Camp Ellis HarborFest set for this weekend

SACO — This weekend, celebrate Saco’s working waterfront and the shoreline community at Camp Ellis HarborFest.

For many years beginning in the late 1970s¸ Camp Ellis HarborFest was an annual event. After a long period of dormancy, the festival is back as efforts to save the shoreline have been renewed. The festival is being put on by the City of Saco, with help from sponsors.

Economic Development Coordinator Tracey Desjardins said the festival goals are to celebrate the close-knit community of Camp Ellis, recognize the businesses and hard-working people of the waterfront, and educate people about the area’s history.

The festival kicks off Saturday night with live music at Huot’s at 6 p.m. and fireworks on the river at 8:30 p.m. A few local charting companies will host sunset and fireworks cruises.

On Sunday, there will be a range of festivities from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Camp Ellis Pier.

Children’s activities include sand art and painting shells, games, face painting, balloon twisters and giant Jenga. There will be live performances scheduled throughout the day beginning at 9:30 a.m.

There will also be three crab derbies scheduled. Participants must be 12 or younger, and must pre-register.

According to information from the city: “Each derby will begin with a crabbing period, where participants catch as many green crabs as they can from the pier floats. Each competitor then picks their fastest crab to enter the race, aiming for a prize from Crab Derby sponsor Garside's Ice Cream. Participants may only register once, must be accompanied by an adult, and must wear a life jacket.”

A blessing of the boats will be held at 12:15 p.m., University of New England will have presentations on erosion and Camp Ellis and a touch-a-shark activity from 1 – 3 p.m.

Festival goers can try to dunk the Harbormaster and others at a dunk tank from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. I, Saco Bay News Publisher Liz Gotthelf, will be in the dunk tank from 2 - 3 p.m. I invite all to come by and try to dunk me.

“We are very excited to see HarborFest return,” said Alex MacPhail, who will be emceeing the event. With the hard work done by all of the volunteers, the City of Saco, the Harbormaster and more, this is a great way to highlight both the vibrancy and economic potential of our working waterfront and honor SOS and the families that call Camp Ellis home.

For more information on event festivities and parking, go to the city’s website.

The Camp Ellis Pier and parking lot will be closed for normal use from 4 p.m. Saturday until 7 p.m. Sunday, per order of the Harbormaster. The city is providing a shuttle service for festival attendees from 8 :45 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 13. The shuttle will stop to pick up people at the Thornton Academy parking lot at the corner of Union and Fairfield streets, Saco Schools Central Office at 90 Beach St., and Camp Ellis General Store at 23 Maine Ave.

There will also be a free bike valet service, operated by Saco’s Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee. Cyclists can ride to the festival and drop off their bike at a valet at the end of Bay Avenue. They will receive a claim ticket and can pick up their bike when they are ready to leave.

Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at newsdesk@sacobaynews.com.