Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta

Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta
Friday - Monday, October 10-13, 2025
(398)

🎃🎨 Every so often, a T-shirt design submission becomes something more. 🎨🎃This year was one of those years.While reviewin...
06/10/2026

🎃🎨 Every so often, a T-shirt design submission becomes something more. 🎨🎃

This year was one of those years.

While reviewing submissions for the 2026 Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta T-shirt Design Contest, our board and volunteers came across a design that immediately stood out. While it wasn't selected as the official festival shirt, we knew we wanted to find a way to share it with the Pumpkinfest community.

We're excited to introduce this beautiful artwork by Annie Fagan, who has generously allowed us to use her design as a limited-edition 2026 Pumpkinfest bumper sticker.

Annie began exploring watercolor painting last fall while recovering from surgery and quickly discovered a passion for creating original artwork for family and friends. Along with her wife, Alicia, Annie owns and operates The Tipsy Butler, a bed and breakfast and sauna located in a beautiful 1846 historic home in Newcastle, Maine.

Her design captures the creativity, charm, and community spirit that make Pumpkinfest so special, and we're thrilled to be able to share it in a new way.

Keep an eye out for these limited-edition bumper stickers during the 2026 Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta. Once they're gone, they're gone!

Please join us in thanking Annie for sharing her talent with Pumpkinfest and helping make this year's festival even more memorable. 🎃💙










🎃👕 We are excited to officially unveil the winning T-shirt design for the 2026 Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta! 👕🎃Con...
06/09/2026

🎃👕 We are excited to officially unveil the winning T-shirt design for the 2026 Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta! 👕🎃

Congratulations to Kay Cope of Scotty + Calvin Designs in Raymond, Maine, whose beautiful and vibrant design was selected as this year's winner.

Kay's artwork is inspired by the rugged coastlines, deep forests, camp nostalgia, and natural beauty that make New England such a special place. Her work can be found throughout Maine and beyond in the form of weatherproof stickers sold in gift shops, coffee shops, bookstores, and other small businesses.

For her Pumpkinfest design, Kay knew she wanted to feature her signature watercolor pumpkin one of her best-selling designs for many years. She paired it with playful typography and swirling waves to create a colorful design that captures both the fun and spirit of Pumpkinfest and coastal Maine.

What makes this even more special is that Kay has never attended Pumpkinfest before. While living out of state, attending Pumpkinfest was something she always dreamed of doing one day when she hoped to move to Maine. Now, years later, not only is she a Maine resident, but her artwork will be worn by thousands of Pumpkinfest supporters.

As Kay shared, having people wear artwork she created for a festival and town she dreamed about for years feels incredibly surreal and special.

Please join us in congratulating Kay on this wonderful achievement. We can't wait to see this design on shirts, hoodies, and around town as we celebrate the 2026 Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta!

🎃💙 Welcome to the Pumpkinfest family, Kay!









🎃🌱 THEY'RE ALL GONE! 🌱🎃We just received word from Louis Doe Home Center...Every single Pumpkinfest seedling has been ado...
06/04/2026

🎃🌱 THEY'RE ALL GONE! 🌱🎃

We just received word from Louis Doe Home Center...

Every single Pumpkinfest seedling has been adopted! 🎉🎃💪

What started as tiny seeds and little sprouts are now growing in gardens, backyards, farms, and communities throughout Maine and beyond. We couldn't be more excited to see where this year's pumpkin journey takes us.

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who adopted a seedling, shared our posts, stopped by the giveaway, and helped make this year's program another incredible success.

Now we have one important favor to ask:

📱 Please complete your seedling adoption form if you haven't already.
https://forms.gle/Lkt66ZifoGoKkJBY9

Even if you participated last year, we still need you to register this year's seedling. The information helps us track where the seedlings have gone, what communities are participating, and which genetics are being grown. It also helps us tremendously when pumpkins start coming back to the weigh-off this fall.

The information you need is on the tag that came with your seedling.

As your pumpkin starts to grow, don't forget that the team at Louis Doe Home Center is there to help. Whether you need fertilizer, soil amendments, watering supplies, pest management advice, or just some growing guidance, they have the knowledge and products to help your pumpkin reach its full potential.

Now the real fun begins.

Water it.
Feed it.
Encourage it.
Dream big.

And who knows... maybe the next giant pumpkin sitting on Main Street this October is already growing in your backyard. 🎃🏆

Happy growing, everyone!

🚨🎃 PUMPKIN ADOPTION ALERT 🎃🚨We have a situation.Approximately 30 giant pumpkin seedlings are still waiting for their for...
06/03/2026

🚨🎃 PUMPKIN ADOPTION ALERT 🎃🚨

We have a situation.

Approximately 30 giant pumpkin seedlings are still waiting for their forever homes.

While hundreds of their brothers and sisters have already been adopted and are settling into loving gardens across Maine, these little guys are still sitting on the table wondering what went wrong.

Some have started asking difficult questions.

"Is it because my first leaf is crooked?"
"Was I planted too late?"
"Do people think I can't become a giant?"
"Will I ever know what it's feels like to have my own patch?"

It's heartbreaking, really.

These poor little seedlings have spent the last few weeks watching other pumpkin babies leave with excited families, dreaming of one day becoming a giant pumpkin sitting proudly on Main Street during Pumpkinfest.

The truth is, they don't ask for much.

☀️ A sunny spot
💧 water some fertilizer
🌱 A patch of soil
❤️ Someone willing to believe in them

They won't bark.
They won't scratch the furniture.
They won't chew your shoes.
They probably won't even complain about the weather.

What they WILL do is spend all summer trying their absolute best to become something amazing.

Maybe they'll grow into a backyard giant.

Maybe they'll make it to the weigh-off.

Maybe they'll become the pumpkin that your neighbors can't stop talking about.

But first, they need someone to take a chance on them.

So this week, stop by Louis Doe Home Center and help us clear the adoption table.

Give a pumpkin a purpose.

Give a seedling a dream.

Give Pumpkin Granddad Jed one less thing to worry about.

🎃 Approximately 30 seedlings remain.
📍 Louis Doe Home Center Greenhouse
💲 Free to adopt
📱 Please remember to register your adoption using the QR code.

Because every 1,000-pound pumpkin starts as a tiny seedling hoping someone believes in it.






🎃🌱 The pumpkin babies are almost all adopted! 🌱🎃Our very own volunteer Executive Director aka “Pumpkin Granddad” Jed i...
05/28/2026

🎃🌱 The pumpkin babies are almost all adopted! 🌱🎃

Our very own volunteer Executive Director aka “Pumpkin Granddad” Jed is happy to report that we are almost officially out of giant pumpkin seedlings for the season!

What started as tiny seeds and little sprouts are now heading out into gardens, backyards, farms, and communities all across the region. And honestly, we couldn’t have done it without the incredible support from everyone who came out, shared posts, volunteered, donated, and helped keep this tradition growing stronger year after year.

A huge thank you goes out to Coast of Maine Organics, Mark Doe, and all of the amazing staff at Louis Doe Home Center for the continued support they give to Pumpkinfest and the giant growing community.

There are still a few seedlings left, so make sure to swing by this weekend and help us clear that table!

It’s time to dream big.
It’s time to grow big. 🎃💪🌱

05/25/2026

🇺🇸🎃 This Memorial Day, we pause to remember and honor the men and women who gave everything in service to our country.

Today is more than the unofficial start of summer or a long weekend. It is a day of reflection, gratitude, and remembrance for those who never made it home and for the families who continue to carry that sacrifice forward every single day.

From all of us at Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta, thank you to those who served and especially to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for this nation.

May we never forget the freedoms we enjoy were paid for by the courage, service, and sacrifice of others. 🇺🇸

🎃🌱 It’s a long weekend… and the pumpkins are still waiting for homes. 🌱🎃There are still giant pumpkin seedlings availabl...
05/22/2026

🎃🌱 It’s a long weekend… and the pumpkins are still waiting for homes. 🌱🎃

There are still giant pumpkin seedlings available at:

📍 Louis Doe Home Center
📍 Damariscotta Hardware

This weekend is the perfect time to get outside, get your hands dirty, plant something, dream big, and become part of the Great Pumpkin Challenge leading into Pumpkinfest this fall.

Every giant pumpkin starts with a small seedling and someone willing to give it a shot. Maybe this is the year you grow something that makes its way back to the weigh-off and onto Main Street during Pumpkinfest. 🎃💪

The seedlings are completely free. We simply ask that everyone please use the QR code available on the table at Louis Doe’s or Damariscotta Hardware to register your pumpkin plant.

The registration helps us keep track of who has what seedlings, where pumpkins are being grown, and it helps us later in the season when growers bring pumpkins back to the weigh-off. It allows us to connect the pumpkins back to their seed genetics and continue building the story of the growing season year after year.

The information you’ll need is right on the tag with your seedling.

It’s time to grow.
It’s time to grow something REALLY big. 🎃🌱

🎃🌱 The growing season is officially underway! 🌱🎃We’re excited to share that there are still giant pumpkin seedlings avai...
05/19/2026

🎃🌱 The growing season is officially underway! 🌱🎃

We’re excited to share that there are still giant pumpkin seedlings available for adoption at both:

📍 Louis Doe Home Center greenhouse
📍 Damariscotta Hardware

We’ve continued to have seedlings germinate, which means there are still opportunities to grab one and join the 2026 growing season fun.

As more seedlings head out into communities across the region, we want to send out a friendly reminder to everyone who has picked one up: please take a moment to scan the QR code and complete the registration form.

Even if you participated in past years, we do ask that you fill it out again this season. The information helps us track where pumpkins are being grown, what towns are participating, and helps us share the excitement and stories of the growing season throughout the summer and into Pumpkinfest.

The QR code looks like the photo below, and if you already brought your seedling home, you can still register it online anytime. The information you need will be right on the plant tag that came with your seedling.

https://forms.gle/qGKveJomiQLsVfsy6

Thank you again to everyone helping spread giant pumpkin fever across Maine. We can’t wait to watch these little seedlings turn into giants over the months ahead.

Happy growing! 🎃💪🌱

🎃🌱 What an incredible Seedling Sunday! A huge THANK YOU to everyone who came out today and helped make this year’s Seedl...
05/17/2026

🎃🌱 What an incredible Seedling Sunday!

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who came out today and helped make this year’s Seedling Sunday Giveaway another amazing community event.

Not only did we have an incredible turnout, but we were also treated to absolutely beautiful weather all day long a perfect way to kick off the 2026 growing season. ☀️🌱

As of today, we have officially given out over 250 giant pumpkin seedlings! 🎃💪

For anyone who couldn’t make it, don’t worry — there are still some seedlings available at:

📍 Louis Doe Home Center greenhouse
📍 Damariscotta Hardware

We just ask that everyone please take a moment to use the QR code and officially register your seedling adoption so we can help keep track of all these future giants throughout the season.

And most importantly… don’t forget to post photos as your pumpkins grow and tag us along the way. We love watching these little seedlings turn into giant pumpkins over the summer.

Thank you again to the Doe family, Coast of Maine Organics, the Maine Giant Pumpkin Growers Association, our volunteers, and every grower helping keep the giant pumpkin tradition growing strong here in Maine. 🎃🌱

🎃🌱 TODAY IS THE DAY! 🌱🎃Seedling Sunday is finally here!Today is your chance to come adopt your future giant pumpkin plan...
05/17/2026

🎃🌱 TODAY IS THE DAY! 🌱🎃

Seedling Sunday is finally here!

Today is your chance to come adopt your future giant pumpkin plant and officially kick off the 2026 growing season with us at Pumpkinfest.

📅 TODAY — May 17th
⏰ 9 AM – 1 PM
📍 Louis Doe Home Center

Whether you’re a longtime grower or trying this for the very first time, we’re excited to help get these little pumpkin babies into their new homes.

As we’ve done in past years, at pickup you’ll fill out a quick online Google form that helps us keep track of the seedlings and follow their journey through the season.

📱 A QR code will be available onsite for easy signup.
🙋 If you’re not familiar with QR codes or online forms, no worries at all — we’ll have staff there ready to help, along with backup paper forms if needed.

🌱 Amazing giant pumpkin genetics
🌱 Growing advice and community support
🌱 Soil support from Coast of Maine Organics
🌱 Breakfast sandwiches and lunch from Truckin’ Good Food

One small seedling today… could become a giant on Main Street this October. 🎃💪

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Damariscotta, ME
04543

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