ROCKLAND — The Maine Lobster Festival takes place August 2-6, 2023, at Harbor Park in Rockland, and will once again be offering free admission every day to all visitors. The Steins & Vines Tasting Event is back for its 8th year, with two sessions on Thursday, Aug. 3 and two sessions Friday, Aug. 4. This event gives visitors the opportunity to taste Maine-made wine, beer and spirits from Maine brewers and vintners. This year there will be six wineries, eight breweries, and four cider companies present. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased online. Each ticket includes 12 tastings and a commemorative tasting glass. All participants must be 21 or older. The Big Parade on Saturday, Aug. 5, at 10 a.m., on Main Street in Rockland will feature Grand Marshals Sharon Lombardo and Bob Oxton, both long-time festival volunteers. Color Guard, bands, floats, The Baltimore Marching Band, Slugger the SeaDog, Pat Patriot, the New England Patriots Cheerleaders, and so much more. This year’s theme is “The Spirit of ‘76” and festival organizers encourage creative interpretation of the theme. Participation is free and there are still slots available for floats, individuals, vehicles, groups and more. Apply online. The Pirates of the Dark Rose will return to teach Festival visitors all about life as a pirate. There will be weapons demonstrations, cannon fire, pirate ship tours, and more. View the schedule for details. Live music will be a feature every day at the Festival, with genres spanning rock, blues, jazz, country, swing, reggae, funk, and more. Registration is open for the 5K & 10K Road Race. Registration is $35 online, $40 on the day of the race. Both races are timed and the first 300 registered receive a T-shirt. All finishers are presented with a finisher medal and awards are presented for top finishers in many age categories. Walkers are welcome for the 5K only. Rockland Coast Guard Station will be hosting tours of the Coast Guard cutters Abby Burgess, Thunder Bay, and William Chadwick at the Coast Guard pier at 54 Tillson Ave. in Rockland, Aug. 3 and 4, from noon to 4 p.m. Minors must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. No open-toed shoes are allowed. Other events will be the Art Show and Fine Arts & Craft Tent, the Seafood Cooking Contest, children's events, and the International Great Crate Race. Not to mention the thousands of pounds of fresh Maine lobster cooked in the World's Largest Lobster Cooker. View the full schedule to see all the exciting events the 2023 Maine Lobster Festival has in store.     Five days of fun and feasting on the fabulous coast of Maine, the Maine Lobster Festival attracts thousands of people to the Midcoast region and has a long tradition of giving back to the local community. The 2023 Festival will be held Aug. 2-6. For more information about the Maine Lobster Festival, visit the website at www.mainelobsterfestival.com, “like” it on Facebook, follow it on Twitter at @MELobsterFest, and on Instagram at @mainelobsterfest.