CAMDEN — The 2013 Camden Windjammer Festival is shaping up to be a truly spectacular weekend celebrating the Midcoast's maritime heritage, with three days of nautically-themed things to see, learn about and do — for all ages.

This year's Windjammer Festival, in and around Camden Harbor Aug. 30-Sept. 1 (Labor Day weekend), kicks off Friday with the arrival of the windjammers from noon to 5 p.m. As each vessel enters the harbor and begins to promenade down the Wayfarer side of the channel toward a berth at the head of the harbor, Capt. Jim Sharp, who turned 80 Aug. 21, provides a description, history and, sometimes from personal experience, a bit of what it's like to sail on such a boat. Sharp's unwavering and heartfelt narration lasts hours, until all the boats are tied up, some rafted together, and celebrations begin.

"More than 18 windjammers will be here and I have researched and found that this event is the largest gathering of coastal schooners on the East Coast," said Emily Lusher, festival organizer chair.

Friday's festival schedule also includes a windjammer dinner silent auction, the Maritime Heritage Fair on the public landing, formal welcome of the fleet and captain's meeting at 5 p.m., and a Bay Winds North Wind Ensemble performance in Harbor Park followed by the Schooner Talent Show. At 9 p.m. there will be fireworks over the harbor.

Following a good night's sleep, Saturday morning gets going early with the Camden Rotary Pancake Breakfast starting at 7:30 a.m. Build-a-Boat construction gets started on the public landing, followed by a Camden Fire Dept. Water Rescue Demonstration and the crate races at 11 a.m. (Sign-up starts at 9 a.m. ) West Bay Rotary will host the Chowder Challenge from noon to 2 p.m., with the community lining up to taste and vote on their favorites from more than a half-dozen entries.

All day the Maritime Heritage Fair will continue on the public landing, with booths of maritime traditions, skills and history on display, along with activities for everyone to try. Artist Buckley Smith will hold a children's drawing class and Richard Cornelia will give an illustrated talk, "The True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty." Rick Carney will share his experiences and finds while diving for artifacts and there will also be a talk on hauling lobster.

Never been aboard a schooner, and/or not comfortable on the high seas? Never fear, because from 2 to 4 p.m. there will be a schooner open house providing the opportunity to climb aboard the rafted-up vessels and peak inside berths (bedrooms) and stroll through galleys (eat-in kitchens) of some true historic landmarks. Some were once great fishing vessels, and all are now used to ply intrepid travelers seeking a unique way to spend four or six days offshore.

Also throughout the day Saturday, artists will be creating paintings around the harbor destined for the Maritime Wet Paint Auction at 4 p.m., which will wrap up the day's events.

Visitors can sleep in a bit Sunday, but if you've got a radio controlled boat, 10 a.m. is little-boat race time in the harbor!

Keep a sharp eye for pirates in Harbor Park late Sunday morning, because rumor around town is the Hellion Brigade will be scouting for recruits to help defend the town later in the day. If plundering and pillaging in defense of Camden could be yer calling, smartly pull yer sword out from under yer bunk and pluck the eye patch off yer parrot and join up. But beware, the Pirates of the Dark Rose ahrrr a salty seasoned bunch, and should the Hellion Brigade fail, the whole lot may become shark bait.

For a second day there will be a schooner open house, from 2 to 4 p.m., and finishing up the weekend's events will be a Pirates Treasure Island Puppet Show at Harbor Park and Pirate Weapons and Small Arms Demonstration, which could mean cannon and musket fire. And at 4 p.m., Camden Windjammer Festival hosts the annual All Comers Boat Parade around the harbor.

Most recently, the Camden Windjammer Festival was run completely by volunteers under the guiding hand of Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce. As has been custom for its nearly 19 years running, the festival has also garnered support and assistance from the town, which provided police coverage, traffic assistance, and the harbormaster's time and talents during the event and in the weeks and months leading up to it. That collaboration continues today, though Camden Windjammer Festival is now a legal nonprofit and has an official board structure making up its organizing committee.

"It's taken some time but now we are a 501c3 organization, so we're not under the Chamber's wing anymore," said Lusher. "And we are getting more involvement from all over the town, not just the fire department and harbor offices."

In addition to Lusher, the committee is comprised of John Viehman (vice chair, sales and marketing), Dan Bookham (treasurer), Meg Sharp (secretary), Steve Pixley (harbor liaison), Cathie Dorr and Ray Williamson (schooner fleet liaisons), Seth Silverton and Jessica Manbeck (at large, crate race organizers), Pat Finnegan (town of Camden liaison), Brian Hodges (community development liaison) and Staci Coomer (business community liaison). Two other volunteers who have been long-time supporters and participants in the festival are Jim Sharp, providing schooner introductions at the start of the festival, and Jory Squibb, build-a-boat organizer.

"The whole idea of the festival is that it's not just here on the harbor, but all over town too," said Lusher. "It's free, come and go and just be a part of the community here."

The budget for the festival is $18,000, which pays for Friday night's fireworks show, volunteer supplies and some of the food and some of giveaways that the vendors have on hand at their booths. A complete list of sponsors is on the Camden Windjammer Festival website.

In past year's the festival has welcomed a naval ship into the harbor for the weekend, but Lusher said due to the federal government's automatic budget cuts.

"We can't get a Navy boat here, and we can't even get the Rockland Coast Guard's rigid inflatable boat here this due to the sequester," said Lusher.

Sequester or not, Lincolnville Selectman Rosey Gerry will be on hand lending his emcee skills and expertise to the Schooner Talent Show. And even without the Navy or Coast Guard on hand to fight off the Pirates of the Dark Rose, Lusher is hoping town citizens, maybe even some Select Board members, will step up and defend the town and its treasures.

"I told the Select Board Tuesday night that the pirates were coming to Camden and it's their job to defend the town," said Lusher.

Camden Harbor will be open, as usual, to all boat traffic, but the public landing will be closed to vehicular traffic Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Beginning Thursday, Aug. 29, at midnight there is no parking at the public landing. Camden Police said cars parked on the public landing after midnight Thursday will be subject to towing.

The Washington Street parking lot adjacent to the police and fire station is open and free all day, every day, and there is ample parking in the lots on Mechanic Street, west of Washington Street.

Anyone interested in volunteering for any aspect of the Camden Windjammer Festival can sign up online. Camden Harbormaster Steve Pixley is also actively recruiting volunteers to help man the harbormaster boats all three days, for any amount of time. Stop into the harbormaster's office and talk to Pixley or Deputy Harbormaster Jim Leo or call 236-7969.

Editorial Director Holly S. Edwards can be reached at hollyedwards@penbaypilot.com or 706-6655.