5 Maine Fairs & Festivals To Add To Your Bucket List
Some of these events may have been rescheduled or canceled due to COVID-19. Please check each event’s website for more information.
Maine is home to some incredible fairs and festivals that showcase our state’s culture and history while boasting some good old fashioned fun! Some offer rides and games, some focus on food, and others exhibit Maine’s agricultural heritage. Whatever fair you choose to attend you won’t be without entertainment!
Why not make Bangor your “home base” and take a day or weekend trip to one of Maine’s most spectacular regions? Aroostook County, Down East & Acadia, The Maine Highlands, and Maine’s Mid-Coast are all an easy drive away from our Gateway city!
Bangor State Fair
The Bangor State Fair has it all; rides, agricultural exhibitions, shows, musical performances, mouth-watering fair food, and a demolition derby too! Thousands of people come from to attend the Bangor State Fair each year as “The Fair” is one of the oldest in the country, operating for 170 years! The fair takes place in Bass Park which is near the hub of Queen City, Downtown Bangor!
Maine Lobster Festival
The Maine Lobster Fest was created to try and bring visitors to Midcoast Maine communities. This non-profit organization donates all of the proceeds it gathers from the festival and puts it back out into the community! The festival consists of cooking contests, carnival rides, and local Maine artisans. And a whole lot of lobster!
Skowhegan State Fair
The Skowhegan State Fair is the nation’s oldest running agricultural fair! It’s home to many contests and competitions; from 4-H exhibitions to livestock shows and harness racing! They also house a craft fair to feature local artisans. Add fair rides and vendors and you have a whole day jammed packed with fun, fair activities!
Whoopie Pie Festival
If you’ve never had this Maine staple dessert, head to the Whoopie Pie Festival to try not only the classic Maine Whoopie Pie but an assortment of other flavors as well! On the morning of the fest, you can take part in the “Earn Your Whoopie Pie 3k Race/Walk” and when you’re done with that you can choose to visit one of the many vendors showcasing local art and crafts. And of course, there’s a Whoopie Pie eating contest if you’re up for it!
Houlton Agricultural Fair
The Houlton Agricultural Fair has something for the whole family; livestock shows, carnival rides, truck pulls, mud runs, musical performances, and much more! Not only do they have the fairgrounds to attend, but for several dates around, during, and after the fair, the entire town has events and activities you and your family can take part in.