PORTLAND, Maine (PRWEB)
November 24, 2019

In the 1920s, thousands of visitors flocked to Portland to enjoy a winter spectacle of ice castles, sculptures, sled dogs, ski jumping and other outdoor festivities to celebrate the season. A century later, the party is back.

Shamrock Sports & Entertainment, in partnership with Maine Office of Tourism and Norway Savings Bank, will transform the Eastern Prom in Portland into a winter wonderland, with activities and attractions to appeal to Mainers and visitors alike. The inaugural 3 day festival, scheduled for January 30 through February 2, 2020.

The Carnaval Maine celebration kicks off with the Bicentennial Winter Ball on Thursday, January 30 to mark the 200th year of Maine’s statehood. Throughout the festival, art installations, illumination shows, a rail jam competition and special igloo soiree events will take place. Professional ice sculptors will wow the crowd with live events, offering a world-class experience of people of all ages. Bites and Brews will bring award-winning chefs and craft brewers together like Allagash and Luke’s Lobster for made-in-Maine pairings sure to delight the most discerning palates.

“Winter is an important season in Maine attracting nearly 6.5 million visitors and about $200 million in lodging sales alone. Combine that with the food, retail and recreational opportunities people come here to experience and the economic impact of winter tourism is significant,” said Steve Lyons, director of the Maine Office of Tourism. “We believe Carnaval Maine will be a new experience that will drive visitation and be an added boost to our winter economy.”

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to provide support via our Presenting Partnership of Carnaval ME and specifically the Illumination experiences. Winter is particularly magical with snow-filled landscapes and exciting activities. The Carnaval Illumination Experience will bring color and joy to the Promenade. We look forward to playing a role in making Carnaval ME a memorable event for our growing communities,” said Patricia Weigel, President and CEO of Norway Savings Bank.

The tradition of celebrating Winter from the end of January till mid-February has been around for a long time. In Quebec City, the world’s snow capital, the first major winter carnival made its debut in 1894. “We welcome Carnaval ME to the world of winter festivals! As thousands of Mainers have enjoyed Carnaval de Quebec thru the decades, we look forward to collaborating with Carnaval ME to drive mutually rewarding promotion and experiences,” said Carnaval de Quebec Commercial Director Marie-Eve Jacob.

On the heels of a 2019 Portland Pops event on Portland’s Eastern prom featuring the beloved Portland Symphony Orchestra and recent news of partnership with PGA to bring the Live & Work in Maine Open to Falmouth Country Club in June of 2020, Carnaval ME becomes the 3rd annual event to be managed, owned, operated and marketed by Shamrock Signature, a division of Shamrock Sports & Entertainment focused on LIVE experiences. “At Shamrock Sports & Entertainment we are very excited to bring to life an epic event that will celebrate Maine being a State for All Seasons, contribute to the local economy and support our community of award winning artists, breweries and chefs to be enjoyed by locals and visitors alike,” said Shamrock CEO, Brian Corcoran.

For tickets and more information on Carnaval ME visit http://www.CarnavalME.com

Presenting Partners: Norway Savings Bank & Maine Office of Tourism

Additional partners include: AAA, Press Hotel, NewsCenter Maine, Portland Press Herald, Townsquare Media

Bites & Brews’ Participants:

Allagash

Bissell Brothers

Maine Beer Box

Maine Beer Co.

Rising Tide

Shipyard

Urban Farm Fermentory

Central Provisions

Highroller Lobster Co.

Luke’s Lobster

Scales

UNION

Media Contact- Angie Helton, 207-653-0365 or angie@nemediaassociates.com

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