This autumn, through
a week of walks, cruises, concerts, talks and demonstrations,
Southwest Harbor will feature the history and riches of Acadia’s
Quietside. The week begins with Acadia’s 23nd
Oktoberfest during Columbus Day weekend and ends on Sunday October
14th at the finish line for the 17th running of
the MDI Marathon. Each day during the intervening week will highlight
one of the area’s cultural resources.
Organized by
AcadiaChamber, the Southwest Harbor & Tremont Chamber of
Commerce, SW Harbor Week aims to raise awareness of the institutions
and businesses outside the tourist hub of Bar Harbor. Alan Feuer,
President of AcadiaChamber, says
Many people don’t realize that Acadia
National Park covers nearly half of Mount Desert Island, and that
many of the island’s attractions lie near Northeast and Southwest
Harbors, often called the “Quietside of Acadia”. SW Harbor Week
will shine a light on areas away from the tourist hub of Bar Harbor.
Some of the events
planned are listed below.
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Friday
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Wine tasting at Smuggler’s Den Campground
hosted by Sawyers Specialties.
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Saturday
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Acadia’s Invitational Oktoberfest at
Smuggler’s Den featuring music by Banned From Eden and
Jones’n the Eclectic Dance Band. Craft fair on the
Pemetic Green hosted by the Island Arts Association.
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Sunday
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Atlantic Brewing Company’s 15th
Annual Belt Sander Races & Buffet BBQ.
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Monday
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Talks and demonstrations of granite quarrying
at the Maine Granite Industry Museum. Guided tours of a
local quarry led by Steve Haynes, founder of the museum. Geology
walks by geologists Duane and Ruth Braun, authors of Guide to
the Geology of Mount Desert Island and Acadia National Park.
Geology-related art classes at ArtWaves MDI.
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Tuesday
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A workshop on nature journaling using
watercolors at the Wendell Gilley Museum. Director’s tour
of the Gilley exhibit Earth, Sea, Sky featuring large-scale
paintings by artist Barbara Ernst Prey. Guided birding tour
into the field with Acadia Birding Festival founder Michael
Good.
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Wednesday
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Tour of the Bass Harbor Lighthouse led
by Coast Guardsmen. Sunset cruise past Bass Harbor Light with Eli
Strauss of Island Cruises. Lighthouse themed art workshops
by ArtWaves MDI.
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Thursday
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History brought to life while cruising on Somes
Sound with MDI Historical Society Director Tim Garrity and
actors from The Barn Arts Collective. Wabanaki
History and Art hosted by the Abbe Museum. Birding cruise
on the Elizabeth T with Acadia Birding Festival
founder Michael Good.
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Friday
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Open house at the Southwest Harbor Coast
Guard Station with a tour of the fleet. Tour of a Hinckley
Company shop with Hinckley vice president Philip Bennett.
Lobstering from a 19th Century sloop led by Sail
Acadia founder Karl Brunner.
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Saturday
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Curator’s tour Art, Advertising and the
Automobile at the Seal Cove Auto Museum. Hood ornament
carving workshop at the Auto Museum in conjunction with the
Wendell Gilley Museum. Exhibition of and rides in early
Fords.
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Sunday
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Running of the MDI Marathon, voted America’s
“most scenic”. Finish Line Festival in Southwest Harbor
featuring music, food and the arrival of the marathoners.
(Passenger ferry service will run between Northeast Harbor and
Southwest Harbor.)
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Events will take
place at various venues on Mount Desert Island. Please Visit
AcadiaChamber.com for the latest calendar or contact the Chamber
office for more information and to purchase tickets.
The Southwest Harbor
& Tremont Chamber of Commerce works to promote a vibrant economic
community by attracting visitors and connecting them to local
businesses. It hosts annual events such as the Fourth of July
Fireworks and Acadia’s Oktoberfest. It runs a Visitor Center in
Southwest Harbor and the website AcadiaChamber.com, valuable
resources for both visitors and residents of Mount Desert Island. The
Chamber also seeks to enhance the experience of visitors by
publishing trail, cycling, and road maps of the island and supporting
self-guided audio tours.
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For more information
about SW Harbor Week events please contact Cynthia Crow at
207-244-9264 or office@AcadiaChamber.com.
