American Food Festivals - This American seafood is widely treasured, but at one time it wasn't held in high esteem

Riddle us this - which seafood was once so abundant and not very popular that it was once a staple of New England prisoners' diet? Conversely, this item is now widely sought worldwide and a popular protein in various cuisines?

You would be correct if you said lobster, and more specifically, Maine Lobster. The story goes that lobsters were once so abundant and not as favorably viewed as they are today that they were a staple of the prison diet.

So unipolar were lobsters that early American colonists called them the cockroaches of the sea. How times have changed! 

Read more about the transformation of the lobster from garbage food to high cuisine here.

With that aside, our next stop on the American Food Festival tour is the Maine Lobster Festival. This year's five-day annual event in Rockford is from July 31 through August 4. 

The long list of events includes a parade, seafood cooking contests, live entertainment, run and fun walks and a host of activities, the lobster is the main, excuse the pun, focus of this festival. The food tent is the heart of those seeking to partake in the tasty crustaceans.

The festival's website says, "Enjoy your lobster dinner, served with melted butter, under the Main Eating Tent while enjoying a view of Penobscot Bay. What could be better on a warm summer day? In the Lobster Cafe located near the entrance of the Main Eating Tent enjoy Lobster Rolls, Lobster Mac'n Cheese, Lobster Bisque, Lobster Caesar Salad, and so much more!"

We couldn't agree more. The Maine Lobster Festival celebrates the lobster's journey from 'garbage food' to high cuisine, and organizers invite you to participate.

The food tent's menu is as follows: 

Single Lobster Dinner

1-1/4 lb. lobster (fresh, steamed)
Corn on the cob (fresh native super sweet corn)
Hot, melted butter

Twin Lobster Dinner

2 1-1/4 lb. lobsters (fresh, steamed)
Corn on the cob (fresh native super sweet corn)
Hot, melted butter

Triple Lobster Dinner

3 1-1/4 lb. lobsters (fresh, steamed)
Corn on the cob (fresh native super sweet corn) Hot, melted butter Maine Shore Dinner
1-1/4 lb. lobster (fresh, steamed)

Steamed clams

Corn on the cob (fresh native super sweet corn)
Hot, melted butter
Coleslaw

Succulent Array of Seafood Chowders

• Fish Chowder
• Seafood Chowder
• New England Clam Chowder

Lobster Mac & Cheese 

Plain Mac & Cheese 

Lobster Bisque

A la carte items

• Steamed Maine mussels (steamed with garlic, topped with vegetables sautéed in white wine & butter)
• Steamed, fresh Maine clams
• Homemade coleslaw
• Fresh native super sweet corn

Taste variety in the Lobster Café! Choose from a selection of lobster items:

• Lobster Rolls
• Lobster Caesar Wraps
• Lobster Caesar Salad
• Desserts

Homemade Maine blueberry cobbler or strawberry shortcake

All-you-can-eat pancake breakfast

(Served until 10 a.m. Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday mornings.)
Choice of Maine blueberry or plain pancakes, sausage, coffee, milk or orange juice.
Adults: $9 Children $4 (Prices subject to change in 2024)
*All-you-can-eat applies to pancakes only

If you make it to Maine for this festival, there are all sorts of places to visit, most notably Arcadia National Park which is about a two hour drive.  The possibility are endless, if you can make it out of the food tent!

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