SardineFest 2026

Celebrate everything sardines at SardineFest! Our first-ever event in 2025 welcomed about 1,200 guests, and we’re expecting an even bigger crowd in 2026. SardineFest will feature: Family activities Demonstrations Live music Lectures Salty Tales Exhibitors Vendors Sardine tastings More information to come!   Showcase your products, services, or mission at SardineFest—a celebration of Maine’s coastal culture. We’re especially looking for food vendors and organizations tied to Maine’s maritime industry to help highlight our rich working waterfront. Spots are limited—apply now to be part of the fun! Volunteers help create a welcoming and vibrant atmosphere, assisting with event setup, guiding visitors, and supporting various festival activities. It’s an opportunity to connect with the community, learn about local history, and be part of a lively celebration of music, food, and the region’s storied sardine industry. Plus, it’s a fun and rewarding way to make a positive impact while enjoying the festival firsthand. Sponsoring SardineFest is a great way to help the Penobscot Marine Museum share Maine’s sardine history in a fun, accessible way. Your support brings demonstrations, music, and tastings to life—and it also puts your organization in front of visitors who value local heritage. We’d love to have you join us as a sponsor. From the late 1800s through the early 2000s, Maine’s sardine industry played a major role in shaping coastal communities. The Penobscot Marine Museum’s Sardineland exhibit explores this rich history and its lasting impact on the people who lived it. SardineFest brings that story to life with fun activities, food, and entertainment for all ages as we honor a vital piece of Maine’s maritime past. Penobscot Marine Museum is seeking artists and crafters to showcase their creativity in the Sardine Crafts Exhibition Hall during the 2026 SardineFest. Submit your sardine-inspired work and be part of a fun, imaginative display celebrating this iconic piece of Maine’s coastal culture. Whether your style is traditional or unexpected, we’d love to see your take on the sardine. Sponsored by: Presented by: A Look Back at SardineFest 2025! Join PMM for: Live music with The Oystermen, Belfast Bay Fiddlers, and the Searsport Shores Jam Band Family activities, including a sea life touch tank with Herring Gut Coastal Science Center, a sardine can diorama with Friends of Sears Island, and storytime with Carver Memorial Library Morse’s Sauerkraut sardine tasting, with a cheese pairing from Pineland Farms “Salty Tales” where people involved in the sardine industry can share their stories Tintypes (for more information and to sign up, click here) Presentations and demonstrations Meet & Greet with Rita Willey — a sardine packing contest champion Maine sardines were a huge part of coastal communities from the late 1800s through the early 2000s. PMM’s 2025-2026 exhibit Sardineland explores Maine’s sardine industry and its imp...