlen Jameson

The Best Restaurants in Downeast Maine for Lobster

So when your hungry out-of-state relatives or friends come to our great state, where do you take them for a mouth-watering lobster dinner?

The answer to that often asked question will be top of mind for a lot of Mainers this season, as thousands of tourists, relatives, and friends drive hundreds if not thousands of miles to take in the sights and eat what our state is most famous for, lobster.

Whether it's a lobster salad, in a hot dog roll, a broiled tail, thrown into a pot of boiling sea water, or god forbid, made into a lobster poutine, people near and far crave it, and as soon as they make it into this neck of the woods it'll be what they have for dinner that night.

While each of us already have a few favorite snack bars, take-outs, and restaurants in mind, it would be wrong of this author to pass along those personal suggestions. So, we're going to rely on the reviews of TripAdvisor to point our visitors in the right directions. We've focused on the Ellsworth and Mount Desert Island area, and here is what we found as we count our way up to the #1 most recommended place for lobster Downeast.

Gallery Credit: DJ Fred

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