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| Discover Downeast | |
|---|---|
| Name | Discover Downeast |
| Settlement type | Regional tourism initiative |
| Country | United States |
| State | Maine |
| County | Washington County, Maine |
Discover Downeast is a regional tourism and economic development initiative promoting the Downeast region of Maine and adjacent coastal and inland communities. It highlights attractions from Mount Desert Island to the Canadian border, connecting local stakeholders including municipalities, chambers of commerce, historical societies, and conservation organizations. The initiative intersects with federal and state programs administered by agencies such as the National Park Service, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Maine Office of Tourism.
Discover Downeast coordinates marketing, community development, and event promotion across towns like Bar Harbor, Calais, Machias, Eastport, and Lubec. Partners include the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce, Maine Tourism Association, Acadia National Park, Moosehead Lake Region groups, and regional economic development corporations such as Coastal Enterprises, Inc.. The initiative links local festivals like the Bar Harbor Music Festival, Blueberry Festival (Machias), and maritime institutions such as the Penobscot Marine Museum, aligning with grant programs from the National Endowment for the Arts, Economic Development Administration, and state historic preservation offices like the Maine Historic Preservation Commission.
The area promoted encompasses coastal peninsulas, islands, estuaries, and inland forests spanning portions of Washington County, Maine and adjacent counties including Hancock and Aroostook. Key geographic features include the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Maine, Penobscot Bay, the St. Croix River, and island groups such as the Schoodic Peninsula, Fox Islands, and Isle au Haut. Climatic conditions are influenced by the Gulf Stream, leading to maritime climate patterns similar to coastal regions in Nova Scotia, with seasonal impacts from Nor'easters and remnants of Atlantic hurricanes documented by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The region's heritage includes indigenous presence from the Passamaquoddy, Penobscot Nation, and Maliseet people, colonial encounters involving Samuel de Champlain, John Smith, and contested borders defined by treaties such as the Treaty of Paris (1783) and the Webster–Ashburton Treaty. Maritime history connects to figures and events like the Grand Banks, the age of sail including packet service to Boston, the fishing grounds used by International Maritime Fisheries and schooner traditions preserved at the Maine Maritime Museum. Cultural landmarks include historic lighthouses at West Quoddy Head Light, Bucks Harbor Light, and Owls Head Light, artistic movements represented by Winslow Homer, Andrew Wyeth, and institutions like the Wyeth Center. Educational and heritage partners include the University of Maine, College of the Atlantic, Maine Maritime Academy, and archive centers such as the George Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions.
Economic activities emphasized by the initiative include commercial fishing centered on species from the Atlantic cod and Atlantic herring fisheries to lobstering registered with the Maine Department of Marine Resources, aquaculture enterprises linked to oyster farming and hatcheries, forest products from species like Eastern white pine supporting sawmills and paper operations historically tied to companies such as Great Northern Paper Company and Sappi Limited. Small business sectors include hospitality operators affiliated with the American Hotel & Lodging Association, artisan cooperatives working with organizations like the Maine Crafts Association, and renewable energy projects connected to the Maine Renewable Energy Association and tidal energy research at locations studied by University of Maine Orono laboratories. The initiative also intersects with workforce programs run by Maine Department of Labor and regional planning commissions including the Washington County Council of Governments.
Tourism offerings promoted include outdoor recreation in Acadia National Park, coastal birding at Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge, whale watching in the Gulf of Maine popular with operators registered under the Professional Association of Diving Instructors for dive tourism, and heritage trails linking sites such as the Roosevelt Campobello International Park and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum (for comparative New England presidential heritage). Festivals and foodways include clam bakes, the blueberry harvest tied to Vaccinium angustifolium, and culinary events featuring chefs connected to the James Beard Foundation. Trail systems include linkages to the East Coast Greenway, the International Appalachian Trail, and local rail-trail conversions supported by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.
Access strategies reference regional hubs such as Bangor International Airport, Hancock County–Bar Harbor Airport, and ferry services operated by companies akin to State Ferries serving island routes to Maine Island Trail Association access points. Road connections highlighted include U.S. Route 1, Interstate 95, and state routes connecting to ports at Lubec Harbor and Milbridge. Cross-border links involve customs and ports of entry at Calais and international corridors to St. Stephen, New Brunswick and Saint John, New Brunswick, coordinated with agencies such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Canada Border Services Agency.
Conservation partnerships include the National Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy, Maine Coast Heritage Trust, and federal refuges under the National Wildlife Refuge System like Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge and Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge. Resource management engages researchers from Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, monitoring programs run by the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, and marine stewardship efforts aligned with the Northeast Ocean Data initiatives. Cultural resource stewardship involves the Maine Historic Preservation Commission and nonprofit museums such as the Penobscot Nation Museum and Downeast Heritage Museum-affiliated collections. The initiative also coordinates with conservation finance tools promoted by National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and regional land trusts like the British Columbia Land Trust Alliance for cross-border exchange of practices.