oldeSt And moSt venerAted
feStIvAlS In belfASt
This year will mark the sixteenth year
for Belfast's ARTS IN THE PARK, the
two-day July arts and crafts festival that
is one of the best outdoor arts events in
Maine. In addition to drawing hundreds
of visitors to Belfast, it is a much-antici-
pated event for local families and friends.
There is continuous live music under
the tent both days, and in addition to
ice cream and sweets, food vendors sell
everything from kabobs to lobster rolls.
breathtaking backdrop for more than
80 artists and their white tents filled with
a huge variety of fine arts and crafts,
ranging from paintings to photos, fiber
and pottery, metalwork and jewelry.
from exhibitor fees, etc. go to support
Belfast parks, via "Friends of Belfast Parks"
www.friendsofbelfastparks.org. This is the
primary fundraiser for Friends of Belfast
Parks. Last year, approximately $5000
was raised to benefit Belfast's parks.
Sunday, July 9 and 10, 2011 from 10-4.
Bring the family, or friends, and plan to
spend the day at this delightful event.
the well-educated regional workforce of more than 200,000 located within a 50-mile
radius of Belfast, one which offers labor rates that are extremely competitive with
major markets in the northeastern United States. Businesses offering high-quality,
good-paying jobs in this region can expect to have little difficulty in attracting a
pool of qualified applicants from which to select.
City, and Montreal, and has access to multiple modes of transportation. Mack Point
Marine Intermodal Cargo Terminal, one of Maine's three major ports, is located
less than 10 miles from downtown Belfast. This facility possesses over 6,500 feet of
on-site rail siding, interconnected with the Montreal, Maine & Atlantic Railway for
double stack service to major U.S. and Canadian markets, more than 70 acres for
development, and 90,000 square feet of storage. In addition, tugboat service is avail-
able from Belfast Bay, and Belfast Municipal Airport, with its 4000' runway, can
accommodate corporate jets and other small aircraft.
to relocate and expand because it possesses an unparalleled quality of life, at an
affordable cost of living. Set against the dramatic backdrop of Penobscot Bay, with
an authentic working waterfront, Belfast offers both visitors and long-time locals
a variety of unique goods and services within a walkable, thriving downtown. Its
well-maintained historic buildings house authentic, owner-operated establishments
where one can purchase day-to-day products, locally-grown food, adventures on
the air and sea, and eclectic art. Belfast also serves as the administrative center for
Waldo County, Maine, and is also the location for the Hutchinson Center, a branch
of the University of Maine system.
perity was first built on shipbuilding
and commerce in such unglamorous
cargoes as hay, ice, apples, and fertil-
izer. During the 1940's, the poultry
industry became Belfast's calling card;
by the 1970's it employed nearly 2,000
and generated $80 million a year,
and Belfast was known as the broiler
capital of the world. Unfortunately,
the industry's decline was even more
rapid, collapsing in the early 1980's,
and Belfast was not able to recover
until the mid-1990's with the arrival
of credit card company MBNA. Today,
the City of Belfast has transitioned
into a far more balanced and diverse
economy, possessing strong representa-
tion in the tourism, arts, manufactur-
ing, health care, education, agricultural,
boatbuilding, and financial sectors.
continued development of a diversified
and robust economy that will create
quality, good-paying employment op-
portunities. The City takes a comprehen-
focusing on 4 key activities: 1) the reten-
tion and expansion of businesses that
have already chosen to locate in Belfast;
2) the development of business-friendly
infrastructure, such as business parks
and utilities; 3) the incubation of new
start-up businesses; and 4) targeted at-
traction of businesses. The City utilizes
a team approach to economic develop-
ment, with the active participation of
its City Council, City Manager, City
Planner, and Economic Development Di-
rector. In addition, the City is committed
to handling all permits and approvals for
prospective businesses in an expedient,
streamlined manner, recognizing that
uncertainty and delays can be significant
impediments to a potential project.
tive, strategic partnerships with other
economic development entities in the
region, such as Eastern Maine Develop-
ment Corporation, the Knox-Waldo Re-
gional Economic Development Council,
Maine & Company, and the Belfast Area
access to a far wider variety of resources.
Development can provide free, confiden-
tial assistance to any existing or poten-
tial business that may have interest in
the Belfast region. The office possesses
an extensive knowledge of the many
existing local, State, Federal, and private
incentive programs that can potentially
benefit your business. In addition, the
office can also conduct research on
potential sites and arrange tours, as-
sist in employee attraction efforts, and
provide technical assistance on a variety
of business-related issues. The City also
can offer your business land for develop-
ment at attractive rates at the Belfast
Airport Business Park, in exchange for
quality job creation. This park is con-
veniently located off of Route 1, has
3-phase power, and is served by mu-
nicipal water and sewer. The park also
includes within it the City-owned Belfast
Municipal Airport, which has space
available for aviation-related businesses.