The Boothbay In Bloom Summer Fair, held on Boothbay Common July 13 by Boothbay Region Garden Club, featured Club shops and region organizations offering information and fun for all ages.

The BRGC activity with Bonnie Ginger was for the birds, no pun intended,  stuffing pine cones with sunflower and almond butter. Boothbay Region Land Trust was there with information, maps and the craft project, Make Your Own Nature Wand. Selected sticks were adorned with fern, sweet fern, and cedar and/or twine. There were pamphlets on BRLT properties, trails, conservation, and education programs, and a donation jar. Boothbay Sea and Science Center was on site with its now famous craft project: making oyster shell people. Two oyster people ended up taking rides in a couple of the boats in the kiddie pool at Boothbay Region Historical Society’s Make A Boat table. The Community Center had Origami box making with newspaper for planting calendula starter plants; Bigelow Laboratory, celebrating its 50th anniversary, had a variety of phytoplankton stamps for kids and had information on research into the health of the oceans; American Legion Auxiliary: poppy seed planting, Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library: reading center and bubble machine; and Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens had starter flower plants for potting and a wealth of information on the gardens, conservation and the impact of climate change.

The Clean Drinking Water Initiative made presentations throughout the day using a watershed model demonstrating what happens in communities when rain moves toxic products like pesticides for gardens and other outdoor space, oil and grease from vehicles, etc. into the water supply. Visit www.facebook.com/BRCleanDrinkingWater and https://bbrwd.org

From the gazebo, traditional and Celtic folk music floated on the air. Mark Bonin was on concertinas, Linda Bonin on guitar, and Sue Hope on violin.

Lunch was to the left of the gazebo where pulled pork, chicken and hot dogs were on the menu. To the right of the gazebo, soft drinks including lemonade and water were for sale – and buttery popcorn as well.

The Barters’s Island Bees (BIB) tent from  Trevett was a-buzz; owner Donna Denniston brought along a frame of the company’s worker bees. BIB’s multiple varieties of honey were out for sampling. And the beeswax candles were all golden yellow, ready to grace anyone’s table, mantle, or counter.

The Garden Club shops included Nature’s Gifts – plants, perennials and annuals from club members’ gardens; gorgeously decorated birdhouses, sea urchin’s turned snowmen with scarves; wind chimes, plant stands … a lot of great-looking items made by those creative Garden Club members; the Sweet Shop had everything a sweet tooth could long for including brownies, cookies and homemade treats for dogs. Found Treasures had a large selection of vases and other glass items, plus tools for the kitchen, and more. Bloom at Home was a real draw with the handmade items like potholders, light quilts, napkins, or wall hangings of floral material, bowls, and blue hydrangea in vases.

Ed Harmon and Arthur Richardson represented Boothbay V.E.T.S. with one of the emergency temporary shelters for veterans experiencing homelessness. Boothbay V.E.T.S. is a tax-deductible, non-profit 501c3 organization. Donations can be mailed to Boothbay V.E.T.S. Inc., P.O. Box 402, East Boothbay, ME 04544. Volunteers are also needed. Call 633-7935 or (207) 242-9310.

Said BRGC member Kevin Bowler, said the club was very happy with the turnout. “We will not know how much money was made until next week, but I would say that we did meet our expectations for this event.”

Bowler, in floral print green bib jeans and a hat, said the club had hoped for more kids to enjoy the activities local nonprofits provided.

BRGC plans to alternate its Boothbay In Bloom Summer Fair with the extremely popular Home and Garden tour planned, fingers crossed, for 2025.