Maine Summer Road Trip: The Yarmouth Clam Festival Starts Today

Nothing says summer in Maine quite like the Yarmouth Clam Festival. Now in its 61st year, the festival returns July 17–19 with three days of great food, live music, family fun and plenty of small-town charm.

Held every year on the third weekend in July, the festival raises money for more than 30 local nonprofits—and the numbers are just as impressive as the crowds. Over the course of the weekend, festivalgoers will enjoy more than 6,000 pounds of clams, 6,000 lobster rolls, 2,500 pancake breakfasts, 2,000 shore dinners, 400 homemade pies, 6,000 strawberry shortcakes and a whopping 13,500 Lime Rickeys.

Here's what's happening throughout the weekend:

Friday: The fun kicks off at 10 a.m. with Opening Ceremonies on Memorial Green. From there, it's three days of live music, carnival rides, more than 130 local artists and crafters, plus family activities including magic shows, balloon twisting, kids' entertainment and photo ops with Steamer. Don't miss the annual Clam Festival Parade rolling down Main Street at 6 pm.

Saturday: It's one of the festival's biggest days, starting with pancake breakfasts, the Kids' Fun Run and the Pat's Pizza 5-Mile Road Race. Stick around for the Maine State Clam Shucking Contest, Firefighter's Muster, Pie Eating Contest, K-9 demonstrations, robotics displays, live music, shopping and carnival rides. While the annual fireworks are taking the year off because of Royal River Park improvements, the party keeps going with a 9 p.m. performance by Fight at the Family Picnic.

Sunday: The festival wraps up with more pancakes, the Professional Bike Race, live music, carnival rides and the popular Fine Art & Craft Show. Families can cheer on the Diaper Derby, check out the Main Street Rumble classic car show, enjoy magic shows, bingo, balloon twisting and more before another fun-filled Clam Festival comes to a close.