We would like to send a huge “THANK YOU!” to the City of Rockland and all its citizens for once again hosting the annual Maine Boat & Home Show during the second weekend of August. Thousands of people came to the show (and the city) from all over the state and New England, from all corners of the country, and even from other countries. We are grateful, as always, to everyone who helped to make it a success, and were thrilled to orchestrate the event, which was the 17th annual.

Approximately 175 exhibitors set the scene, including a wide range of boats tied up at the docks and arrayed on land and valued at nearly $22 million all told. It was a tremendous display of the breadth and diversity of fine Maine-crafted products. Great crowds turned out and healthy sales were reported by vendors, from boats and fine furniture sold to jewelry commissioned, clothing purchased, and food consumed. There was sculpture on the grounds to accent the plentiful exhibits on land and in the tents.

The show is very pleased to acknowledge the support of overall sponsors Awlgrip/Interlux, Bangor Savings Bank, Camden National Bank, CedarWorks, Courier Publications/Village Soup, Epifanes, LCI Fiber Optic Networks, Owls Head Transportation Museum, Rock Harbor Brewing USHarbors.com, and Yarmouth Boat Yard.

As always, the support of the City of Rockland, the Rockland Police Department, the Harbormaster’s office, and the Rockland Department of Public Works is also very much appreciated, as is that of the Rockland Main Street Program. Many thanks to all the community and city organizations, individuals, and businesses that assisted with the show. This includes the Maine Lobster Festival, the North Atlantic Blues Festival, and the Rockland Yacht Club. Shed City provided sturdy buildings to house the on-site show offices.

The media are critical to the success of any event. Our thanks to the many outlets — local, statewide, and national — that ran our press releases and photos and came to the event to provide live coverage.

Members of the West Bay Rotary were our most-excellent gate ambassadors for the 16th year in a row. Trash pickup and recycling were adroitly handled by a team from the CHRHS Transition Life Skills program.

And we could go on! Countless individuals helped the show run smoothly, including our grounds crew and dozens of dedicated individual volunteers. The list is too long for us to mention everyone here, but please know that our gratitude is boundless. We couldn’t do it without the whole team.

World Championship Boatyard Dog Trials thanks go to sponsors Bell’s Furry Friends Pet Photography, Casco Totes, Loyal Biscuit, 250 Main Hotel, and Water Bark Wellness. Congrats to the winner, a papillon named Tattoo! And of course, a warm round of paws in applause is due the other teams of brave canine contestants and their handlers.

Last, but far from least, we’d like to thank ALL the community members and visitors who welcomed us, our exhibitors and their crews, and all the show attendees to Rockland. Many folks from afar make this event a destination each summer because they find such a warm welcome here.

We heard so many well-deserved compliments about Rockland, the Midcoast region, the show, and our wonderful community; we are honored and proud to live and work in this wonderful place.

We look forward to seeing you all around town this fall, and invite you to stop by our offices at 218 South Main Street to say hello, but not until early September when we’ll be back from our much-needed rest!

All best wishes,
Gretchen Piston Ogden, Show Manager, and the entire Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors team