The long, lazy roll of late summer into early autumn is one of the truly magical times of year along the southern Maine coast: beautiful seaside weather, a bountiful harvest, the earliest shifts of rich color in the hardwood canopies—it just never gets old!
One reliably fun way to celebrate this seasonal transition while you’re staying with us at the Admiral’s Inn is to attend the Family Jamboree up in Wells, a charming village just a short drive north of our home base here in Ogunquit.
The Jubilant Jamboree
This year marks the 8th annual Jamboree, thrown by the Wells Chamber of Commerce and completely free to attend. The delights go down on September 17 from 11AM to 3PM in beautiful Wells Harbor Community Park, set against Wells Harbor and back dropped by dunes and salt marshes.
As its old-timey name suggests, the Family Jamboree is an all-ages affair. There’ll be games, arts and crafts, plentiful food vendors, and many other delights for the entire gang. The smell (and taste) of barbecue, the laughter of kids at play, the gentle sea breeze overhead: We’re talking timeless country-style appeal!
The Great Maine Outdoor Weekend
The Family Jamboree falls during the Great Maine Outdoor Weekend (Sept. 16-18), a wonderful initiative by the Maine Outdoor Coalition that encourages residents and visitors alike to get out and enjoy the unparalleled natural beauty and recreational opportunities that the Pine Tree State has to offer. And not far from the Jamboree grounds at Wells Harbor Park, you’ve got another highly appropriate destination for participating in Outdoor Weekend: the overlapping complex of the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve and the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, named for the pioneering naturalist Rachel Carson (who most famously penned Silent Spring). Take a hike, for instance, on the mile-long Carson Trail in the wildlife refuge to sample our local Atlantic shore at its pristine best: serene coastal pinewoods and precious tidal marshlands.
After the Family Jamboree festivities and maybe a nature walk or two, you can repair back to the Admiral’s Inn for a soak in one of the outdoor Jacuzzis, a deep-tissue massage, and a meal at the on-site OGT Coastal Kitchen & Oyster Bar. Not a bad September day on the seashore of southern Maine, we’d say!
We’d love to welcome you to the Admiral’s Inn for the Family Jamboree in Wells and the Great Maine Outdoor Weekend. Come soak up the end-of-summer splendor in one of the very best corners of New England to do it!
