MB&H Show: New events, improved layout

The 17th annual Maine Boat & Home Show, to be held on the Rockland waterfront August 9-11, will feature an array of events and happenings in addition to the fleet of approximately 75 boats, large and small, power and sail, that will be on hand. Those works of floatable artistry will be complemented by an array of custom work by local and regional artisans and craftspeople. All told, some 175 vendors will be on site with their handcrafted bespoke wares.

The shopping will be fabulous, but so will the ambience. Attendees are encouraged to bring the family and spend the whole day enjoying the show's beautiful waterfront setting. There will be free organized activities for young sailors, presented by Owls Head Transportation Museum, and a Cedar Works "Ship Ahoy" play boat to clamber aboard. Families can sign up for the Scavenger Hunt at Tent B (everyone's a winner).

A rotating series of Icon Boats will be on the docks to entice attendees aboard for tours, and the inaugural 18-Volt Electric Canoe Challenge will be held on the waterfront on Saturday, August 10. The 17th Annual World Championship Boatyard Dog® Trials will be on Sunday morning, August 11, at 10:30 a.m. (Only the pre-chosen competing dogs are allowed on show grounds. Please leave Fido and Fifi at home.) Food offerings will range from ice cream to popsicles, burgers to seafood, wraps to wings, and soft pretzels to smoothies.

New Show Layout

The most noticeable change will be to the show's layout, designed to be make the site more attendee-friendly. "We are changing things up a bit, to reflect what we've learned over the past 16 years," producer John K. Hanson, Jr., said. "We will showcase Rockland's fantastic waterfront in some different and better ways, acting on the feedback we have received from loyal exhibitors and attendees."

The new configuration increases the space allotted to on-land boats, and makes maximum use of the dock space for in-water boat displays. Three spacious tents in the center of the layout will be filled with vendors of all things needed for a beautiful life on the coast, from nautical gifts to marine gear to clothing and real estate. In addition, the stage will support an entire tent dedicated to bespoke furniture and fine art. Hanson said, "We bring together a wonderful collection of makers from all over Maine and the region into one place, and we want to be sure that it's easy to meet them all."

Special Events 


Get Involved (Area A)

As part of this new initiative, students from the Maine Ocean School will show off their entry in the 18-Volt Electric Canoe Challenge, to be held on Saturday afternoon. They’ll be joined by other nautical nonprofits, including:
The Apprenticeshop: hands-on demonstrations
Hurricane Island Outward Bound School: pulling boat on display
Penobscot Marine Museum: knot-tying demos all weekend
Plus: A fleet of smaller craft from hydroplanes to iceboats.
In Maine, the nonprofit and for-profit worlds work well together; come see what is possible. Icon Boat Dock (B)
 To get aboard some bigger boats, head to the

Icon Boat Dock (Dock B).

Friday: See the 59-foot diesel-electric steamship America, whose mission is to get veterans and their families out on the water. 

Saturday: Come aboard an iconic Maine windjammer. 

Sunday: Lobsterboat Sunday will feature the hard-working lobsterboat Claire Elizabeth and other crustacean chasers. Life at Home (Area K) 


Back by popular demand, a volunteer crew from the Midcoast Chapter of Habitat for Humanity will build (and raffle off) a tiny house on site. 
Next door, a canvas “glamping” tent will be tricked out by Frantz Furniture with interior design ideas and options for boat and home.
Nearby, Shed City will have a sturdy building on display.


Live Music

The show’s weekend soundtrack will feature Miner’s Creek, with their mix of old-time and contemporary bluegrass tunes. Hear them at the Epifanes tent next to MBH&H Kiosk (Tent B). On Saturday, the Blue Hill Brass will spread their brassy form of joy all around the show grounds.

Boat Demos (Dock F)

Visit Dock F, where an appointment can be made to take a new boat out for a sea trial in Rockland Harbor. (Reservations required.)

17th Annual MAINE BOAT & HOME Show:
Information at a glance: August 9-11, 2019, Harbor Park, Rockland Gates open at 10 a.m. daily. Held annually on the second weekend in August on the waterfront in the heart of downtown Rockland, the event attracts thousands of discerning attendees from all over the country and world. The three-day event is also Maine’s only in-the-water boat show.

Admission: $15 adult tickets available at all gates and online. Kids under 12 always get in free. Special Access Passes, which include parking and other perks, are also available. For more information, visit maineboats.com/boatshow or call 800-565-4951.

The show was founded in 2003 by Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors magazine.

Show Sponsors
The show appreciates the support of its fine sponsors: Awlgrip/Interlux, Bangor Savings Bank, Bell’s Furry Friends Photography, Camden National Bank, Casco Totes, CedarWorks, Courier Publications, Epifanes, LCI Fiber Optic Networks, Loyal Biscuit, Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors magazine, Owls Head Transportation Museum, Rock Harbor Brewing, Water Bark Wellness, US Harbors, and Yarmouth Boat Yard. The support of the City of Rockland, the Rockland Main Street program, and West Bay Rotary is also much appreciated.