Camden Windjammer Festival

When you live on the coast - and I mean live on the coast, where you can smell the salt of the ocean in the air of your daily travels (and aren't simply someone who "goes down the shore" on weekends) - you are most definitely privy to a slew of nautically-themed festivals throughout the year's warmer months. While festivals of this type exist all over the country, sharing the common element of the sea (literally, wherever you find a shoreline you will find a festival of this type) each is unique in theme. The Windjammer Festival of Camden, Maine holds true to this paradigm, centering on the grandiose cargo ships from which the festival takes its name.

But, before I get into what this festival is all about I think it's fun to note that my first thought was that this festival has something to do with kites and kite-flying because the word "windjammer," to me at least, is reminiscent of a children's toy - specifically kites, or aerodynamically-designed Frisbees intended to be throw hundreds of yards. I was wrong, of course. A windjammer is a sailing ship design from around the turn of the 20th century. Used primarily for cargo, these merchant ships had up to six masts and were able to carry between 2,000 and 5,000 tons of cargo due to a steel hull - making them more useful and efficient than their wooden-hulled counterparts. Their distinctive look comes from the multiple square sails attached to each mast - sometimes five sails high.

On Labor Day weekend the Camden Windjammer festival begins. It is both a showcase of stunning ships and a celebration of local maritime heritage designed to enlighten visitors of the vast nautical history of the region. Throughout the three days - extending from Friday to Monday - the Windjammer Festival offers a variety of events and workshops. Learn the craft of steam-bending wood for the purpose of crafting a toboggan; get schooled in the different species of sea birds; learn the histories of various Maine lighthouses; take in some live music, talent show, or fireworks. But, crafts and visuals aren't the only means of entertainment - the festival also offers culinary samples and contests including a shrimp tasting and a Chowder Challenge.

The overall spirit of the Camden Windjammer Festival is one of camaraderie and history. These ships have the power to transport the thoughtful observer to a time when crafts of such magnitude and grace were not only majestic, but a necessity - to a time when this harbor was filled with these ships for the sake of trade and commerce, when livelihoods depended on the speed at which these ships facilitated trade. For these reasons and due to each ship entering the harbor with its own look and story, an almost mythic nostalgia accompanies an air of significance and warmth.