Maine Beer Trail Archives ~ 50 Plusses

The Lubec Pirate Invasion is a free and fun for all festival in DownEast Maine. Excepting 2020, it is an annual event on the Saturday of Labor Day Weekend. The good people of Lubec gather at the waterfront to defend their small town from the pirates coming from the city of Eastport. The invaders come not only by sea, but also by land and air.

Here’s the schedule for 2022:

Click image for enlarged view. (Not responsible for changes in this schedule which was published August 22, 2022.)

Every year it gets better.

You can also find information on The Lubec Community Bulletin Board on Facebook.

The Lubec Pirate Invasion – A Newer Tradition with Historic Roots

Both Eastport and Lubec are in the Easternmost part of the United States and on the Bay of Fundy. As maritime settlements, their histories are tied into the sea. Also as border communities, their histories are also rich with invasions, enemy occupations, smuggling, shipwrecks, pirating, and other sea-related activities.

Twenty years ago, in 2005, Eastport established the annual Eastport Pirate Festival on the weekend after Labor Day. As a lead up to, and extension of the festival, in 2008, Eastport began “invading” Lubec on Labor Day Weekend. Thus began the Lubec Pirate Invasion, free and fun for all in DownEast, Maine.

It’s a fun and easy activity, as it’s only about a half hour boat ride between Lubec and Eastport. On clear days, you can see Eastport across the bay from Lubec. By car, it’s about a 45 minute ride. Both Eastport and Lubec have small airports and a plane ride might take 15 minutes. While there is a core group of “defenders” and “pirates” all are welcome to come in pirate or colonial style costumes and join in.

Lubec prepares to defend the town from the Pirate Invasion

Around 9 a.m. Lubeckers and friendly tourists dressed in colonial period and buccaneer style garb gather on the hill and waterfront overlooking the town dock. They are armed with water buckets, water balloons, and other water weapons, ready to defend the town. Water Street is blocked off for pedestrian traffic.

Some of the restaurants, like Cohill’s and Water Street Tavern, offer “dutch courage” in the form of drink specials. Cohill’s, which overlooks the town dock, has a deck overlooking Water Street and a view of the dock.

Frank’s Dockside and TakeOut (now closed) set up an outside beer garden one year. The Lubec Brewery opened its own beer garden.

Local organizations, crafts people, and vendors set up tables with goods, children’s activities, and raffles.

The Lubec Pirate Invasion: By sea, land, and air

Around 9:30 a.m. on Labor Day Saturday, boats and ships bearing flags with skull and crossbones come around the islands in the waters between Eastport and Lubec. They advance to the dock, some with flares.

The boats are a mix of private and charter boats offering pirates round trip voyages to Lubec and back to Eastport.

As the “pirate” ships pull up to the dock, small planes appear, coming from Eastport. As they pass over the waiting townsfolk and visitors, they may drop streams of toilet paper. One or two of the planes may have a “Jolly Roger” flag tied underneath.

As the pirate crews disembark, they brandish their weapons – super soakers and plastic swords. They dip the super soakers in the water by the dock to load their weapons. Surging up the boat ramp, they are met with townsfolk also armed with their water weapons.

As soakings commence, a rumbling announces the invasion by land. A group of pirates on motorcycles and carrying smoke flares roars through the waterfront streets. Pulling up in front of Cohill’s, they line up their bikes, dismount, and take to the streets in search of brews and booty.

After a good natured soaking fest, the pirates and Lubeckers settle down. The pirates and defenders wander along Water Street, stopping at the vendors, shops, and the Farmers Market. Many in costume good-naturedly pose for photos. Some enjoy beverages in their tankards, while others take to the Lubec Brewery beer garden or the restaurants along Water Street. Fortified, mid-morning a tug of war takes place, Eastport vs. Lubec.

No two Invasions alike as Eastport Pirates attack Lubec

In 2019, for the first time, British Redcoat and Machias Revolutionary War Patriot Re-enactors were also on hand to engage with the invaders. The Redcoats fired muskets and cannon as the pirates approached the waterfront.

Also in 2019, Lubec organizers added a pirate parade and boat races and some other family activities to the mix. Every year is a bit different from the previous year. The DownEast Dragonfly Bar and Grill offered a Pig Roast and costume party with a local band.

But wait, there’s more to the Pirates Invasion of Lubec

While the Pirates Invasion and “Occupation” of Lubec runs until about 1 p.m. There is a time gap before other activities. On Water Street, you can visit the historic Smokehouse complex and Lubec Landmarks gallery, as well as shops with locally made crafts.

A few miles away you can visit the famed “candy-striped” West Quoddy Head Lighthouse. On the way there you will pass the Lubec Channel Lighthouse, A.K.A. “The Sparkplug” and other galleries and shops. There are hiking trails by the lighthouse, as well as off Rt. 189, the lone road/route in and out of town. You can also stop in at Monica’s Chocolate’s or book a whale watch cruise.

Visiting Canada is allowed again, if you have your passport with you, and you fulfill whatever the current COVID protocol is, (at one point you had to fill out a form online) you can cross over the FDR bridge to the Canadian Island Campobello, which boasts the Roosevelt International Park, great scenic views, whale watch tours, and Herring Cove Golf Course and Restaurant.

View of Mulholland Lighthouse on Campobello Island, Canada from Lubec, Maine waterfront.

You can also make your way over to Eastport by car or ferry for the annual Salmon Festival which features salmon dinners, a street market, art auction, music, a boat trip to salmon pens and more.

To find out more about the Lubec Pirate Invasion and other town events and festivals, visit: https://www.visitlubecmaine.com/

See other posts with information about Lubec here:

Picnic with a million dollar view in Lubec, Maine

DownEast Maine Fourth of July Fun

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Looking for a unique and quirky New Year’s Eve event? Go to Eastport, Maine.

Lobster costumed man at Eastport New Years Eve

Eastport Maine has International Take on Celebrating New Year’s Eve

The small city of Eastport, the Easternmost in the U.S., puts on not only a Maine, but an International spin on its New Year’s Eve celebration. Eastport and its coastline neighbors are adjacent to the Canadian border and islands. As a result, friendships, tourism, and commerce are intertwined among U.S. and Canadian residents. Due to the Time Zone boundary, Canada, on Atlantic Time, welcomes the New Year one hour earlier than Eastport. This leads to a little twist in the celebration, as Eastport celebrates twice, one hour apart.

We aren’t ones for celebrating New Year’s Eve in a big way. Usually we walk over to a neighbor’s party if we do anything. So traveling six or so hours to celebrate is an adventure for us.

We have a cabin about 45 minutes from Eastport so we know the area, but close it up for the winter. In 2012 Anderson Cooper announced that Eastport’s unusual celebration would be part of his New Year’s Eve Special. Well, that motivated us to head north to welcome in the New Year.

PLEASE NOTE: Since this was written, COVID19 impacted some of the festivities. As of Dec. 31, 2021, some of the usual activities were re-instated, with safe practices in mind. See this year’s schedule of events here.

Eastport Welcomes New Year’s Eve Revelers

Although small, Eastport has a motel and several B&B’s, plus a charming downtown with several restaurants and shops. The Quoddy Tides, the local newspaper that we subscribe to, features several articles and ads for special events and restaurant specials in Eastport on New Year’s Eve. Some of the stores stay open late and offer mulled cider or hot chocolate.

We made our motel and restaurant reservations using the information in the Quoddy Tides. The motel and B&B’s are a short walk to downtown. Once you check in, you can walk to all the restaurants and shops, as well as the New Year’s Eve countdown.

As you might expect, the celebration is in a prominent place downtown, Bank Square, which is at a wide fork in the road. Most of the restaurants either face the fork or are a block or two away.

Waco Diner in Bank Square Eastport Maine — The Waco Diner, established 1924, faces Bank Square. At past New Year’s Eve’s, the Waco Diner has offered midnight and New Year’s Day breakfasts. The owner has sponsored firework displays after both the Maple Leaf and Great Sardine Drops.

Welcoming the New Year is coordinated and hosted by the Tides Institute & Museum of Art at Bank Square. The Tides Institute’s building is the former Eastport Savings Bank, built in 1887. It’s located at the fork in Downtown Eastport and it’s location, height, and sidewalk frontage lend themselves to being the focal point of the festivities.

During the late afternoon and evening hours leading up to the last hour of the year, the city, including the Tides Institute and Eastport Arts Center, Peavey Public Library, and galleries, offers a variety of fun and family events, programs, and exhibits, free and for a modest fee.

NOTE: Since this post was written, several new shops have opened in Downtown Eastport, as well as a wine bar – Phoenix Fine Wines and a craft microbrewery – Horn Run Brewing.

The Tides Institute & Museum of Art provides a schedule of events and store and restaurant hours on their website: tidesinstitute.org/newyearseve

Eastport Offers Warm Hospitality on Cold Night

We started our celebration with appetizers and a cocktail at one restaurant, since closed and re-opened under new ownership. We then walked about a block to the Happy Crab, where we’ve always enjoyed a great meal. The Happy Crab had a special New Year’s Eve menu and live entertainment. After a leisurely dinner, we walked to Bank Square to see the preparations for the live broadcast coverage by news correspondent Gary Tuchman to Anderson Cooper’s New Year’s Eve program on CNN. It was cold so we browsed and warmed up in the shops until about 10 minutes to 11.

Dropping the Maple Leaf

Maple Leaf being lowered New Years Eve in Eastport Maine

Maple Leaf lowered New Years Eve in Eastport Maine

Phase one of the festivities is celebrating New Year’s on Canadian/Atlantic time by lowering a large lit up wooden Canadian Maple Leaf from the Tides Institute Building as 11 p.m. approaches. A brass band plays “O Canada” as revelers sing.

Part of the fun is that people come with fun outfits or hats. People in moose and fish hats and someone dressed as a lobster added to the Maine flavor when we went.

Some members of the local Passamaquoddy tribe of the Wabanaki may come in native dress. In 2012 they were peacefully protesting as part of a year of global agitation about the rights of Indigenous peoples and to protect their cultures and defend the Earth.

New Years Eve Revelers in Bank Square in Eastport Maine

Wabanaki in crowd at Eastport Maine New Years Eve 2012

New Year’s Eve 2012, a “Mountie”, Brent Dakai, of the Integrated Border Enforcement Team of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, was on hand for the Maple Leaf Drop.

Canadian Mountie with Maple Leaf at Eastport Maine New Years Eve

Canadian Mountie at Eastport Maine New Years Eve 2012

After the Maple Leaf Drop, we walked the few blocks to the Motel East to warm up and watch Anderson Cooper until it was close to midnight, Eastern Daylight Savings Time.

On New Year’s Eve, Dec. 2021, the Tides Institute (TIMA) provided live stream video on its Facebook and Instagram pages. As of December 2023, TIMA still provides live streaming a little before and after midnight Atlantic time and midnight Eastern time.

The Great Sardine Drop in Eastport

Due to the cold, and because the shops, restaurants, motel and B&B’s are close by, people tend to stay indoors between the two celebrations. Rather like ants to a piece of candy dropped on the sidewalk, all of a sudden, people walk from all directions to Bank Square a little before 12 midnight. The 8 foot Sardine sculpture hangs from upstairs windows at the Tides Institute waiting for the countdown. The sardine is made by East Machias woodworker and sculptor Bill Schaefer. It is the third version of the sardine since the first drop in 2004. Why a sardine? The sardine was a big part of the fishing and canning industries in Eastport and nearby Lubec. Eastport was known for its sardine factories, now closed and most torn down.

New Years Eve Revelers watching Sardine being lowered in Eastport

The Sardine is slowly lowered as the Brass ensemble plays “Auld Lang Syne” and the crowd sings and cheers. Sometimes there are fireworks courtesy of a local business. Once the Sardine is on the ground, the tradition is to line up and kiss it for good luck in the New Year. During the 2012 New Year’s Eve, the TV crew provided a live feed of the proceedings to Anderson Cooper. In 2021, stickers of a kiss-print were distributed and revelers could place them on an eight-foot sardine billboard and take photos. No more kissing the fish directly, but you can still take photos and selfies.

Fireworks behind Waco Diner in Eastport Maine on New Years Eve

New Years Eve Fireworks over Waco Diner Eastport Maine

Following the festivities, a nearby restaurant may offer a midnight breakfast to close out the night.

First Sunrise of the New Year seen early in Eastport

Eastport, being the easternmost city in the United States, is also one of the first places to view the sunrise. So, if you are in Eastport, you can be one of the first people to see the sun come over the horizon on January 1st.

Motel East in Eastport overlooks the harbor and seacoast. From the rooms facing East you can see across the Bay of Fundy to the island of Campobello, which is Canadian. Sent your alarm clock and you can experience the night sky slowly brighten as the new day dawns on a new year as the sun’s rays appear above Campobello’s treeline. Priceless!