The Spring Running Festival, a celebration of life in, on and along Maine’s historic Kennebec River, begins Friday night, June 1st, with a chowder supper at the Calumet Club and continues on Saturday, June 2nd, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Mill Park and Old Fort Western in Augusta, Maine’s capital city.

The chowder supper begins at 6:00 p.m. at the Calumet Club on Northern Avenue, Augusta. Tickets are $9 for adults, $5 for children under 6. Reservations may be made by contacting Sue Murphy at 623-8211 or sue@calumetclub.com. The band, Emerald Sky will provide music during the evening.

The festival itself gets underway Saturday morning with an early-bird bird walk beginning from Mill Park at 7:00 a.m. The full schedule of events kicks-in at 9:00 a.m. Included are:

Old Fort Western: Cooperage, Blacksmithing, Traditional Fish Preservation, Bateau Display and Ride (river conditions permitting), History of Augusta and the Kennebec River
Location: Old Fort Western
Time: 9am – 4pm

Craft Show
Location: Mill Park
Time: 9am – 4pm

Fly Tying and Casting Instruction, with the Kennebec Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited
Location: Mill Park, near Exhibit Tent
Time: 9am – 4pm

Kite Flying, with the Nor’Easters, and Kites Over New England (KONE)
Location: Mill Park
Time: Various times through the day, conditions permitting

Magician - Magic by Mark
Location: Mill Park
Time: 10 am – 12 noon

Musician Eric Green
Location: Mill Park, stage
Time: 12 noon – 1pm

Music by Bonnie Edwards and the Practical Cats
Location: Mill Park, stage
Time: 1pm – 3pm

Fishing Rod Construction using Modern Materials, with Bob Greene
Location: Mill Park, exhibits tent
Time: all day, but with full demonstrations at 11am and 2pm

Kayaking Instruction, and Fishing from Kayaks, by Seaspray Kayaking
Locations: Old Fort Western boat landing, and Canal St. landing, north of Mill Park
Times: 10am at Canal St. landing, and 1pm at Old Fort Western boat launch

Aquatic Insects of the Kennebec River, and other Maine Waters, by the Maine Dept. of Environmental Protection, Stream Team
Locations: Old Fort Western boat landing, and Canal St. landing, north of Mill Park
Times: 11am at Old Fort Western boat landing, 2pm at Canal St. boat launch

Traditional Bamboo Fly Rod Construction, and Making Hand-Furled Leaders, with David Van Burgel and Kathy Scott
Location: Mill Park, Exhibit Tent
Time: 9am – 4pm

Handbuilding Snowshoes, with Maine Guide Snowshoes
Location: Mill Park, Exhibit Tent
Time: 9am – 4pm

Live Alewife Display (pending availability)
Location: Mill Park, Exhibit Tent
Time: 9am – 4pm

Gyotaku – Japanese Traditional Fish Prints
Location: Mill Park, Exhibit Tent
Time: 9am – 4pm

The Old Fort Western trolleys will take festival participants between Mill Park, Canal St, and Old Fort Western free of charge throughout the day.  Meet the trolleys in the Mill Park and City Hall / Old Fort Western parking lots.

The full schedule of events may be found at http://www.springrunning.com.
The chowder supper will take place rain or shine.
The rain date for Saturday’s events is Sunday, June 3rd. A postponement notice will be posted June 1st in the afternoon/evening on the event website as required.

• The Spring Running, now in its second year, is an official event of the City of Augusta. Other sponsors include Maine Sea Grant College Program at the University of Maine, Capital Riverfront Improvement District, Maine Department of Marine Resources, Maine Rivers, Old Fort Western, Time and Tide Resource Conservation & Development Area, the Calumet Club, and University of Maine Cooperative Extension.