Food Events

Maine is getting ready for the first Maine Lobster Week

Get ready for a whole lot of lobster come September.

Butter poached lobster at Sea Glass at Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, a restaurant participating in Maine Lobster Week. Sea Glass at Inn by the Sea

By Kristi Palma

July 30, 2021

How do you like your lobster?

During one week in September, lobster lovers can order old favorites and taste new variations of the iconic Maine food during the state’s inaugural Maine Lobster Week, taking place Sept. 19-25.

New England has 3 of the best fall festivals and fairs in the U.S., according to Country Living

Visitors can snag lobster specials at restaurants, diners, food trucks, and lobster shacks statewide throughout the week.

“There’s no denying that Maine lobster is the finest in the world,” organizers wrote on the event’s website. “Maine Lobster Week will celebrate Maine’s best known crustacean with three course menus and lobster rolls across the state.”

Participating restaurants include Boone’s Fish House & Oyster Room, David’s, DiMillo’s, Eventide Oyster Co., EVO Kitchen + Bar, all in Portland; Hartsone Inn in Camden; Sea Glass at Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth; Nubb’s Lobster Shack in Cape Neddick; and The Boathouse Waterfront Restaurant in Kennebunkport. Sebago Brewing Company in Gorham Village, Kennebunk, Portland, and Scarborough, and Nonesuch River Brewing in Scarborough have also joined the event.

The three-course prix fixe meals will range in price from $45 to $65 per person, and lobster rolls, brunch, and lobster breakfast dishes will be priced a la carte, according to organizers.

The final day of the festival, which is sponsored by the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative, takes place on National Lobster Day.

“After a difficult year for everyone, we’re very excited to help drive business for lobstermen and restaurants with the first-ever Maine Lobster Week,” said Marianne LaCroix, executive director of the Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative, in a statement. “It’s a great opportunity for locals and visitors to show their support for two beloved Maine industries.”

The event was created by Gillian Britt, co-founder of Maine Restaurant Week, the Eat Drink Lucky food newsletter, and a partner in Harvest on the Harbor, named one of the 10 best fall festivals and fairs in the U.S. by Country Living magazine.

Another lobster celebration in the Pine Tree State — the annual Maine Lobster Festival — was cancelled this year due to COVID-19 and will return Aug. 3-7, 2022. The celebration offers a parade, live entertainment, seafood cooking contest, lobster dinners, and more at Rockland’s Harbor Park.