Friday, July 10: Summer goes by so quickly in Maine. Take advantage of Friday’s sunny forecast by hitting a happy hour at your favorite bar with a deck. Some of our favorites include Boone’s Fish House and Oyster Room, The Porthole and Portland Lobster Company. Start your night right at Boone’s, where they knock $5 off select cocktails and $3 off select draft beer and wines from 4-6 pm. Then move down the deck to The Porthole, where the The Work Trucks hit the deck at 7 pm. A few blocks away at Portland Lobster Company you can kick back and enjoy a lobster roll while listening to the musical stylings of the Pete Kilpatrick Band, 7-10 pm. Boone’s, 86 Commercial Street; The Porthole, 20 Custom House Wharf; Portland Lobster Company, 180 Commercial Street.
Saturday, July 11: Do you like running? Yes, perfect. Hold tight. No? Well, what if we told you that at the finish line you’ll be met with tasty refreshing beer from Shipyard. Like running now? We thought so. You’re in luck, because today is the day for the annual Shipyard Brewing Old Port Half Marathon & 5K & Lobster Bake. Did Shipyard just create the longest name for a race ever? The excitement begins with the Old Port Lobster Bake on Friday from 5-8 pm at Ocean Gateway. Runners can pick up their registration packet, then sit down (for an extra fee) to a meal of lobster, chicken or veggie burgers, and enjoy beer and live music. The race itself begins Saturday at 7 am, also at Ocean Gateway. It costs $70 to run in the half marathon, or $30 for the 5K. The half marathon is for runners only, but runners and walkers are welcome in the 5K. Once the race is over, enjoy two complimentary cans of Shipyard in the Beer Garden. Sweet! 14 Ocean Gateway Pier, Portland.
Sunday, July 12: There aren’t a lot of events going on today in the Old Port, so why not take advantage of a breather in your schedule by playing tourist in your own city? Maine Foodie Tours offers several options, including the Old Port Culinary Walking Tours. Tours take about 2.5-3 hours and you will visit 7 stops, sampling items like seafood, cheese, donuts, whoopie pies, chocolates and more! Cost is $55. When we checked Wednesday night, there were still 8 spots available for the 11:30 am tour.
If you’d rather ride than walk, then The Maine Brew Bus is just the ticket. Their Sunday Drinks About Town runs from 1-4:30 pm and takes you all the way to Freeport and Maine Beer Company, followed by stops at Maine Meadworks and Rising Tide Brewing Company, both in Portland. Cost is $55, pick up and drop off is at the Craft Beer Cellar, 111 Commercial Street, Portland. The prices for both tours includes all of your samples along the way.
Another option most Portlanders haven’t tried (unless entertaining out-of-town guests) is the Downeast Duck Tours. The hour-long tour winds through the streets of Portland, where the guide shares interesting tidbits on the city’s history, before taking you right into Casco Bay for a scenic cruise around the harbor. Tickets are $27 for adults and the tour departs at 10am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm and 3:30 pm from Casco Variety Store, 94 Commercial Street.