A passenger vessel with the capacity to carry up to 49 passengers will provide tours to the Damariscotta River oyster farms during the Pemaquid Oyster Festival on Sunday, Sept. 29.

“This is one of the most exciting additions we’ve ever had to the Pemaquid Oyster Festival,” said Event Director Greg Latimer. “This boat will give us the opportunity to educate up to 196 people about oyster farming operations in the Damariscotta River.”

M/V Teciani, popularly known as the River Tripper, is 50 feet long with a beam of 14.8 feet and draws only four feet of water, according to her captain, Chip Holmes of Newcastle. Passengers can enjoy ample seating, a stable ride and a full bar as the River Tripper plies the Damariscotta. Perhaps most importantly, given the rainy weather that the Pemaquid Oyster Festival seems to draw every year, the River Tripper has a full cover over her passenger area to keep occupants dry.

The vessel and Capt. Holmes are both licensed by the United States Coast Guard. Holmes is the owner of Maine Yacht Services in Newcastle. He and partner Olga Oros, of Newcastle, are the owners of Damariscotta River Cruises, based at Schooner Landing Marina. He has been a Pemaquid Oyster Festival volunteer since the event opened in 2001, and Oros has served as a volunteer for the past several years.

The Pemaquid Oyster Festival aquaculture tours aboard the River Tripper will begin at 1 p.m. during the event and run hourly until 4 p.m. (A 5 p.m. tour may be scheduled based on demand.) The tours will leave the Schooner Landing Marina and run down river to the Pemaquid Oyster Co. aquaculture lease on the Damariscotta River.

Passengers can see the farms and will learn about oysters, how they are raised and their history on the river from a docent provided by the Pemaquid Oyster Festival. The price of tickets has not yet been determined.

The Pemaquid Oyster Festival will be held Sunday, Sept. 29 at Schooner Landing Restaurant and Marina in Damariscotta from noon to dusk with day-long live music, educational exhibits, tours of the oyster farms, and lots of oysters fresh from the river.

Oysters will be available raw on the half shell, cooked in a variety of choices, and in hearty oyster stew. Gourmet sauces provided by WaldoStone Farm will be available for topping the tasty bivalves. Schooner Landing will also offer a special menu with “non oyster” items.

For more information about the Pemaquid Oyster Festival, check www.pemaquidoysterfestival.com or call Greg Latimer at 207-380-9912. Volunteers and sponsors are both sought for the Pemaquid Oyster Festival.

To learn more about the River Tripper and regular tours, check www.damariscottarivercruises.com or call 888-635-4309.