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Celebrating New Businesses!

admin — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:34:13 +0000

So much energy in our little town this spring; there are over 25 new businesses in Camden this year!

This weekend starts a new Camden downtown tradition called Business is Blooming - Friday thru Sunday Camden will be having extended shopping hours and sidewalk sales!

Last Friday evening one of our coolest new businesses had a little party: the Bamboo Bike Studio served delicious refreshments and let us peek around at the space where they hold workshops to make these bamboo bikes - there are only three other workshop locations in the world: San Francisco, Toronto, and Greensboro! Pictures below are from that evening.

We hope you can join us this weekend or some time soon to check out everything that’s “blooming” in Camden lately!

- Elizabeth

Best Part of Camden Winter?

admin — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:15:45 +0000

It may be a bold statement, but while there are numerous pleasures in a Camden winter (the holidays, snow sports, cozy times around a fire, a quiet harbor…), I think the event that generates the most energy and excitement is definitely the Toboggan Nationals weekend.

Hosmer Pond next to the Camden Snow Bowl becomes a tiny village of tents and shacks - a unique social scene akin to tailgating, with fast sleds and creative costumes as the main event. Spectating is done primarily from the ice, though the food tents up on the hill next to the chute generate enthusiasm and a good crowd too. The weather took a toboggan chute-like plummet from balmy to frigid, but I saw competitors and spectators fully enjoying themselves. There’s also a fun and fast tubing hill, and of course, many skiers and snowboarders took advantage of the Snow Bowl’s trails.

And the fireworks! Oh how I do love a good fireworks show, and Saturday’s display over the harbor did not disappoint!

- Elizabeth

PS If you disagree, feel free to share YOUR favorite part of winter in Camden!

December Photo Shoots!

admin — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 19:45:16 +0000

I don’t know about you, but while I hate being late to work, I also hate arriving too early, especially this time of year when there’s so much to do! I put my early minutes to use yesterday morning and took a photo down on the harbor of one of the remaining windjammers (see the first picture in the second row). Then around 3pm or so, I happened to look out and see the rich afternoon light; I abandoned the gallery and ran down to the dock to take another shot. THEN after I locked up, I saw the tree on top of the mast was lit up and the moon was on the rise! (Sometimes doing “photo shoots” for this blog makes me feel like a real photographer. Except without the nice equipment and expertise.)

The top three pictures are from Harbor Park at the Camden Library. See the sailboat with the rust-colored sail? Mainers are hearty souls, boating into mid-December!

Best wishes and Happy Holidays from Camden!

-Elizabeth

Camden: One of the Best for Leaf Peeping!

admin — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 18:35:34 +0000

We’ve moved up! Last year we were 6th, this year 3rd…I’m predicting a win next year:

Camden Named 3rd Best Foliage Town in New England in Yankee Magazine’s Online Poll

The below picture is a panorama from the top of Ragged Mountain (see my post from last week) as the leaves were just popping…I’ll add more as we hit peak! Camden is a gorgeous place this time of year, and it’s also a bit quieter, which many visitors love.

To view a slideshow of winning foliage towns from 2010 and to share comments, visit Yankee Magazine.

Happy Fall!

-Elizabeth

“We” Ride Ragged Mountain!

admin — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 20:41:55 +0000

Sometimes I live vicariously through my sweetie. For example, he’s an excellent woodworker, so “we” made my dad an exquisite cutting board for his birthday. Or he’ll do fancy tricks down ski slopes on his snowboard, while I ride along side him doing…non-tricks. Or he goes mountain biking while I…don’t.

But I am usually there when he gets home from his rides at the Camden Snow Bowl - he’s always energized (and pretty slick) from the work out, pumped about the technical riding Ragged Mountain boasts, and psyched about the views he worked hard for; he usually also has a story about convening with fellow bikers mid-mountain and all agreeing it’s one of the best mountain biking spots in Maine. By winter, a ski mountain, by the other seasons, a biking and hiking heaven.

Have you ridden Ragged? Share your stories below! Next blog post maybe I’ll tell you about “our” absolutely delectable lobster bisque…

-Elizabeth

Windjammin’ Time!

admin — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 20:04:41 +0000

As Labor Day races toward us, I realize that although I am sorry to see the end of summer, I am quite excited for another Camden Windjammer Festival. Last year our festivities were only slightly dampened by hurricane Earl (did I use that same pun in last year’s post?). This year’s line up is looking sensational - check it out here. There’s too much to list on this post, but here’s a taste: the arrival of the (magnificent) fleet, fireworks, a pancake breakfast, a Maritime Heritage Fair, a chowder challenge, an outdoor movie and concert, a boat parade, Tim Sample, and tours of a Navy ship!

Join us!

-Elizabeth

PS I took picture below last weekend - alas, i was not aboard a windjammer, but a lovely vessel (and a lovely pic of Curtis) all the same.

a rare treat

admin — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 17:40:36 +0000

Today the most unusual thing happened: I found myself with an hour and a half completely free…

Naturally, I considered doing something productive, like errands; I even considered going into work early. And then I realized Secret Spot #2 was calling my name. (Secret Spot #1 isn’t so secret anymore; I’ll tell you about it some other time.) SS#2, one of my favorite places in Camden, is a short distance down a discrete path through the woods. The path is marked by buoys, and after about a five-minute walk it opens onto a span of the quintessential Maine coast - all rocks, seaweed, mussel shells, and sea glass. I encountered exactly one canine and one human, the latter remarking that she’s usually alone on the beach.

It was absolutely delightful, a deliciously unplanned escape.

Leave a comment or email me at pictures@camdenmaineexperience.com if you have a “secret spot” in the Camden, Maine area. I may even be persuaded to tell you how to find SS#2…

-Elizabeth

Memorial Day 2011

admin — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 19:59:10 +0000

It was a close call, but we did it! We welcomed the quintessential kickoff of summer with warm, sunny, summery weather! Pics are of Camden’s annual Memorial Day parade - it was a gorgeous morning. Yaaaaay summer!

As one of my friends so aptly said at a cookout at Rockport Harbor that evening, one perfect day in Maine truly does make up for ten mediocre ones…If you have any doubts, come see for yourself!

-Elizabeth

CT2ME!

admin — Wed, 25 May 2011 20:57:44 +0000

We’re the Tylers from Enfield, Connecticut and we LOVE Camden, Maine! My husband and I first came to Camden 15 years ago - when we’d just started dating and camped out in a tent! Now we try to make it a yearly visit with our two boys. We love that our children can enjoy the charm and beauty of a seacoast New England town, as well as make the connection with nature that comes from hiking the numerous area trails.

On our most recent visit we “saw” a moose, took a boat ride in Camden Harbor, rang the bell at the Children’s Chapel, went to the Owl’s Head Transportation Museum, and, of course, ate lobstah!

In fact, we love Camden so much, we’re seriously contemplating a relocation…

One View, Two Seasons

admin — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 11:52:25 +0000

Michael A. Clarke, a Camden native for almost 30 years, took these stunning shots overlooking Main St. (a long way from his hometown of Los Angeles…):

Winter

Fall

Thanks for sharing, Michael!!
If YOU would like to submit photos or testimonials about Camden to the Your Experience page, please email us at pictures@camdenmaineexperience.com.