First settled by Europeans back in the 1770’s, Skowhegan is steeped in history, a prevailing theme in many of the activities you’ll find here today. Perhaps the most famous attraction is the Margaret Chase Smith Library, named after the first woman to be elected to both houses of the United States Congress. Her life and accomplishments are highlighted in this beautiful research library. The Skowhegan History House was established in 1936 by Louise Helen Coburn, niece of former Governor Abner Coburn. Here you can learn all about the legacy of this unique town.
Skowhegan has long been a hub for outdoor activities in the Kennebec Valley. Lake George Regional Park offers the opportunity to partake in a variety of outdoor activities including hiking, photography, swimming and more. The Kennebec River, running right through the heart of town, is another location where you’ll find multiple things to do outdoors like kayaking, canoeing and fishing. Events and festivals in town add another layer of depth and interaction beyond these activities.
The Skowhegan Craft Brew Festival is brand new this year and is looking to make a big impression on all who attend. While other events bring you mass produced beers, all beers, wines, and other spirits served at this festival are produced only in the state of Maine, by craft brewers. The event takes a full city block of the downtown area and turns it into a craft brewing paradise. In this area there will be 20 different drink vendors plus a selection of local artisan and food vendors. To top that off, there will be live music performances while you enjoy your food and drink. Make the most of your next vacation and head to the beautiful confines of Skowhegan for the Skowhegan Craft Brew Festival! We got the opportunity to speak to Kristina Cannon, Executive Director of Main Street Skowhegan, to talk about the festival.
RAL: Tell me a little bit about the event and who will attend.
KC: This is the inaugural Skowhegan Craft Brew Festival! We anticipate upwards of 500 attendees during this initial run. Demographically, we’ll see adults 21 years and older, including couples, friends, and relatives looking for a unique Labor Day weekend experience.
RAL: What makes this event unique?
KC: This is Central Maine's first-of-its-kind brew festival, and it is one of the only such festivals in the state featuring all Maine producers of beer, wine, cider, and spirits. An entire block in the heart of Skowhegan will close to vehicular traffic to create a pedestrian mall. Farm-to-table food vendors, three live bands, as well as guided riverfront and Langlais Art Trail walks will combine to make an unforgettable close to summer.
RAL: Take me through a day at the event.
KC: Local food and artisan craft vendors will join 20 purveyors of Maine craft beer, wine, cider, and spirits against a backdrop of live music in historic downtown Skowhegan.
The event will kick off with a VIP hour from 2-3:00 pm, featuring specialty brews not available during the general session and free food samples from vendors specializing in local harvest. Come try the mouth watering cuisine from 122 Corson, Crooked Face Creamery, and The Maine Meal. These vendors will also provide cooking demonstrations, with Crooked Face Creamery promising a talk on their beer-infused cheese process using local beer from Skowhegan's own Bigelow and Oak Pond breweries.
From 3-7:00pm an array of Maine-crafted libations will be on tap for attendees to sample while nearly a dozen merchants will offer delectable fare ranging from wood-fired pizza to finger-licking-good pulled pork nachos.
Music will include performances by Golden Oak, a folk group from the Western Maine foothills whose genre-bending tendencies make them an emerging musical force, the Muddy Marsh Ramblers, a Portland-based band known for their high-energy style of bluegrass and dynamic repertoire, and the Dave Mello Blues Band, a local group that covers Muddy Waters, B.B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimmy Reed, and other great blues classics.
In addition to the food available at the event, the Skowhegan area offers a myriad of dining options from pub fare to fine dining, and award-winning ice cream to authentic Thai cuisine.
RAL: What can an attendee expect to find for local lodging?
KC: Travelers will find a variety of unique mom-and-pop-style accommodations in the Skowhegan area, including quiet country motels, rustic campgrounds, pastoral cottages, and a serene lakeside inn.
RAL: Are there any lodging specials that are set up specifically for the event?
KC: The Pinewood Motel is offering a discounted rate of one night for $69.99 (plus tax) or two nights for $64.99 per night (plus tax).
RAL: What does the event mean to the community?
KC: The Skowhegan Craft Brew Festival will highlight Skowhegan's strengths, augment community pride, project a positive public image, and boost the local economy -- all goals of a strategic plan that the community finalized in June. All event proceeds will go toward continuing revitalization efforts in Skowhegan, with the ultimate goal of making our town a thriving economic, cultural, and recreational destination where residents enjoy a high quality of life.
RAL: Does this drive business to your local economy?
KC: Absolutely. Local restaurants, lodging facilities, and shops will all benefit from the influx of visitors to Skowhegan. Additionally, the Skowhegan Craft Brew Festival will help showcase our local-food economy; Main Street Skowhegan is co-organizing the festival with Skowhegan's two craft breweries, Bigelow Brewing Company and Oak Pond Brewing Company, and organic-grain purveyor Maine Grains.
RAL: Does the event support a special cause in the community? (School funds, etc.)
KC: Yes, all proceeds will support ongoing revitalization efforts in Skowhegan.
RAL: Why should people come to your event?
KC: The Skowhegan Craft Brew Festival will be an effervescent last hurrah to summer in Maine. Imagine ambling among 20 different purveyors of Maine craft libations, learning about their products and sampling as many of the delightfully unique varieties as you'd like. You can admire and perhaps purchase local artisan wares such as a golden birch wine display or a cherry wood bottle opener. There will be the opportunity to listen to the energetic beat of live music from professionals who hail from the bucolic Western Maine mountains, to the urban Southern Maine coast. If this isn't the stuff of dreamlike memories, I'm not sure what is.
For more information about the Skowhegan Craft Brew Festival, please visit their website.