Plymouth Waterfront Festival, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

A close-up of part of the famous Plymouth Rock - both an historical artifact and a modern day example of effective advertising. 1620 is the year when English settlers arrived in the area in "the New World." This spot in downtown Plymouth where the rock is located serves each summer as the locus for the Waterfront Festival. There are more than 230 artisan and craft booths, food vendors, live entertainment, a car show,  and a rubber duckie race in the Town Brook. The festival is free to the public.



It is peaceful along the Town Brook now but, soon it will be swarming with yellow duckies for the annual race. In the distance, some of the vendor tents are visible along Water Street which is closed for the event along the waterfront in downtown Plymouth.



There was wonderful live music by various performers throughout the day and at different locations near the waterfront. This performer was on the main stage in the Brewster Gardens.



Weather-wise, it was a perfect New England summer day in"America's Hometown."



This was a panorama and the people were moving so it creates the choppy effect. Oddly, I like it.



It was very well attended, lots of vendors, food sellers, and my favorite product....... a sweatshirt.



I was going to buy this on the way back to the car so I didn't have to carry it around as I was walking - but I forgot.

Plymouth Waterfront Festival, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

The annual Plymouth Waterfront Festival was held recently on a perfect summer day in downtown Plymouth, "America's Hometown." It included hundreds of crafter and vendor booths, a few dozen food trucks and vendors, a car show, a rubber ducky race, a kids fun zone, and live entertainment/music. The festival is presented by the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce.

(Click on an image for a higher resolution version if your device supports that action).



Area streets were closed off for the event and turned into pedestrian-only walkways.



The view from adjacent Cole's Hill. The Plymouth Rock memorial is at left where the sidewalk meets the horizon.



Some folks preferred to sit on the hillside and just enjoy the fine weather.



Fine weather it was, not as hot and humid as last year.



It was a popular event as evidenced by the crowds.



An advertising lesson: simple, few, and large words make the most compelling ad.



And speaking of compelling, the folks supporting the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge were ready with many buckets and lots of ice for willing participants.



Although it was a nice warm summer day, ice water is still ice water.



Good sports these young folks.



Food and crafter tents and trucks all arrayed in the beautiful location beside the Plymouth Harbor. The haze in the lower left area is from the smoke from the grill next to the Thai Food tent.



Not exactly health food but....... it must be what people buy.



Of course, there was live music throughout the day in the Amphitheater.



Some folks brought their pets, though I didn't see any as big as these two. When they pull on the leash, they really pull on the leash.



For some, it was just another work day.........

Here's a link to my blogs about previous year's festivals.

Waterfront Festival, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

The 2014 Downtown Plymouth Waterfront Festival featured hundreds of product vendors, food stalls, and children diversions on this beautiful summer day. Thousands of shoppers and lookers crowded the busy stalls and concourse.

Having these portable pop-up awnings for each vendor sure makes setting up and taking down a display booth more convenient than using the old style tarps and ropes. Plymouth Rock is at the far left and Plymouth Harbor in the distance and behind the trees. (Panorama - click image to view in full width). 

The particular attire of the man on the left, a seersucker suit with straw boater, I normally think of for Charleston, South Carolina rather than Plymouth, Massachusetts.

Turns out he was a local politician stumping for votes.

The food concourse was ever popular.  Many Americans do love their high fat, high sugar, high salt, deep-fried treats such as fried dough, fried corn dogs, fried potatoes.......

....they even sold fried twinkies, fried oreos, and fried chocolate bars! I passed on all of it - I already have heart disease.

It didn't fit under a white tent but this airplane made a great advertisement for a flight school and scenic aerial tour provider.

And the kids sure loved climbing in the cockpit and pulling on the yoke and turning and twisting all the knobs and switches.

Posing for a photo with a large gecko was fun for some.  (The gecko is a mascot for a popular insurance company in the United States).

Waterfront Festival, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

The Plymouth Waterfront Festival was held on a beautiful summer day.  The event featured more than 250 vendors of things, services, and food.



It is always nice when Water Street is closed to traffic and pedestrians have free reign over the space.



Italian ice was popular in the heat.  In the background is the portico that shelters the Plymouth Rock.



I'm not sure why an inflatable slide with a deadly looking alligator/crocodile motif is appealing to the kids but, they were paying to slide down.



I am standing atop Cole's Hill for this photo. Plymouth Rock at far left, the harbor in the distance, and Plymouth Rock State Park in the mid-distance.  Cole's Hill was the original burial site for the Pilgrims during the first winter 1620-21.



Hundreds of yellow rubber duckies float down the town brook to determine a raffle winner.



Scooping out the duckies.



View of the harbor from the Plymouth Yacht Club.



Here is one of the dozens of five foot tall lobsters placed around town as part of an art installation, "Lobster Crawl." Each sculpture is designed and painted by local artists and then sponsored by local businesses. This one was located at Town Hall.

Downtown Plymouth Waterfront Festival, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

More than 200 artisans, crafters, musicians, and food booths highlighted the Festival this year. Bright blue skies, light breeze, low humidity, and perfect temperatures brought out both locals and tourists to enjoy a day on the Plymouth waterfront.  The colonnaded structure at center is the sheltered location of the official Plymouth Rock.

Panorama - click on image to view in full width.

As always, food trucks are on site for hungry visitors. And as always, fried food seems to be the most popular. 

Not fried but probably not particularly healthy either - at least in my opinion. Plymouth Harbor is in the background.

I think "beer-battered" is just another way to say "fried."

And one can wash all that food down with the ever-popular Italian ice.

I think I should enter this image in a caption contest.............how to get ahead - head's up - two heads are better than one - head and shoulders above the rest - put your heads together - laugh your head off........

There was even a bride hanging out at the Festival.  Perhaps she's looking for a husband? perhaps he changed his mind and left? or, perhaps she found one but has just misplaced him?  Maybe check the beer batter stand..........

I don't understand why people bring their dog pets to these events. Hot asphalt, lots of strangers,  no squirrels or cats to chase - doesn't sound very good from a dog's perspective.  Did somebody say  squirrel?

On the other hand, if someone drops a hot dog that can be scarfed up for a snack, that makes it all worthwhile.........

This head looks like it would make a tasty threat for Mr. Shark.