06/11/2026
Innkeeper Annie here! I started experimenting with watercolors last fall and absolutely fell in love with it. When the annual Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta t-shirt contest rolled around this spring, I wanted to pay homage not only to this incredible event, but to the rainbow of people (and pumpkins) that make Pumpkinfest possible. So I was THRILLED when organizers asked me if they could use my art for the festival's first-ever (!!!!) bumper sticker. Many visitors don't realize what it takes to pull this event off: thousands of volunteer hours, donated services and materials, committees and subcommittees that meet all year long, and a shoestring budget. And of course, a shared understanding by literally everyone who lives here that for this one weekend in October, there's no driving through town in a hurry ๐ So yes, Pumpkinfest is for everyone. And if you'd like to join us in upholding some seriously absurd traditions (like carving boats out of pumpkins and racing them in front of thousands of people), all you have to do is show up! While you're here, buy a bumper sticker or a t-shirt. Make a donation if you can. Enjoy local seafood, support local businesses, and come be a part of the incredible magic and whimsy that is the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta ๐