Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 Page 86 Page 87 Page 88 Page 89 Page 90 Page 91 Page 92 Page 93 Page 94 Page 95 Page 96 Page 97 Page 98 Page 99 Page 10046 p o r t l a n d monthly magazine Hungry Eye the visionary chefs, both professional and amateur, give Bubba Blue a run for his money. Rockland’s annual Maine Lobster Festival celebrates Maine’s most famous seafood. Activities abound for all ages, including cooking contests, a road race and a craft show, and more. 596-0376, mainelobster- festival.com 12-13 PLOYE FESTI- V AL AND MUSKIE DERBY Better than Bisquick, ployes are traditional Acadian flapjacks. These buckwheat pancakes have sustained Franco- Americans for centuries. In Fort Kent, fuel up on these filling cakes before setting out on the Saint John River for the annual Muskie Derby. 834-5354, fortkentchamber.com 11-15 ACADIAN FESTI- VAL Party in the streets of Madawaska at The County’s annual Aca- dian Festival. Join your French cousins for one big family reunion with traditional foods, artisan displays and craft sales, music, a parade, and true Acadian culture. acadianfestival.com 19 HIGHLAND GAMES Every summer, the St. An- drews Society of Maine brings together all things Scottish at the Topsham Fairgrounds. Traditional musicians and dancers provide the live entertain- ment, along with sporting events, shepherd dog trials, and the hallmark of any good gathering of Scotsmen: haggis. mainehighlandgames.org 26 WELLS CHILIFEST Whether you are a sea- soned pro or an amateur chili maker, the Wells Chilifest is the ultimate Maine battleground for savory Southwest stew. The event is sanc- tioned by the Interna- tional Chili Society, running categorized competitions for seri- ous cooks. “Whoever wins our competition represents Maine in the ICS World Champion- ship. Chili cooks come from all over the Atlantic seaboard,” said Wells Chamber of Commerce president Eleanor Va- denais. There’s also a People’s Choice coo- koff for part-time flavor engineers. 646-2451, wellschilifest.com 19 Farm to Fork Fondo Cycle for your supper at the Maine Farm to Fork Fondo. A non-competitive event across southern Maine, ending with a pint from Maine Beer Co. and a lobster bake by 111 Maine Catering at Wolfe’s Neck Farm. farmforkfondo.com September 8-10 MOUNT DES- ERT ISLAND GAR- LIC FESTIV AL Don’t forget the Altoids when you head to South- west Harbor for the an- nual Mount Desert Island Garlic Festival at Smug- gler’s Den Campground. What started as a friends- only harvest party has grown into a beloved is- land tradition. Local chefs serve up garlicky goodies, and farmers present their finest bulbs at a farmer’s market. Craft beer and live music keep the camp- grounds rocking all week- end long. nostrano.com 16 HARVEST FEST & CHOWDER COOK-OFF This fall festival set on Bethel’s village common kicks off the cold weather right. This autumn festival has something for every- one: crafts, vendors, live entertainment. But the two cookoffs–chowder and apple pie–really make the weekend. 824-2282 bethelmaine.com 22-24 COMMON GROUND COUNTRY FAIR This one-of-a-kind agri- cultural fair celebrates organic farming in Maine. Sponsored by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, the Common Ground Country Fair is rural homesteader heaven. Programs include demon- strations for growing and preparing food, livestock showings, and organic food chain-related talks, as well as vendors sling- ing crafts, produce, and organic fair food. 568- 4142, mofga.org October 7 CHOWDAH CHALLENGE Freeport’s Fall Festival weekend guarantees a good time. Chefs all over town cook up specials and purvey pairings. But one culinary event stands above the others: the Chowdah Challenge. “Ten area restaurants showcase their best chowder, and those attending decide which is the best,” said Nancy Trottier, events and communications coordinator of Freeport Community Services. “All –Try to get into Fore Street on Saturday night without a reservation. In spite of their claiming to keep one-third of their seating open for walk-ins, even Johnny Carson was turned away for not having a reservation, according to an urban myth. And look what happened to him! What We Don’t DoSave yourself a headache and avoid these Portland foodie faux pas: –Try to sit a large group at Eventide in summer. Make this your go-to date spot instead during the off-season and save your- self the agony of waiting two hours watching other people’s brown butter lobster rolls glide past. –Take your vegetarian pal to Nosh. Likewise any friend at- tempting to diet. The outlandishly indulgent menu is designed to break anyone’s resolve entirely. Either way, you’ll bear the brunt of the regret afterwards. –Take your no-frills friends to Novare Res. The shame you’ll feel when they ask for a Bud Light won’t fade for some time. Try Brian Boru in- stead. The Irish pub strad- dles the line between mainstream and local beers. –Attempt to impress your international rela- tives with a trip to Green Elephant at peak time on the weekend. The increasingly common no-reservation rule can make spontaneity a chal- lenge. Prepare to wait for three hours before hunger drives you to Down Town Lounge next door for Mill- er High Life and burgers. August – Anonymous