Three days for the boat builders. And for The Boothbay Region Land Trust - all proceeds will support their 30-year mission of conservation-preservation-education. Opening Friday July 30, and continuing through July 31, culminating Sunday August 1 with an all-day festival - at the waterfront in East Boothbay.

A boatbuilder's festival, celebrating the history of that craft. A number of historic vessels will be there, perhaps most famous the 88-foot Grand Banks schooner "Bowdoin", built in East Boothbay in 1921. She has made 28 trips above the Arctic Circle under the command of Donald B. MacMillan. Other vessels returning this year include the "Oliver C. Weyant", a 56'10" schooner with a square-rigged foremast, built in East Boothbay in 1986, the "Nellie G." built in Woolwich in 1895, the "Neena", a classic open style boat built in East Boothbay, and a 1908 Rice Brothers boat, "Doc's Pride." Several other boatyards will be represented by a variety of boats. Tours of the vessels will be available throughout the Festival, but the culmination will be on Sunday.

Several businessses will be open. Hodgdon Yachts, part of the East Boothbay waterfront since 1816. The Washburn & Doughty shipyard, with rebuilding complete in 2009, will be open to the public. The Nathaniel Wilson Sail Loft will be open.

Friday evening a Cocktail Buffet & Art Show premiere at Ocean Point Marina, 5-7 PM - the Art show will continue throughout the Festival. A Music Tent. A kids tent with popular wooden boats to build, clown face painting, knot tying, a touch tank, and a chance to make a pirate hat. Talks about lobstering and other elements of the sea will take place at the East Boothbay Methodist Church. And the Pirates Of Dark Rose have threatened to "storm the festival" sometime in the afternoon.

Not everything is at the Marina. Saturday features a movie, "The Fish Belong to the People", at Harbor Theatre 4-6 PM. And on Sunday August 1 at the United Methodist Church in East Boothbay at 11:00 AM, William Wilson, a Senior Scientist at the Bigelow Laboratory, will present "Marine Algae: The Planets Second Lung", dealing with the health of the world's oceans, an issue that will become more important as we more forward in this century.

Of course food. Oysters, move on to chowders. Fresh picked crab and lobster rolls. For the non-sea group, hot dogs, chips, and various soft drinks. And plenty of vendors wandering through the Festival.

Tickets to the Buffet and Art Show on Friday are $40 in advance, $45 at the gate. Sunday's movie tickets are $10. At the Art show, the 2010 festival poster will be for sale, some with the signature of the artist, Jim Taliana - $15 unsigned, $20 with signature, $5 for posters of several past Festivals. Festival tickets are $12 in advance, $15 at the gate - young people to 18 are admitted free on Sunday. A three day ticket is $50, and must be purchased in advance, call 633-4818.

And of course, take a look at the website for more information. Click on Boat Builders Festival.