Camp Ellis

08/20/2026

08/10/2026

Another fabulous fun filled HarborFest!

08/09/2026

Kick off fireworks for HarborFest

08/05/2026

We have some exciting Camp Ellis HarborFest updates to share as we count down to this weekend’s festival! We’re giving you a first look at 2026 merch, an update on free kids activities, and a few transportation reminders.

2026 MERCH
This year’s beautiful HarborFest artwork was created by Maine artist Brenda McGuinness, whose design was selected by the volunteer HarborFest committee. Fitting the “Anchored in Community” theme, the design represents the interwoven experiences that tie us all to Camp Ellis. We’re also launching a new Camp Ellis HarborFest beach bag this year, featuring the festival logo designed by local artist Tory Gordon in 2023!

TRANSPORTATION
Parking is limited in Camp Ellis, so we encourage festival attendees to take advantage of our alternative transportation options. Whether you take our shuttle bus or ride your bike, there’s a way for everyone to get there.

For attendees with limited mobility, we offer an accessible drop-off point at the festival entry and a shuttle bus equipped with a wheelchair lift. Our partners at Age Friendly S**o will be running their mobility shuttle all day between the shuttle drop off point at the Camp Ellis General Store and the festival entry point.

KIDS ACTIVITIES
Kids activities are free this year! Thanks to our generous sponsors, children can enjoy all activities at no cost, a change from prior years when tickets were required.

PLANKTON LAB DEMO
Discover the tiny drifters of the sea that sustain S**o Bay’s marine ecosystem. UNE’s Plankton Lab will conduct live plankton net tows off the dock, giving participants a chance to view zooplankton and phytoplankton under microscopes and learn how scientists monitor their size and abundance over time.

PLAN YOUR FESTIVAL DAY
Find full HarborFest details, including the schedule, list of activities, and accessible transportation information, at our link in the comments.

We’ll meet you at the pier for fireworks on Aug. 8 at 9:15 p.m. and the festival on Aug. 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.!

Sunday’s festival is a rain or shine event. If it rains Saturday night, fireworks will be moved to Sunday.

RSVP:

Fireworks: Camp Ellis HarborFest 2026 - FIREWORKS
Festival: Camp Ellis HarborFest 2026 - FESTIVAL

08/03/2026

Update

There is a new load of rocks sitting on a barge in front of Eagle Island ready to be dropped in the ocean to extend the spur jetty. Work should resume on Tuesday after rough seas kept the work barge moored on Monday. The barges have low tolerance when it comes to waves so Mohawks needs calm seas.

The latest from Army Corps Project Manager Jen Thalhauser:

Recent Progress

• Mohawk has and continues to place stone within the designated tie-in and reinforcement zones.

Upcoming Activities

• Continue placing stone within the designated tie-in and reinforcement zones.
• Work is on schedule and there have been no issues.
• USACE is very happy with Mohawk Northeast’s work to date. The ACOE Project Manager did a site visit last week (Wednesday) and all is going really well.

Notes

• An Army Corps inspection will take place after the first section is completed

07/29/2026

Great gift! Take a chance.

The 2026 HarborFest Lobster Basket Raffle is filled with more than $1,300 in prizes!

Meet us at the Camp Ellis Pier for fireworks on Aug. 8 and the festival on Aug. 9 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to purchase a raffle ticket for this year’s grand prize.

The lobster rope basket is filled with the following treasures:

• 12 fresh 1.25 lb lobsters
• Art glass by Lorrie Class
• $25 Ken’s Place gift card
• Two $25 Golden Rooster gift cards
• Fishing pole with lures
• Lighthouse bird feeder
• Buoy bird feeder
• Camp Ellis General Store tote bag, coasters, and $25 gift card
• HarborFest merch pack (beach bag, t-shirt, coffee mug, coaster)
• Epoxy anchor ornament
• Metal anchor
• Metal lobster hook
• Metal lobster salt & pepper shaker holder
• Collection of hats from local fishermen and businesses
• And even more coastal surprises!

Tickets are priced at $5 for one, $10 for three, and $20 for eight. Tickets can be purchased with cash in advance at the Camp Ellis General Store or The S**o Scoop, as well as at the festival on Aug. 9.

One lucky winner will go home with this incredible basket, and the second, third, and fourth place winners will each receive a gift certificate for a dozen lobsters.

All funds raised through this raffle directly support future HarborFest events, celebrating our working waterfront and raising awareness about erosion in S**o Bay. Thank you to the generous sponsors who made this raffle possible: F/V Theresa Irene III, F/V Irish Lady’s/Tom’s Lobster Pound, F/V Ellen Marie, Ken’s Place, Golden Rooster, SOS S**o Bay, Camp Ellis General Store, Huot’s Seafood Restaurant, S**o Bay Tackle, Art Glass by Lorrie, and Epoxy ME.

Plan your trip to the HarborFest today! Full festival details are available on our website at sacomaine.org/harborfest.

RSVP:

Fireworks: Camp Ellis HarborFest 2026 - FIREWORKS
Festival: Camp Ellis HarborFest 2026 - FESTIVAL

07/28/2026

Good news!

07/04/2026

Have a safe and fun celebration of America's 250 Birthday!

07/03/2026

Registration is open for this year’s Camp Ellis HarborFest bike parade and crab derbies!

BIKE PARADE
At 10:00 AM on Aug. 9, the festival will kick off with the bike parade, an old HarborFest tradition that returned in 2025. Kids are invited to decorate their wheels, roll on down to the festival, and compete for prizes!

All wheels are welcome (bicycles, wheelchairs, wagons, scooters, etc.), except for motorized and electric devices. Judges will vote on the most creative rider for three age groups: 0-4 years, 5-10 years, and 11-16 years.

Advanced registration for the bike parade is strongly encouraged and can be completed online at sacomaine.org/harborfest.

CRAB DERBY
After the Bike Parade, two crab derbies will take place during the festival, with one at 10:45 AM and one at 12:30 PM. Families who sign their children up will gather at the pier during their respective time slot and receive gear to catch crabs safely from the pier floats. Once the crabbing period is over, participants will choose their favorite crab to enter in the race.

Crab derby slots are limited and registration fills up fast! Sign up today to secure your spot at sacomaine.org/harborfest. Participants may only compete in one of the two time slots.

ADDITIONAL FESTIVAL INFORMATION
Want to learn more about the festival or sign up to volunteer and help make the magic happen? Visit sacomaine.org/harborfest for all the details, and we’ll meet you at the pier in August for this celebration of our working waterfront!