Celebrate Castine this weekend

Looking for something to do this weekend? Wiggle your way down to Castine, a gem of a town on the Blue Hill Peninsula, for Celebrate Castine. This three-day festival, July 10-12, 2009, is a home-grown good time: street fair, art exhibits, boat trips, dining events, tours of Maine Maritime Academy's State of Maine training ship, wine receptions, paddles, hikes, a walking tour, canine entertainment, and a big band night. Better yet, most events are free.

Never been to Castine? All the more reason to go. Few towns have as rich a history as now serene Castine. Strategically located on the tip of a cape, surrounded by water on three sides, including the entrance to the Penobscot River, it was fought over by France, Britain, and Holland for centuries. Historical markers throughout town bring those squabbles to life, and make it especially enriching for a an easy-going walk or pedal.

Castine is also architecturally rich, with beautifully restored and maintained Federal and Georgian homes and a splendid Queen Anne inn (the Pentagoet, have a drink with Jack in Passports Pub, definitely make reservations for dinner, and snag a room, if you can). It's also home to the Wilson Museum, (filled with eclectic treasures), a handful of forts, Dyce's Lighthouse, and Maine Maritime Academy.

Photo by Hilary Nangle for The Boston Globe