At its recent meeting, the Board of Directors of the Maine Lobster Festival announced the Officers for the 2019 year are Celia Knight, President, Peter Beal, Vice President, Barbara Toler, Secretary, and Laurie Smith, Treasurer. Outgoing President Cynthia Powell and Vice President Michelle Hannan chose not to seek re-election but will continue to volunteer as members on the Board of Directors.

Coronation Committee chair Sharon Lombardo, who had announced her retirement earlier this year, will step down from her role with the Coronation Committee. Lombardo will continue to volunteer on the Board of Directors.

President Celia Knight issued this statement: “We have listened to our community and new leadership just one of many changes that will come to the 2019 Festival. These changes come in part as a result of the 2018 Sea Goddess Coronation. We ask everyone to understand that as a group of volunteers we worked as fast as we could to gather information and follow the policies and protocol that we have in place. As a Board we are continuing to work together to improve. We would also like to offer our sincere apology to Taylor Hamlin and her family, as well as the community for the events that occurred at the 2018 Festival. It is my hope that the new leadership team will have the support of the community to make the 2019 Maine Lobster Festival a success.”

Statement from the Hamlin’s

“We appreciate that the new leadership of the Festival is taking steps to make this situation right. Our family has always supported the Maine Lobster Festival, its volunteers, and everything they do to give back to the community. We look forward to the 2019 Festival.”

About the Maine Lobster Festival

Five days of fun and feasting on the fabulous coast of Maine, the Maine Lobster Festival attracts thousands of people to the Midcoast region and has a long tradition of giving back to the local community. In recent years, the festival committee has given more than $500,000 to Midcoast Regional Child Development Services, Trekkers, Meals on Wheels, and many other organizations. The 2019 Festival will be held July 31 – August 4. For more information about the Maine Lobster Festival, visit the website at www.mainelobsterfestival.com, “like” them on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter at @MELobsterFest.