Yarmouth Clam Festival
Encyclopedia
The Yarmouth Clam Festival is an annual three-day event which takes place in the American
town of Yarmouth
, Maine
, during the third weekend in July. Established in 1965 as a successor to the town's late-August Old Home Week
, it is hosted by the Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce
, with the aim of raising money for around forty local non-profit organization
s, churches, and school groups. The event draws visitors from all over the country. As a result, Yarmouth, a town with a population of around 9,000, accommodates approximately 120,000 people over the course of the weekend.
The main festival takes place on either side of the town's Main Street (Route 115
). Booths offering food and drink and items for sale are set up from the First Universalist Church at its south-eastern end, to Railroad Park a mile to the north-west. Over the years, each organization has acquired the right to sell a particular delicacy. Examples include: the Barbershop Harmony Society, who offer Lime Rickey
s; the First Parish Church (strawberry shortcakes); Yarmouth Ski Club (whole fried clam
s); the Boy Scouts of America
(pizza); and various grades of Yarmouth High School
offer hamburgers, hotdogs and soft drinks. A full list can be viewed here.
Other events include a parade
on the Friday evening; a one-mile fun run
(for children aged twelve and under) and a five-mile road race
(ages thirteen and over; both on Saturday morning); a canoe
and kayak
race (Saturday morning); a Firefighter
s' Muster
(Saturday afternoon); clam-shucking contests (Saturday afternoon); a fireworks
display (Saturday evening); and a professional bicycle-race (Sunday morning). A carnival
runs from Wednesday (two days before the official start of the festival) to Sunday.
Each year, the cover of the festival's program of events is painted by a local artist, featuring a view of the previous year's event.
The festival's official mascot is "Steamer" the clam.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
town of Yarmouth
Yarmouth, Maine
Yarmouth is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, located approximately ten to fifteen miles north of Portland. Its population was 8,349 at the 2010 census....
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, during the third weekend in July. Established in 1965 as a successor to the town's late-August Old Home Week
Old Home Week
Old Home Week is a practice that originated in the New England region of the United States similar to a holiday or festival. In its beginning in the 19th-20th century it involved a municipal effort to invite former residents of a village, town, or city - usually individuals who grew up in the...
, it is hosted by the Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
, with the aim of raising money for around forty local non-profit organization
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
s, churches, and school groups. The event draws visitors from all over the country. As a result, Yarmouth, a town with a population of around 9,000, accommodates approximately 120,000 people over the course of the weekend.
The main festival takes place on either side of the town's Main Street (Route 115
Maine State Route 115
State Route 115 is a state highway in southern Maine, United States. It runs west to east for just over miles, from U.S. Route 302/State Route 35 in North Windham to State Route 88 in Yarmouth.-Route:...
). Booths offering food and drink and items for sale are set up from the First Universalist Church at its south-eastern end, to Railroad Park a mile to the north-west. Over the years, each organization has acquired the right to sell a particular delicacy. Examples include: the Barbershop Harmony Society, who offer Lime Rickey
Lime Rickey
The Rickey is a category of mixed drinks closely resembling a highball made from a base spirit, half of a lime squeezed and dropped in the glass, and carbonated water. Little or no sugar is added to the Rickey. Originally created with bourbon whiskey in Washington, D.C. at Shoomaker's bar by...
s; the First Parish Church (strawberry shortcakes); Yarmouth Ski Club (whole fried clam
Clam
The word "clam" can be applied to freshwater mussels, and other freshwater bivalves, as well as marine bivalves.In the United States, "clam" can be used in several different ways: one, as a general term covering all bivalve molluscs...
s); the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
(pizza); and various grades of Yarmouth High School
Yarmouth High School (Maine)
Yarmouth High School is a four-year public high school in Yarmouth, Maine, as part of the Yarmouth Schools district.Yarmouth High School in a newly finished and renovated building consists of a 500-seat auditorium, a student union/cafeteria, and a new office area that has guidance counselors, the...
offer hamburgers, hotdogs and soft drinks. A full list can be viewed here.
Other events include a parade
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
on the Friday evening; a one-mile fun run
Fun run
A fun run is a friendly race that involves either road running or cross country running with participants taking part for their own enjoyment rather than competition. A fun run will usually be held to raise funds for a charity, with sponsors providing the revenue to cover organisational costs...
(for children aged twelve and under) and a five-mile road race
Road racing
Road racing is a general term for most forms of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , as opposed to oval tracks and off-road racing...
(ages thirteen and over; both on Saturday morning); a canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
and kayak
Kayak
A kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...
race (Saturday morning); a Firefighter
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
s' Muster
Muster (military)
The term muster designates the process or event for the of accounting for members in a military unit. Within the United States Army Reserve, it is an annual event used for screening purposes.-Historical:...
(Saturday afternoon); clam-shucking contests (Saturday afternoon); a fireworks
Fireworks
Fireworks are a class of explosive pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. The most common use of a firework is as part of a fireworks display. A fireworks event is a display of the effects produced by firework devices...
display (Saturday evening); and a professional bicycle-race (Sunday morning). A carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
runs from Wednesday (two days before the official start of the festival) to Sunday.
Each year, the cover of the festival's program of events is painted by a local artist, featuring a view of the previous year's event.
The festival's official mascot is "Steamer" the clam.