News
Third Annual Maine Ocean Festival ~ June 21, 2025
June has arrived and the countdown is on to our THIRD ANNUAL MAINE OCEAN FESTIVAL! We are excited to welcome back beloved entertainers and educators like The Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers and Chewonki as well as new ones like Firefly The Hybrid, KindKids Music, and Peter Boie the Magician. Don’t miss this fun-filled day for visitors and locals, adults and kids alike!
The Maine Ocean Festival came into existence when the staff at the Oceanarium brainstormed about creating our first annual fundraiser to support our mission of providing educational exhibits and programs for all ages on local ecology, marine biology and research, citizen science, dark skies, fisheries and aquaculture, and STEM education in partnership with Maine schools.
With our focus being the Gulf of Maine and families, creating an event surrounding World Ocean Day, seemed like a no-brainer. World Ocean Day unites and rallies the world to protect and restore our blue planet and it seemed a perfect backdrop for our festival.
ABOUT THE FESTIVAL
The Maine Ocean Festival will host speakers discussing the challenges and opportunities to the Gulf of Maine as well as educate us on the marine life that exists beneath the ocean’s surface and along our shores. The speakers will challenge us to take action and to think deeply about how our individual efforts can aid in the health and existence of the Gulf of Maine and Oceans.
Learn and play while enjoying games, art, and live music, all taking place on part of the beautiful, 20 acres of tidal salt marsh the Oceanarium is located on.
We also invite everyone to explore the Oceanarium and our incredible exhibits including our a 29-Foot authentic indoor lobster boat, 2000 gallons of authentic Gulf of Maine habitat, rare Maine lobsters, a juvenile Humpback Whale skeleton, and a 650-gallon touch pool.
Stay tuned for festival updates and visit
www.theoceanarium.org/maineoceanfestival/ for more info!
ONLINE AUCTION
Whether you live nearby or are in a faraway state, we invite you to participate in our 2025 festival auction. The Oceanarium will host a digital charity auction during the week leading up to the festival, from June 15 to June 20. This is the second year for our online auction and will feature a variety of items generously donated by local businesses, including Windowpanes, Golf of Maine, Bar Harbor Whale Watch and many other wonderful businesses.
You can check out the action HERE.
SPONSOR OPPORTUNITIES
We are no longer accepting additional 2025 sponsors. Thank you to our current 2025 sponsors!
WE NEED VOLUNTEERS
Whether it’s helping to set up or take down tents and tables, manning the arts and crafts and games tables, or helping out in the Oceanarium, we need your help! In return, volunteers receive one of our Volunteer Festival T-shirts with design from a local artist and our eternal thanks for your hard work. Volunteers also receive 50% off any food items in our Museum Shop.
For questions about volunteering, email meg@theoceanarium.org or call us at 207-288-5005.
Be sure to join our mailing list for updates on Oceanarium programs and activities.