Thousands have been waiting for a year for the World's Largest Lobster Cooker to make its first public appearance at the Maine Lobster Festival, held annually in Rockland, about 10 minutes away. The festival started yesterday and continues through the weekend.

The weather is shaping up to be partly cloudy and a pleasant 70-75 range with a 30% chance of rain for the weekend. A high quality lobster roll might set you back $10, but you'll never forget it. More reasonably priced lobster dinners served with everything but the kitchen sink as well as plenty of seating are available under large tents lined with tables. Plenty of fair-type food, rides, vendor booths and of course everything lobster: from aprons to ice cream to the real deal. 

Besides the library book sale and the arts and crafts show in Harbor Park right here in Camden, Pizza Night at The Edge, the Friendship sloop race in Rockland and an antiques show at the local high school, there is an event going on at the Owls Head Transportation Museum.

"More than 250 antique pickups, delivery vans, tractor trailers,
military vehicles—plus antique earthmovers & shakers. Pre-1988
vehicles—any make or model—are welcome to exhibit at any of our events.
Recognized car clubs encouraged to attend. All exhibitors get in free.
Vehicle demonstrations, free Model T rides, children's activities,pedal
cars and more. Fun for the whole family. Museum planes fly early,
weather permitting. Adults: $12; Children 6-17: $6; Family: $30."

The tents are up as our beautiful town library, set on a hill overlooking the harbor, prepares for its annual book sale. Here's a little blurb from them directly:

Camden Public Library Book Sale
9:00AM-4:00PM • Camden Public Library
The Camden Public Library's July book sale always coincides with Camden's Harbor Arts Festival, which is July 19 and 20 this year. The book sale benefits year-round programs and book purchases at the library. The book sale is only days away, under the tents on the library front lawn.

Join your friends and neighbors for this sale July 18, 19 and 20. On Friday, July 18, from 1:30 to 4:30 pm, Young Adult and Children's books will be for sale. On July 19 and 20 the full book sale takes place from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

There are more than four thousand books, records, VHS tapes, DVDs, and CDs for sale.
For more information call Don White 236-3440 or visit www.camden.lib.me.us.

Next Sunday, July 20th, from 10am to 5pm is the Rockland Harbor Antiques Fair. Dealers under tents are offering for sale a wide variety of antiques and art. Admission is $6. This is a lead-up to a major antiques festival with several dozen dealers which will take place in Union (about 10 minutes from here) on August 8 - 10th. In fact it's Maine's largest Antiques Show.

Sorry, no time to write a blog today! We're out at the fantastic North American Blues Festival in Rockland. World renowned musicians take the stage at in harbor park during the day and at night just about every restaurant, coffee shop and bar in town feature performers as well.

The Edge - a 4 diamond oceanfront restaurant at our sister property the Inn at Ocean's Edge, recently reviewed in the Gourmet magazine, is now hosting a jazz night every Monday throughout the summer. Head down between 5:30 and 8:30 and chill out to the Bel-Isle Trio.

Port Clyde Fishermen's Co-Op is the first of its kind in Midcoast Maine. Based on a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) model, the fishermen's co-op provides fresh local catch to the local community (individuals as well as many local restaurants). Everyone benefits - the fish travels only a handful of miles from the sea to the consumer and a community supports a local business. Check it out!

    Farmer's Market in Lincolnville today, here in Camden across the street tomorrow. Fresh local vegetables are piled on farmers' tables and I know Bryan and Natasha from The Edge restaurant drop by to pick up produce for their daily changing menu. In a minute I'll sneak out of work (shh, don't tell anyone) to run across the street for a quart of fresh strawberries.

So maybe that is Dubai and not Maine, but if you're planning a trip to our wonderful town of Camden while watching Wimbledon on your telvision, you might be interested to learn just how easy it is to get into a game around here and not experience acrophobia. We fear no weather - indoor courts are available in Rockport at the Midcoast Recreation Center. Outdoor courts are within a couple of miles: on the grounds of the Camden Snowbowl and at the Camden Hills Regional High School to name just two locations. You don't even have to bring your own racquet - rent one at Maine Sport for $5 for 72 hours and they'll even subtract the cost of the rental from the price of the racquet should you choose to buy one from this locally owned sport empire. Some of us here at the inn are tennis enthusiasts and we'd love to help set you up if you'd like to play a little tennis while on vacation.

Every Sunday night is Pizza Night at The Edge, an oceanfront fine dining restaurant located on the grounds of our sister property The Inn at Ocean's Edge. Coastal Maine isn't exactly known for pizza you might be thinking, but a leisurely pace of a parade of creative pizzas at the Edge on Sunday night has even native New Yorkers chewing and nodding. Eight or so varying types of pizza - everything from "Cheesesteak pizza" to the 'Classic Margarita" are baked fresh in a brick oven and carried around one after another from table to table. You get the hang of the rotation pretty quickly and soon begin to decline offers for more slices waiting for your favorite variety to come along again - fresh, hot, cheesy, delicious goodness. Sit at the gorgeous counter (captured in this photo) and enjoy a chat with the chef as well as the flame in the oven.