Fourth of July Celebration
2025 Bastille Day
Under the elms, by the sea, people all dressed in white
MONDAY, JULY 14, 2025
Castine has a unique tie to French culture—in fact, the town originated as a French outpost. The French first came in 1635 to build Fort Pentagöet. Though the land has changed hands many times, we still celebrate our French heritage each year.
In the morning, beginning at 10:00am, Dyce Head Lighthouse will be open for tours of our iconic tower by the sea. The Castine Historical Society will give a walking tour of our village, beginning on the Town Common at 1:00pm and end an hour later at Fort Pentagoet. From there, walk across to the Wilson Museum campus, bring your children to Make and Take historical crafts, and then enjoy a French vanilla ice cream bar.
At our signature event, the Picnic en Blanc, 400 white-clad festival goers will be seated at long white tables at 5:30pm, under the elms on Court Street. Bring your own French picnic, or pre-order a basket from the Pentagoet Inn, Safe Harbor, Dennett’s or Windmill Hill, while supplies last. Finish out the night with French-themed cocktails at the Pentagöet pub, until 10pm. For more information on the day’s events or to register for the Picnic en Blanc, go to this Google Form: https://forms.gle/V2jcqWu8uRa6Qms36
Note:
Court Street, from Main to Green will be closed for both traffic and parking from 12 noon until 9 PM on the 14th of July for Castine’s celebration of Bastille Day.
Castine Classic Yacht Race – July 31, 2025
The Castine Yacht Club invites you to join us for the 26th annual Castine Classic Yacht Race on July 31st, 2025. The 19.4nm race from Castine to Camden will attract a magnificent fleet of Classic and Spirit of Tradition yachts and is the first of three days of racing culminating with the Eggemoggin Reach Regatta on August 2nd. The race is open to all monohull yachts at least 28’ LOA with a valid 2024 CRF rating certificate. Even if no measurements have changed, all yachts must obtain a new CRF certificate for 2025. Go to classicyachts.org to renew your rating or get a new one.
For Race Notice, Registration, other information, please refer to the website, www.castineclassic.com or email David Bicks at dpbicks@gmail.com/(207)326-8607
MAINE BOAT BUILDERS CELEBRATION
This year’s event will celebrate Maine’s extraordinary boatbuilding now in progress. A panel moderated by Bruce Johnson and featuring representatives from some of Maine’s top boat builders, including Artisan Boatworks, Brooklin Boatyard, Front Street Shipyard, Lyman Morse and Rockport Marine, will discuss their recent projects. Several of their notable yachts will also be on display on the Castine waterfront.
To complete your registration and for more information regarding this year’s Castine Classic Yacht Race and related events, please visit Castineclassic.com. For assistance with docking or mooring, please contact the Castine Yacht Club at (207) 326-9231, or Eaton’s Boatyard at (207) 326-8579. We look forward to seeing you in Castine!
CASTINE CLASSIC COMMITTEE
committee@castineclassic.com
Jazz on the Porch at the Pentagöet
26 Main Street
June 24-early October, 5:00pm-8:00pm. Reservations encouraged
On Tuesday nights, Main Street Castine comes alive with Joel Mann’s “Night and Day Trio,” a jazz trio that comes to the porch of the Pentagöet Inn weekly during the peak summer months. Attracting music lovers from as far south as Portland, not to mention the world travelers of the inn, the porch fills up quickly. Sip on a cool craft cocktail or a chilled glass of wine from the inn’s pub and enjoy delectable farm-to-table Maine fare for supper. As dusk settles on our little seaside town, the tunes will transport you… you’ll never want to leave. Call for reservations (207-326-8616)—tables usually book up a week in advance!
“A History of Castine in 40 Objects” at the Castine Historical Society
Each of the objects in the Castine Historical Society’s permanent collection is a window into our town’s history. For this exhibition, a team of community members and staff selected objects that tell Castine stories that are both familiar, like the town’s Revolutionary War history, and unexpected, such as our African American history.
High Season Hours
June 9 through September 1
Monday – Saturday: 10 AM – 4 PM; Sunday: 1-4 PM
Fall Season Hours
September 5 through October 13
Friday, Saturday, Monday: 10 AM – 4 PM; Sunday: 1-4 PM
Castine Uncovered Walking Tours
June 21 – October 13
Friday, Saturday, and Monday at 10 AM.
No reservations needed. Please visit castinehistoricalsociety.org for more information about our walking tours.
Take a ride with Castine Touring Company
Scarlett and Sally, owned and operated by the all-volunteer, not-for-profit Castine Touring Company, gives entertaining and educational tours of Historic Castine for our residents and visitors alike. Dedicated to promoting tourism and building business in our community, all excess profits from Scarlett’s efforts are donated annually to local businesses and charitable entities in the pursuit of those goals.
Stop by our location on the town dock to take a tour with Scarlett or Sally. Open daily, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, subject to volunteer driver availability. Make a reservation online via: https://www.castinetouringcompany.org/
