Discover Belfast by Bangor Daily News

DISCOVER BELFAST July 23, 2021

A Special Advertising Section by The Bangor Daily News

DISCOVER BELFAST • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • July 23, 2021

7 THINGS IN BELFAST

NOT TO MISS

BY SARAH COTTRELL This little coastal town of around 7,000 sits in the heart of Waldo county on the ocean and offers an impressive list of things to do, places to see and did we mention the incredible food? Check out these 7 spots around town that help give Belfast its unforgettable seaside charm.

UNITED FARMERS MARKET If you’re looking for anything handmade or homegrown, from coffee to meat to sweets and even soaps and apparel, you can find it all under one roof, right down by the waterfront. There’s even a huge indoor space for kids to play and families to stop and eat. Open Saturdays 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at 18 Spring St.

HARBORWALK, RAIL TRAIL AND ARMISTICE FOOTBRIDGE Over the years, the Belfast waterfront area has been developing into a lovely place to take a stroll. Check out ocean views and people-watching while walking along the Harborwalk boardwalk and the Armistice Bridge. Or enjoy walking through the woods along the Rail Trail that follows the Passagassawakeag River.

SHOPPING DOWNTOWN One of the unique aspects of Belfast that many love is the variety of shops all squeezed together downtown. You can find stores that cater to your every whim, including games, toys, yarn, candy, cheese and wine, books, apparel, art and even vintage-inspired kitchenware. Park your car, enjoy lunch at Darby’s, then shop till you drop.

COLONIAL THEATRE Take in a movie at this historic art deco movie theatre that features Hollywood, indie and foreign films. You can’t miss it; it’s the building with the giant elephant sculpture on the roof.

ENJOY DINNER OUT Belfast at night is romantic, especially downtown, which is why Delvino’s is a perfect spot to enjoy some incredible Italian food with someone you love. Or sip a tasty cocktail at Meanwhile or Neighborhood. For a more laid back meal, head over to Rollie’s Bar & Grill, the Front Street Pub or grab a bite at Wasses Hot Dog Stand. Grab a beer at Marshall Wharf or Three Tides, or how about a cider at Perennial Cider Bar + Farm Kitchen? Dine alfresco at Young’s Lobster Pound, Harborwalk Restaurant, Dockside Family Restaurant or Nautilus

Seafood & Grill. You can also find plenty of places to enjoy an ice cream and sweets, like at the Chocolate Drop Candy Shoppe, as well as pastries, sandwiches and more all over town.

WATERFALL ARTS AND ARTS IN THE PARK Belfast loves art and supporting artists. Stop by the Waterfall Arts Center where you can meet artists, take classes and even buy some cool art to bring home. During the summer, you can enjoy the sprawling Arts in the Park when artists take over the grassy park in Belfast to sell their creations and celebrate all things creative.

PENOBSCOT MARINE MUSEUM Located in Searsport, The Penobscot Marine museum is a small neighborhood of old captains’ houses that show life along the Maine coast from centuries past; in fact, they say that one of the houses is haunted. This unique museum is a perfect family destination.

DISCOVER BELFAST • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • July 23, 2021

RELIVE YOUR SWEETEST CHILDHOOD MEMORIES! BY THE CHOCOLATE DROP CANDY SHOP The Chocolate Drop Candy Shop has been providing families in Belfast a trip back to yesteryear for over 25 years! Here you can find your favorite childhood candy, from Gummy Worms to Necco Wafers to 41 flavors of Jelly Belly’s. The Chocolate Drop also carries a huge selection of handmade chocolates made right here in Maine by Haven’s Candies. Salted chocolate covered caramels, Maine originals such as Needhams, and the ever popular Katahdin Crunch are just a few of the many high quality chocolates they offer. They also have maple candies locally made by Kinney’s Sugarhouse in Knox or for something different try the maple soda made with Kinney’s pure maple syrup. If you are looking to cool down on a hot day, at their old fashioned soda fountain you can enjoy a fresh squeezed lemonade or maybe a root beer float mixed by an authentic soda jerk. The Chocolate Drop has over 40 flavors of premium Round Top Ice Cream made right here in Maine. Or have one of the soda jerks hand mix an old fashioned Cherry Coke with real Coke syrup and two cherries!

Brownie Sundaes are made with premium quality brownies made by Dog Tag Bakery, a veteran’s support organization that provides jobs and training to veterans with serviceconnected disabilities and military spouses. The warm brownies are then topped with your favorite flavor of Maine made ice cream, whipped cream and your choice of toppings. Supporting a good cause has never tasted so good! The Chocolate Drop Candy Shop is locally owned by the Brassbridge and Crabiel families. Dave Brassbridge and David Crabiel had a vision for a 1950’s themed candy and ice cream store. From the black and white checkered floor to the Doo Wop music to the cloth soda jerk hats, no detail has been overlooked. Friendly service that harkens back to a time long gone is their mission. No employees on cell phones here, each customer gets their full attention, a smile, and a delicious treat! If you want premium ice cream, chocolate, or candy and a trip back to a simpler time, visit the Chocolate Drop Candy Shop and Daves’ Old Fashioned Soda Fountain, 35 Main Street, Belfast. There you can “Relive Your Sweetest Childhood Memories!”

35 MAIN STREET, BELFAST

(207) 338-0566

belfastcandy.com

DISCOVER BELFAST • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • July 23, 2021

MEET MIDCOAST PHOTOGRAPHER

LYNN KARLIN

BY JOSH DEAKIN The State of Maine conceals many talented artists within its borders. Among these artists is Lynn Karlin, a photographer who’s made a name for herself photographing for publications such as the New York Times Magazine, House Beautiful and Country Living. In the early 80s, she left her metropolitan photography for the rural atmosphere that Maine has to offer. “For eight years we grew vegetables and flowers for inns and restaurants in the Blue Hill and Deer Isle area and I added garden photography to my resume,” said Karlin. Since being in Maine, she has also co-

POPPIES WITH RADISHES LYNN KARLIN

authored three books on gardens as well as farmed her own land. For Karlin, photography has been a part of her life since childhood. After a photography course in high school, she became infatuated with the art and would go on to attend the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York for Advertising and Photography. “After graduation, I moved to Manhattan and carried my heavy portfolio around to magazines by day and waitressed at night. I got small assignments from New York Magazine and worked my way up to shoot feature stories,” Karlin explained. In 1975, Karlin became the first woman staff

photographer for Women’s Wear Daily and W. “Having no experience, I was expected to catch on fast, shooting everything from fashion shows to celebrity interviews to late-night parties and even President Carter’s inauguration,” said Karlin. Since being in the Belfast area, Karlin has explored garden photography by frequenting local farmers’ markets and farm stands in the area. “Often when shopping, I can visualize the finished arrangement in my head and choose the produce I need for that still-life, and other times I just buy what looks either beautiful or quirky. When I get back to my studio, I lay my ‘finds’ out on the harvest table

DISCOVER BELFAST • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • July 23, 2021

until an idea comes to me. I often like to find subjects analogous in color or one strong, stunning vegetable that can stand alone,” said Karlin. The move from New York to Maine provided Karlin with the motivation to photograph produce. “I was inspired after reading a book on Charles Jones, a 19th century English amateur photographer. He became obsessive documenting vegetables, fruit and flowers and would bring his subjects to his studio rather than photograph them in nature. He made very simple arrangements in [black and white] that captured their essence,” explained Karlin. Jones’ ideas stuck with Karlin and during a trip to the Belfast Farmers’ Market, she was able to put this inspiration to use after spying a large purple cauliflower, bringing it home and placing the vegetable on a pedestal. “I began a quest to honor even the humblest vegetables by elevating them to a place where they belong: on a pedestal. These portraits in The Pedestal Series often feature a single species isolated to retain the simplicity of the

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I began a quest to honor even the humblest vegetables by elevating them to a place where they belong: on a pedestal.

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subject while highlighting the complexity of its sculptural form. I work to capture the unique character of these-overlooked plants. This led to my collecting dozens of pedestals which I find at antique shops and yard sales. Through the years I added fruit, flowers and fungi as my subjects,” elaborated Karlin. Karlin’s work can be viewed on her website and are available in three limited edition sizes of prints. These prints can be ordered through Karlin or by contacting the galleries and shops on her website at www.lynnkarlinphoto.com. Her work has appeared in collections all over the world and has been shown in exhibitions and in magazines across North America, Europe and parts of Asia, even being awarded at the Prix de la Photographie Paris as well as the Tokyo International Foto Awards. You can also see her work on display at the United Farmers’ Market in Belfast, and see her vegetable portraits in “Harvest Season,” an upcoming group exhibit at Cove Street Arts in Portland, August 26 - Oct. 30. An opening reception will take place Thursday, August 26 from 5-7 p.m.

HAKURAI TURNIPS LYNN KARLIN

DISCOVER BELFAST • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • July 23, 2021

UPCOMING FUN IN BY JOSH DEAKIN

Summer has finally arrived and events are returning after a year hiatus. “Belfast and Waldo County are definitely bouncing back from the shut-downs and cancellations of 2020!” said Steve Ryan, Executive Director of the Belfast Chamber of Commerce. Events are lining the upcoming weeks of the summer and continue throughout the rest of the year. It’s a big step-up from last year’s cancellations due to the pandemic. Although events are making their comeback, safety is still on the minds of coordinators. “Belfast and surrounding towns did a great job adhering to CDC recommendations, and many businesses were able to do fairly well during the height of the pandemic and now during the vaccination era. But the events were hard hit, and locals and visitors alike are very excited to see these coming back for everyone’s enjoyment,” said Ryan.

MAINE CELTIC CELEBRATION Maine Celtic Celebration on the Waterfront in Belfast makes a return this year on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2021. While it’s a little later in the year compared to previous years, the celebration returns for its 15th season of music, dance, kilt-wearing contest, boathouse workshops, traditional Highland Heavy Games and much more. www.mainecelticcelebration.com The Barons, a group of Belfast business leaders and city officials dressed in “tuxes” and top hats, show off Passy Pete, the clairvoyant crustacean. BDN FILE PHOTO

BELFAST HARBOR FEST The Belfast Harbor Fest will be August 13-15, 2021 at Steamboat Landing and Heritage Park. The festival in the past has been a great spotlight on boating in the area, including a classic boat show and a boat building contest that ends with a relay race. Harbor Fest will also hold plenty of activities for the kids including Touch-a-Truck, Touch-a-Tank, and stick puppets. Be sure to take the time to explore as there will be plenty of music and food vendors set up as well.

CHAMBER GOLF TOURNEY The Belfast Chamber of Commerce’s annual Golf Tournament is currently set to make its return on Friday, Sept. 10 starting at noon. The golf tournament is the perfect time to meet local business members and network. The tournament will be hosted at Northport Golf Club.

WIENERFEST The Maine Wienerfest will be held on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2021 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Steamboat Landing Park in Belfast. The festival itself is a giant celebration of the wiener-shaped dog, dachshunds. This year marks the 16th anniversary of the festival. Come on down to take in a variety of activities including the Grand Parade of Dachshunds, the Canine Costume Contest, Doxie Distance Dash and raffles. This year will be a bit different in that there will be no food vendors at the event.

A crowd enjoys music at the Maine Celtic Celebration on the Waterfront in Belfast. BDN FILE PHOTO

DISCOVER BELFAST • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • July 23, 2021 BDN FILE PHOTO

BELFAST PASSY PETE PREDICTION Over Labor Day weekend, Belfast’s answer to Punxsutawney Phil will make its great appearance in the area to determine if we are in for an early winter or a long summer. The creature in question, of course, is none other than Passy Pete, the clairvoyant crustacean. Since 2015, every year the lobster is removed from the bay and made to choose between two scrolls. One scroll details six more weeks of summer and the other predicts an early winter. After Pete makes his choice, he is returned to the ocean to go about his daily crustacean activities.

HOLIDAY ON THE HARBOR Holiday on the Harbor will be held on Dec. 11 at Steamboat Landing Park on the waterfront in Belfast. Come down and see Santa Claus with the opportunity for a photo at the Christmas tree in the gazebo.

NEW YEAR’S BY THE BAY New Year’s By the Bay will return this year for Belfast’s sendoff of 2021 and welcoming in the New Year! Be on the lookout for more information on this yearly event as Dec. 31 approaches. The celebration will include music, dancing, magic, food and much more.

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DISCOVER BELFAST • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • July 23, 2021

MORE THAN A

SOUP KITCHEN BY CRYSTAL SANDS During difficult times, feeding the hungry is one of the most important and noblest jobs, but the Belfast Soup Kitchen does that and more. More than a soup kitchen, this important resource in our state provides meals for approximately 410 adults and children a day, including dining room guests and meal deliveries. In addition to these meals, the Belfast Soup Kitchen provides breads, bakery items and produce daily, and meat weekly, as well as a coffee and social hour each day, emergency food baskets and access to wrap around services available through community partners such as Belfast Public Health, City of Belfast General Assistance and Waldo Community Action Partners. Cherie Merrill, executive director of the Belfast Soup Kitchen, is proud of all the resources and support they are able to offer. She emphasizes that this soup kitchen is more than just about providing good, healthy food, it is also about providing dignity and respect to those who are in need. In June of 2020, the soup kitchen opened a new, larger facility in order to meet the needs of the community. In the three years prior to the opening of the larger building and dining area, the soup kitchen went from serving 14,000 meals per year to 21,000 meals per year, so the expansion was a wonderful opportunity for the organization to grow.

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Merrill is excited about the new building. “We opened our dining room to guests just this week; this is the first time since the building was completed last June.” During the pandemic, the soup kitchen focused attention on delivering healthy meals, but the dining room experience is one Merrill wants to talk about. “We offer coffee hour from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. each day. When they set up the building, it was cafeteria style, but we are doing full table service. We offer full, inside dining each day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Guests are seated and waited on by our volunteers. We have a couple of baristas and have a coffee corner for our guests.” Merrill emphasizes that she wants the whole dining experience to emphasize the dignity and respect of their guests. In addition to the full-service dining area in the new building, the Belfast Soup Kitchen continues to offer curbside pick-up from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for those not comfortable dining in. They also offer meal delivery services for veterans and elderly shut-ins, which was started during the pandemic but will now be a continued service. Additionally, the soup kitchen is working with RSU 71 to provide meals to school children, even during the summer. Merrill explains that she also wrote a grant “to provide families with a crockpot, recipe and healthy ingredients for families to cook

The pandemic was a good thing in Waldo county because of the way the community came together. A lot of people really stepped up to the plate.

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DISCOVER BELFAST • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • July 23, 2021

together and eat together.” Merrill emphasizes the importance of good, healthy food and learning to cook and eat together as a family. Although the pandemic may have been a strain on many, Merrill says it was a time of learning, growth and coming together for their organization and others in Waldo county. The Belfast Soup Kitchen started working with other organizations to expand services that have now become a permanent part of what they offer. “Working with other organizations makes all of this possible,” Merrill said. “The pandemic was a good thing in Waldo county because of the way the community came together. A lot of people really stepped up to the plate.” The Belfast Soup Kitchen works to provide fresh, local organic food from Daybreak Growers Alliance, Waldo County Bounty, Belfast Coop, Regional Re-Entry Center Garden, the Good Shepherd Food Bank and the Fresh Rescue Donation Program with Hannaford. Thanks to the pandemic, Merrill said she sees more collaboration with people coming together to solve issues instead of wasting resources and doing things independently. And if readers are interested in getting involved and helping this important and growing organization, Merrill says there are many ways to help—from donating money or food to volunteering, even donating returnables. Visit the website at belfastsoupkitchen.org and click Volunteer or Donate.

DISCOVER BELFAST • Bangor Daily News Special Advertising Section • July 23, 2021

ENJOY A CRAFT BREW ON BELFAST BAY Marshall Wharf Brewing Company is a locally owned and operated craft brewpub located at sea level on Marshall’s Wharf in beautiful Belfast Bay, a stunning sliver of paradise here in coastal Maine. The brewery is housed in a historic waterfront building (circa 1890) that served as the city granary. We hand craft beers in small batches with Mainegrown and malted barley as our base grain. To uphold our sustainability initiatives, spent grain is delivered to a local farm for use as animal feed. The complexity and variety of our beer portfolio is sure to impress any beer enthusiast — pale to dark; hoppy to malty; clear to hazy; light to strong and everything else in between. We strive to uphold the highest standards of quality and consistency in every batch, and we are certain that you will enjoy whichever of our 20+ beers you choose to sip when you visit us down on the Bay.