I’ll be presenting at the Eastern Maine Sportsmen’s Show this weekend

This weekend is one that many people in my neck of the woods look forward to — the weekend of the Eastern Maine Sportsmen’s Show! And this year, I’ll be giving a presentation, followed by a book signing, as a part of the show’s jam-packed program.

A presentation I gave at the show in 2015.

So here’s the rundown:

The 80th (yes, 80th!) Eastern Maine Sportsmen’s Show is scheduled for 4-9 p.m on Friday, March 16; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, March 17; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 18, at the University of Maine Field House in Orono. Tickets are $8 for adults and children 12 years and older, and $12 for a weekend pass.

The BDN will have a booth there, along with 150 other vendors! Hosted by the Penobscot County Conservation Association, the show is all about the outdoors. Vendors range from Maine professional guide services to taxidermy shops to outfitters, and there’s also a bit of food I always look forward, including local ice cream and beef jerky.

You could spend a good long while walking around to all the vendors, especially if you’re a chatty type of person, but there’s also a bunch of demonstrations and presentations scheduled, including my own talk on family-friendly hikes. The full program is right here, and it includes paddling safety demonstrations, a live owl show and talks on becoming a Maine guide.

My presentation, “Family-Friendly Hikes in Maine,” will be at noon on Sunday, March 18, in Classroom A, and it will include a powerpoint presentation in which I highlight several hikes from my first hiking guidebook, which I published through Down East Books in partnership with the Bangor Daily News last June. After the presentation, I’ll open it up for questions from the audience and I’ll be signing and selling guide books, which are $16.95. (I can only take cash or check!)

From past experience, I’ve learned that Sunday talks usually attract quite a small crowd because not as many people are at the show on that day, so if you’re there and want to chat or check out my book, please stop by my talk! I’ll also be at the BDN booth before and after the talk for a spell and would love to meet you.

For more information, visit http://conservationassociation.org/eastern-maine-sportsmens-show/.

The UMaine Field House pool is filled with people trying different kayaks and canoes provided by Old Town Canoe at the 76th Eastern Maine Sportsmen’s Show on March 8, 2014, in Orono.

Aislinn Sarnacki

About Aislinn Sarnacki

Aislinn is a Bangor Daily News reporter for the Outdoors pages, focusing on outdoor recreation and Maine wildlife. Visit her main blog at actoutwithaislinn.bangordailynews.com.