The Pop!Tech conference, held annually in Camden, Maine, is rapidly expanding beyond a “big think” gathering of academics, journalists, scientists, and innovation gurus. It’s becoming a magnet for corporate executives, too, who are trying to answer questions such as those posed by Pop!Tech’s curator, Andrew Zolli, in his opening remarks: “Is reinvention possible? Can technology save us? What is the next social contract?”
Even in the downturn, when corporations are curbing travel budgets to trade shows, employees from such diverse companies as Genentech, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Nike, Microsoft, and AT&T were in attendance. There were more corporate sponsors than ever this year, including Nike and Microsoft, who were new to sponsorship this year.
Attendees listened to acoustic guitar and soulful songs sung by Malaysian musician Zee Avi, and watched while artist Chris Jordan showed disturbing photos of dead baby albatrosses whose corpses revealed stomachs full of plastic bottle caps—intended to motivate people to understand the consequences of pollution and garbage.
Michael Pollan who has fundamentally changed the way many of us understand what we eat, how it’s made, and how it gets to us, spoke on whether a vegan in a Hummer has a lighter carbon footprint than a beef eater in a Prius – it was fascinating.
Speaking of food, the preparation for the conference attendees was intense and interesting. If you didn’t attend this year’s conference, you can get the flavor of the conference and the food preparation by viewing the short video below.
Peaks Island is the most populous island in Casco Bay. It is part of the city of Portland and is approximately 5 km (3 mi) from downtown. The island became a popular summer destination in the late 19th century, when it was known as the Coney Island of Maine, home to hotels, cottages, theaters, and amusement parks.
Hollywood film director John Ford was known as “The Mayor of Peaks Island” because of his great affinity for the island. He vacationed there from boyhood through the early 1960s, worked as an usher at the Gem Theater and was a deckhand on the Casco Bay Lines ferries in his youth.
During World War II, the island was home to a large military defense installation, including the largest structure, Battery Steele, which housed two 16-inch (406 mm) guns. When Battery Steele’s guns were first tested, windows on the opposite side of the island shattered.
Today Peaks is a popular destination for vacationers and day trips from Portland via the ferries of the Casco Bay Lines. For a glimpse of the island and some of its attractions, you can view the short video below.
Oysters, best known for their reputed aphrodisiac powers, have been a favorite of food lovers throughout the centuries, beginning with the Roman emperors who paid for them by their weight in gold.
Oysters have always been linked with love. When Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, sprang forth from the sea on an oyster shell and promptly gave birth to Eros, the word “aphrodisiac” was born. The dashing lover Casanova used to start a meal by eating a dozen or more oysters.
The Damariscotta River’s Pemaquid oyster beds are farm raised and produce what are considered some of the best tasting oysters in the world. To celebrate our valuable crop and to benefit the Edward A. Myers Marine Conservation Fund and Maine’s working waterfront, the community throws an annual fundraising event that shouldn’t be missed.
At the Pemaquid Oyster Festival visitors can enjoy food, music, historical displays, educational exhibits, and boat rides out to the oyster beds. If you’ve never been to the Oyster Festival and would like to get a feel for this annual event, just view the short video below.
To see the recent New York Times slide show entitled, “Maine on the Half Shell” click here.
To see the related NY Times article entitled, “Where Maine Comes Out of Its Other Shell” click here.
Want to enjoy one of the country’s preeminent fairs? Visit the agricultural fair in Fryeburg, and experience this 150+ year-old extravaganza of rides, livestock, entertainment, shows, bands, prizes, racing, special events, food and so much more.
It was a chilly day in March of 1851 when a few local farmers and merchants got together and decided to show off their produce, cattle and wares to the community. Since those humble beginnings, the Fryeburg Fair has grown to become Maine’s largest agricultural fair complete with six days of harness racing, a farm museum second to none, the world’s largest steer and oxen show and a reputation known throughout North America.
The 8-day Blue Ribbon Classic has flourished since that first fair when William Walker of Lovell won $3 for the best acre of corn and William Spring of Brownfield earned $1 for the best seed wheat. Today, the early October fair boasts Maine’s largest agricultural event held on 185 acres in the Saco River Valley in the foothills of the White Mountains. The fair also normally takes place during the height of Maine’s Fall foliage season. The Fryeburg Fair attracts more than 300,000 people annually.
If you’ve never been to the Fryeburg Fair, you can get a feel for the agricultural fair experience by viewing the short video below.
Voted one of the top 10 Great Streets in America for 2008, by the American Planning Association (APA), “Commercial Street stands out for its unique character, strong sense of place, and mixture of uses involving marine and fishing industries, tourism, retail trade, commercial offices, and residential housing.” The street “…blurs the distinctions among working waterfront, downtown Main Street, and historic tourist district. It is a place where moored fishing boats, lobster pots and fishing gear, and crying seagulls mix with downtown office employees going to work, residents living in dockside condominiums, and tourists visiting restaurants and boutique shops. It’s a dynamic yet precariously balanced amalgam crafted through years of debate and compromise.” For more on the APA’s review click here.
I live here, so it’s hard to maintain a detached perspective. The success of Commercial Street, the Old Port shopping district, and the cities reputation as one of the best cities for foodies in the northeast has made life in the warmer months seem a bit like living in DC, where I lived before returning to Maine. The difference is the exciting mix of sophistication and downeast authenticity, with it’s concomitant lack of pretense, makes this a wonderful and comfortable place to live, work, and vacation. All of this probably explains why Portland has been among the choicest ports of call for cruise lines. On the day I was filming the Queen Victoria (the newest of the Cunard liners) was in port. As you’ll see in the video below, she’s a great looking ship. For more on The Queen click here.
Belfast has been voted one of the ten coolest small towns in America in a Budget Travel Magazine survey. The towns listed in the top ten have fewer then 10,000 people, but can rival larger cities when it comes to good food, culture, and quality of life. Belfast sits at the northern tip of the western shore of Penobscot Bay, and is about a 20-minute drive north of Camden. The town is just off of Route 1 and many tourists miss it, giving the town a very laid-back feel. The relative lack of tourists during the prime season combined with lower real estate prices is helping to create an artist’s enclave in Belfast – and not just painters, but jewelry makers, glassblowers, and weavers. Every Friday morning from May through October there’s a farmer’s market that attracts a wide variety of local organic farmers, bakers, artists, and musicians.
If you missed Belfast during your travels in Maine, you can get a sense of this picturesque village by viewing the video below. We hope the video will entice you to stop by on your next visit to the mid-coast.
Camden rocks! Sailing off the western coastline of Penobscot Bay, partying on the harbor, strolling through the wide variety of boutiques and shops, enjoying great food, and watching the fireworks during the Camden Windjammer Festival offers visitors the chance to do Camden and sail all in one fun-filled weekend. This year’s festival was blessed with spectacular weather and a full moon.
The festival is a celebration of Camden’s maritime heritage, and attracts visitors from all over the U.S. and Europe. It’s a chance to climb aboard some of the fabulous schooners from the golden age of sail when many of these same schooners were launched into Camden Harbor – by the mid-19th century, Camden was home to six shipyards and launched more than 10 vessels each year. It’s also an opportunity to learn some of the salty arts and skills, swap stories of the sea, and see talent shows and concerts that appeal to swabbies and landlubbers alike.
If you missed the festival this year, you can still view some of the highlights in the six-minute video below.
See you next year at the Camden Windjammer Festival.
Where: Camden Harbor When: Every Labor Day Weekend
For a spectacular time jammin’ on the bay, join the crew of the Schooners Wendameen or Bagheera for a cruise on Casco Bay. These windjammers sail daily from May until late October. The day sails are two hours long, so bring a picnic and a bottle of wine or your favorite beverage.
To get a feel for what it’s like out on the bay, you can do a virtual sail in less than 9 minutes by viewing the video below.
Enjoy!
Where: Maine State Pier – out on the pier past the terminal for Casco Bay Lines. See directions here. When: Daily May – October (rain or shine) – For a schedule and more info click here.
Looking for a great time in downtown Portland? Try the Farmer’s Market every Wednesday in Portland’s Monument Square. Great food, music, and just all-round good vibes.
• Time: Every Wednesday from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm. • Type of Market: Open air – operates rain or shine from mid-April through October. • Location: Monument Square – Downtown Portland, Maine.
The Portland Sidewalk Art Festival happens every year around the 3rd Saturday in August * It usually runs all day from around 9 am until 4 pm (Portland closes Congress Street, to all but pedestrian traffic and art stalls, from Monument Sq. to almost Longfellow Sq.), and includes about 300 Artists. This year they had about 40,000 visitors attend the event. It’s the oldest and largest one-day art festival in Northern New England – 2009 marks it’s 44th consecutive year. Four (4) cash prizes are awarded. Each participating artist may designate one work for consideration.
Many people spend hours at the show as a way to refresh the spirit. You can take a virtual tour in just over 7 minutes by viewing the video below.
* This year, the Sidewalk Art Festival was on the 4th Saturday because the month began on a Saturday.
