Food Fest Ellsworth and Market on Main

Description

What: Food Fest Ellsworth and Market on Main — a weeklong celebration of food, music, and community in Ellsworth. When: Friday, September 26 – Saturday, October 4, 2025 Where: Franklin Street Parklet, City Hall Plaza, and businesses throughout downtown Ellsworth. Presented by: The City of Ellsworth & Union River Center for Innovation Event Mission Food Fest Ellsworth is part of a larger effort to strengthen the Downeast Food System by: • Supporting farmers and food entrepreneurs • Reducing hunger and improving food access • Celebrating local abundance • Promoting food system sustainability Highlights •Market on Main Kickoff (Saturday, Sept. 27, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.) • 25+ vendors: local farmers, producers, and food businesses • Food Fest Passport program with prizes and downtown business specials • Beer garden hosted by Black Moon Public House & Fogtown Brewing • Local flavors from Acadia Provisions, Pugnuts, Zeppa’s Pizza, Honey & Lace Baking Co., Morton’s Moo, and more •Live Music on City Stage (sponsored by Camden National Bank): • Friday, Sept. 26: The Sugar Snaps • Saturday, Sept. 27: Ellas & Fellas, DJ Aquavantes, Dan Lorey’s Pop Rock ’n’ Roll Show • After Hours (Sept. 27): The Crown Vics in the parklet with beer garden •Community Partners & Food Specials: • Chili by the Ellsworth Historical Society • Hot cocoa by Seaboard Federal Credit Union • Specials throughout Food Fest week at Sylvia’s Café, Airline Brewing, Flexit Café, Serendib, The Restaurant Barn, and more Friday September 26th Food Fest Ellsworth from 6 -8 PM On the Ellsworth City Stage, presented by Camden National Bank: Sugar Snaps in the Franklin Street Parklet Black Moon Beer Garden Saturday September 27th Market on Maine from 11 AM to 4 PM The Franklin Parklet will be transformed into Market on Main where visitors can visit more than 25 vendors to purchase treats from some of their favorite area purveyors of food, learn about the Ellsworth regional food system, support organizations fighting food insecurity. Rock the Block presented by Camden National Bank on the Ellsworth City Stage 11AM to 8PM Ellas & Fellas 11AM DJ Aquavantes Noon to 3PM Dan Lorey’s Pop Rock ‘n’ Roll Show 4 to 6PM Crown Vics 6-8PM Black Moon Beer Garden 11AM to 8 PM The Black Moon Public House beer garden will be featuring selections from Fogtown Brewing in addition to its own beer and wine offerings. Market on Main Participants Food Fest Ellsworth and Market on Main at a Glance Acadia Provisions Black Moon Public House Blackstone Gardens CEI Chickadee Compost City of Ellsworth Ellsworth Elementary Middle School Ellsworth Historical Society Flexit Cafe Fogtown Brewing Green Ellsworth GrowSmart Maine Hancock County Soil & Water Conservation District Healthy Acadia Heart of Ellsworth Holdfast Fermentation Honey & Lace Baking Co Loaves & Fishes Maine Coast Sea Vegetables Pugnuts Seaboard Federal Credit Union Serendib Union River Center University of Maine - Sen. George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions Whole Hearted Health LLC Zeppa's Pizza Food Fest Ellsworth Passport Market on Main shoppers will have a passport to get stamped as they visit each vendor table. The fully stamped passport will open the door to special deals and savings at Food Fest Ellsworth participating businesses throughout the city for the remainder of the week through October 4th. Food Fest Passport Savings at: Airline Brewing Company Morton’s Moo Restaurant Barn Sylvia's Café Black Moon Public House Flexit Cafe Fogtown Brewing Honey & Lace Baking Co Pugnuts Serendib Zeppa's Pizza Food Fest Ellsworth and Market on Main: A Week of Food, Fun, and Community Celebration Ellsworth, ME - September 10, 2025 – The table is set for a week of food, fun, and education in Ellsworth. Coinciding with the Ellsworth Chamber’s Autumn Gold, Food Fest Ellsworth will commence with Market on Main and continue throughout the week at locations across the city. Food Fest Ellsworth and Market on Main are part of a larger effort to grow Ellsworth into a vibrant hub of the Downeast Food System. With support from the City of Ellsworth and the Union River Center for Innovation—and thanks to a growing group of passionate food professionals—the event aims to build momentum to support farmers and food entrepreneurs, reduce hunger, celebrate local abundance, and provide education about food system sustainability. There’s quite a line-up of activities. On Friday evening, September 26, the City Hall Plaza will feature the City Stage, sponsored by the City of Ellsworth, when the first Camden National Bank music performance begins. Then, on Saturday, September 27, the music continues, and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Franklin Street parklet will be transformed into Market on Main—the official kick-off of Food Fest Ellsworth. “Ellsworth is thriving, and the participation we are seeing with Food Fest and Market on Main is a testament to the enthusiasm and engagement of our food-related business and nonprofit community,” commented Ellsworth City Manager Charlie Pearce. “This weeklong event is a great way to build awareness around the Ellsworth food system and the role that both the city and the community have in the broader Downeast Food System.” At Market on Main, more than 25 businesses, farmers, and organizations will share their products, knowledge, and information about the local Ellsworth food economy and regional food system. Black Moon Public House and Fogtown Brewing will host a beer garden. Acadia Provisions, Pugnuts, Zeppa’s Pizza, and Honey & Lace Baking Co. will sell some of their specialties. Chili from the Ellsworth Historical Society and hot cocoa from Seaboard Federal Credit Union will also be available. Other businesses participating at their downtown locations include Flexit Café, Serendib, and Morton’s Moo. Visitors to the Market will receive a Food Fest Passport and be encouraged to get their passport stamped at each booth in the parklet and at other participating downtown businesses. A completed passport is the key to unlocking special offers at participating businesses throughout the city for the rest of the week, through October 4. A food system is more than just food: Whole Hearted Health, LLC, Green Ellsworth, Hancock County Soil & Water Conservation District, GrowSmart Maine, Chickadee Compost, Healthy Acadia, Ellsworth Elementary and Middle School Garden Club, and Loaves & Fishes will be at the market to educate, advocate and of course stamp passports. “Since I specialize in supporting food businesses, I am excited to represent CEI at Market on Main,” said Michelle Bond, Business Advisor with Coastal Enterprises, Inc., “With a satellite office here in Ellsworth at the Union River Center, my colleagues and I are well positioned to provide business resources to those in the food and beverage industry and beyond.” “Knowing how challenging it can be for a brick-and-mortar business to participate in an off-site event like the market, we developed the passport idea as a way to include them,” said Ellsworth Economic Development Director Twila Fisher. “You get your passport stamps at Market on Main, then during the rest of Food Fest week bring it to Morton’s Moo, Sylvia’s Café, Fogtown Brewing, Airline Brewing, Black Moon Public House, The Restaurant Barn, Zeppa’s Pizza, Honey & Lace Baking Co., Pugnuts, Flexit Café, and Serendib for special offers and savings.” And music, we did mention music, right? Thanks to generous sponsorship from Camden National Bank, the music starts Friday evening with The Sugar Snaps. On Saturday, as the Market kicks off, the lineup continues with Ellas & Fellas, DJ Aquavantes, and Dan Lorey’s Pop Rock ’n’ Roll Show. After the Market, stick around for The Crown Vics in the parklet and enjoy the beer garden. “As a downtown business owner, located adjacent to the Franklin Street Parklet, I couldn’t be more excited to help out with this event,” said Katina Stanwood, owner of Black Moon Public House. “Thanks to the city literally setting the stage, and sponsorship from Camden National Bank to ‘Rock the Block,’ we have a great musical lineup planned.” For additional information about Food Fest Ellsworth and Market on Main, visit unionriverinnovation.com/food-fest-2025