Pirate Festival pictures (Eastport: home, live, shop)

[willb]

Even though we had a hurricane go through I see that Don Dunbar has posted a bunch of Pirate Festival pictures on his website. It really was a lot of fun.

[mrs1885]

Argh!! Link? Or at least the name of the site? I thought I'd get to see what I missed!! LOL!!

[mollysmiles]

willb did you get to see a copy of that email that was sent to the Chamber regarding the Salmon Festival and the Pirate Festival being on the same weekend? That wasn't all that it was about.... it was quite something!!

I didn't make it down but Jake was there with his Dad and had a great time. From what I've heard and seen it was a good time! We'll try to make it next year!

[willb]

Don Dunbar Eastport, or Don Dunbar Maine Images should bring it up. I heard about the letter from the woman who rents the shop next door, though I haven't seen it. Apparently it was a disgruntled lady who was venting to the head of the chamber in what she thought was a private conversation and it ended up being passed out like handbills on the street. I was in business across from her for 3 years. Retail can be stressful and I also believe her husband just started 6 months of chemo. People can say some stupid things and it's some people's instinct to blame external forces when things aren't going their way. I always appreciated her flowers and her work getting the feral cats spayed.

[mollysmiles]

I'm not sure we're talking about the same thing, though we could be. In the address, this woman's letter was to the entire Chamber. She really said some horrible things about the people of Eastport and her neighbors. It looks like a case of someone having moved there, without doing the necessary research, and then trying to make it into what they imagined it to be, or what they came from. One of her lines is "nothing is going to change here, until enough people from away, move here that know how to do things right". Needless to say, she'll have no more of our business! Anway, if it is the same person then I'm glad that your interaction was positive. Unfortunately, writing such a hateful email will garner her little support for whatever it is she's experiencing.

[7th generation]

Here are the pictures of the Pirate Festival.

[Eastport4me]

Thanks 7th Gen for the pictures. I wish we could have been in Eastport for the festivals. I miss home in Eastport.

[willb]

Like I say, I never read the letter, and unfortunately, I never spent any money in her store, because that's not the kind of stuff I would spend money on. One of my favorite bits on the old Saturday Night Live was the Scotch Tape Boutique, which was this store in a mall that sold nothing but scotch tape. It was the kind of thing that just wouldn't work, but the people had a lot of enthusiasm. Retail is tough, especially in a small market like ours. The really neat thing about Eastport is that if you don't like the way things are going you can always get involved and a person that wants to take something on can do a lot. It's sad when people sit on the sidelines and complain about the way other people are doing things, because everyone has the opportunity to contribute to making things better. There are always new folks coming to Eastport, for the last 200 years anyway, people come and go and really very little withstands the forces of changes, but at least here you can have a sayso. Eastport has the most incredible youth music program in the state, and maybe in New England: 44 kids on Saturday mornings, started by one woman. We have a wonderful full Symphony Orchestra that was only going into rehearsals less than a year and a half ago. There is a new community chorus, the Eastport Elementary boosters handle a comprehensive youth sports program. There's the incredible 4th of July volunteers, who put on the best 4th ever seen. Patti Craig organized the 9/11 walk mostly by herself. The Salmon Festival is about 15 years old and the Pirate days came out of a barroom conversation a little over 2 years ago. There was a fly-in at the airport the last 2 years, but I don't see anything about it this year. I don't know if I ever want to see another "Bikini/Speedo run for heat", where you run down Water st in December to benefit the HEAP program, but there's suppose to be another. The Sardine drop on New Year's has gotten national exposure, and that was born of idle chit-chat 3 years ago. There is a women's choir, started by a sweet woman from Oklahoma, that gets together on Mondays and sings Balkan folksongs. Some people bring their problems with them, and when things don't work out they blame the place, or the people, and they might say a lot of stupid things in the heat of a moment, but I believe in that old "Judge not lest ye be Judged.." thing because I have said many things in my life that I regret.
If someone complains about the chamber, I do remember going to Chamber meetings where there were 6 or less people, and if you wanted to take on organizing the Salmon Festival or any other thing, you were more than welcome to. It's kind of funny; of the businesses that have opened up downtown in the last five years, only Paula's Flowers and the Tattoo parlor were opened by people born in Eastport. Everthing else has been opened by people who have come to Eastport willing to put time and energy into making a go at a dream. Take away Wadsworth's, Spinnaker Realty and Rosie's, and all of the actual businesses downtown are 5 years old or less, and we were talking this morning to a couple that is going to open a gallery next spring, so one person goes and I'll bet 2 or 3 come to replace her.

[moughie]

Originally Posted by willb

Retail can be stressful and I also believe her husband just started 6 months of chemo. People can say some stupid things and it's some people's instinct to blame external forces when things aren't going their way. I always appreciated her flowers and her work getting the feral cats spayed.

Anxiously awaiting the Pirate Festival photos link!

I am so sorry about the disgruntled business owners's personal situation with her husband facing 6 months of chemo. I do agree with your statement that " People can say some stupid things and it's some people's instinct to blame external forces when things aren't going their way. It may not be the best human trait but is a most human trait."
I do hope her husband makes it through treatment.

[dano04631]

Thanks for posting the pics -- can't wait for next year's