Someone asked the other day, "Where's the best place for fresh Maine fish?" A Maine roadside attraction are these trucks you see occasionally. This fisherman in SW Harbor sells fresh product from his local pals. Usually they've got some extra fish and want to move it quickly at a good price. He had just set up and was explaining how the state is quite strict with licensing and the fines can be $1500 bucks if his paperwork isn't in order. So while he appears a casual sort of business, he was very diligent. After a few minutes the locals discovered he was there and the cars began to stop and buy fish. They know fresh and wait for him to be here!

Working with your local press helps spread the word about what we do, not only for us but for our business partners. First, we had a contest involving a local event, Lobsterboat Racing. Then, the contest got picked up by the local news and talked about the Maine Coast Welcome Center and a bunch of our partners. Good press all around!

Belfast Businesses Produce 2011 Belfast Event Calendar

While developing an event calendar for summer guests at the Maine Coast Welcome Center, Jim & Patti LeClair came up with an extensive list of events for the Belfast area. “By working with our lodging partners, we get insight into events planned well into the future. For example, early in the spring Barry of the Comfort Inn shared an international conference coming to Belfast in September 2011.” says Jim.

The LeClairs decided it would be useful to summarize all Belfast area events so guests attending one event could plan visits to future events. For example, a guest to Belfast’s New Year’s By The Bay could learn of the Celtic Celebration in July. In addition, area businesses could coordinate their marketing activities on the same weekends that events are happening.

By filtering their calendar for “Belfast”, a list of all the events in Belfast for the calendar year was created. Jim says, “Lists are informative, but not very attractive.  I needed a graphics designer to liven up our list.” At an Our Town Belfast promotion committee meeting, Terry St. Peter, of County Copy & Print Center offered to provide design and print services to create a calendar for use by Our Town Belfast in their community awareness efforts. The design by Beth Crosby added colorful event and sponsor logos to the list.

An attractive Event Calendar, highlighting area events was the result.

Local Belfast businesses, the Maine Coast Welcome Center and County Copy & Print Center have donated their efforts to Our Town Belfast. Our Town Belfast is a vibrant and inclusive social, arts and cultural effort that initiates and supports community and creative sustainability in downtown Belfast. The calendars will be distributed  and displayed throughout the Belfast area.

Calendars are available at the Our Town Belfast office 171 High St., Belfast, ME. Contact Dorothy Havey, Director  tel. 207-323-9100.

In conversation with Ann of Nervous Nellies, the topic of Deer Isle, vs Deer Island came up, since I erred in my description of where Nervous Nellies was located.

Since we now have a fine Poet Laureate, Jacob in Belfast, I referred the topic of Isles vs Islands to him: (a mini play of words)