January 31, 2010
Winter Lighthouses
Even though winter is here, there is no reason to stay inside! Bundle up your family and venture out to the coast of Maine where you can experience some of the best lighthouses in the country. Maine has the second largest count of lighthouses in the U.S., with over 60 of them scattered along the coast of Maine. They have become a symbol and have guided countless mariners around dangerous shores and thick fog for over 200 years!
Whaleback Light, Boon Island Light, Cape Neddick Light, Goat Island Light, and Wood Island Light are just a handful of the well-known lighthouses in southern Maine. It is a good idea to get out in the winter and enjoy the beautiful coast! It can still be breathtaking in the cold and a good way for you and your family to have some fun.
At Festiva Hospitality Group, we have 27 beautiful resorts, the majority of them scattered throughout the East Coast and the Midwest. We know what a vacation in a beautiful setting can do for you and your family and we want to make sure that you can take family vacations often! At Festiva we can show you how you can travel for less money and more often. We take vacationing seriously and can take all of the hard work out of trying to find a good place for you. Head over to our Festiva website at www.festiva.travel to find out how you can listen to one of our 90 minute presentations in Portland, Maine. And as a thank you for just hearing what we have to say, you could get $1000.00, a flat screen TV, a netbook, and so much more!
January 30, 2010
The Best of Maine
Maine is a beautiful state and if you don’t live here, you should seriously consider vacationing here! We have so much to offer! Maine is full of natural wonders including waterfalls, caves, cliffs and estuaries. You can explore the mountains and the coastline here. Our wildlife makes our natural attractions even more exciting to experience. Maine has many options to choose from if you want to take a slow walk through any of our wildlife reserves, see what its like to be far off the shore of the Atlantic Ocean to go whale watching, go on a puffins excursion, or even take a moose safari trip deep into the Maine woods.
Go to VisitMaine.com, a very helpful and informative website that will tell you where you can see the best wildlife or go on the best safaris, and can also keep you up to date on the most exciting and thrilling fairs, festivals, sporting events, and concerts that Maine has going on at any time. Head over to www.visitmaine.com to see what you and your family can do next time you are the the astounding state of Maine!
And while you are in the area, you should come over to Festiva Hospitality Group’s location in Portland Maine! At Festiva we can show you and your family how you can take longer vacations, more often, and for less money than you could ever imagine! We are a family friendly resort and we look forward to meeting you so that we can make your life more fun! Maine is just one of the amazing states that we have one of our resorts at! Head over to our website at www.festiva.travel so that you can see for yourself the beautiful places that you and your family could visit!
January 29, 2010
Who doesn’t love chocolate?!
www.meliving.com
Whether you’re young or old, are celebrating an occasion or just have a craving, most people love chocolate! Why not celebrate chocolate during the month of Valentine’s Day when lots of chocolate is given and consumed! Kennebunk is hosting their annual fundraiser and celebration of all things chocolate during their Chocolate Extravaganza. This has been happening since 2001 and admission is free and includes chocolate giveaways!
Since every vendor has to donate something chocolate to the event for prizes and games, it’s a lot of fun and there are many interesting ideas. For example, there have been chocolate nachos, chocolate coffee, a chocolate kiss bustier and more. There have also been attractions such as a five foot chocolate fountain with strawberries thanks to the On the Marsh Restaurant.
www.kennebunkportgetaways.com
There is usually a donation jar for different charities and this year, Ever After Mustang Rescue is going to bring their horses. Their charity provides a haven for wild horses from all over the United States.
The event will include a live band while vendors can compete to give away the best free hot chocolate. There will also be a chocolate sculpture! The past has included a chocolate covered heart, a sand castle, a chocolate dipped man, and an eight foot lobster as well as other great masterpieces!
This unique and tasty event will be taking place in February and the exact date is to be determined. Check back with the Chocolate Extravaganza’s website often to find out when the fun will begin or you can give Danie Connolly a call at 207-985-9999.
Since Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, maybe chocolate is on your shopping list? Give Festiva Hospitality Group a call at 888-695-0200 to learn how to get a free Visa gift card to go buy that special someone in your life some chocolate and more for free! Or, ask about the many different dinner certificates we can offer you so you can take that special someone out to a nice dinner on us at Festiva! If you’re interested in joining our member’s only travel club called Festiva Adventure Club, visit our website to learn more about us and the opportunity to spend future holidays at one of our many travel destinations!
January 28, 2010
Don’t forget about Snowfest this weekend!
www.norwaytrackers.com
If you love the snow, drag racing and radar runs then you’ll love Snowfest! It all takes place this weekend, January 30th and 31st in Norway, Maine. The Snowfest is also known as the Oxford Hills Snowfest at Lake Pennesseewassee, or Norway Lake.
The Norway Trackers Snowmobile Club runs this thrilling event and you can expect to enjoy an antique snowmobile show and a chowder fest in addition to drag racing and radar runs. There will also be hot food available right on the ice throughout the event! All of the proceeds will benefit the Norway Snowmobile Trail System by providing trail grooming and maintenance. Admission is free for viewers.
Drag racing will be held on Saturday and it will be single elimination for those 18 and older. The length of the track is 660 feet. Sign up will start at 9:30 and there will be a drivers meeting around 10:15 with the races starting soon after. You won’t want to miss the grudge matches that will start at 2:00. There is a $5 entry fee for this race and you will get to pick an opponent to race against!
The radar runs will take place on Sunday for those 18 and older. The track length for this race is 660 feet as well and the day will run on the same times as Saturday.
Don’t miss Chowder Fest on Sunday from 11-2 in the Clubhouse, or The Little Red School House on Route 118. The menu will include corn, fish, salmon, clam chowders, beef stew, chili, bread, dessert and more! It only costs $7 for adults and $3 for children under 12 and the best part is it’s all you can eat!
The Antique Snowmobile Show will take place on Sunday as well, featuring snowmobiles older than 25 years. The parade will begin at 12:00 and entrants can register for trophies until 2:00. If you would like more information on the event, feel free to contact Richard at (207) 527-2175!
If you like what you see at the parade, why not give Festiva Hospitality Group a call to find out how you can win your own Ski-Doo! Festiva can be reached at (888) 695-0200 and our preview center is conveniently located right in Portland! You can also check out Festiva’s website to learn a little more about what we have to offer other than the drawing!
January 27, 2010
A Night out at Gritty McDuff’s
If you are looking to experience a wonderful night out, take a ride and check out Gritty McDuff’s. With three convenient locations in Portland, Freeport and Auburn, Maine, Gritty’s is sure to please your palette as well as your pocket book.
At Gritty McDuff’s you can sample many handcrafted ales as well as traditional pub fare. Gritty’s has frequently been awarded titles of “Maine’s Best Brew Pub,” “Maine’s Best Microbrew” and “Best Bar” in many statewide polls.
In addition to fantastic food and beer, Gritty’s in Portland features live music every Saturday. Visit the GrittyBlog for the latest schedule and come out to support live music and eat, drink and be merry!
While you’re in the area stop into Festiva Adventure Club in Portland, Maine, and you can get a coupon for Gritty’s. Festiva has been offering exciting vacation options to 27 resorts and 5 cruise club destinations. Visit Festiva’s website or call 888-695-0200 to schedule a chance to learn more about our fabulous destinations!
January 26, 2010
Laughter is the Best Medicine
The powers of humor and laughter are numerous. They entertain us and make us feel good. They heal, alleviate pain, relieve stress and anxiety, are 
anti-aging and longevity facilitators and much more. Above all, they are essential in helping us to find and maintain balance in life and career.
Unfortunately the powers of humor are slipping away from us. We have become far too serious. On the flip side, research from humor-laughter.com shows uncontrollable laughter always happens from interaction with others. As a matter of fact, a recent study found that people laugh 6 more times in the presence of one person 
and 30 more times in a group of people. You can get a chuckle from jokes you get on the Internet, but it is not the same as the belly jiggling, rib tickling laughter you get from when you interact with others.
To get yourself a belly-jiggling, rib-tickling laugh come to the Cumberland County Civic Center on Thursday, January 28th. Larry the Cable Guy and Bill Engvall will be performing their hilarious acts starting at 7:30 pm.For more information visit the Civic Center’s website.
We love to laugh here at Festiva Adventure Club and there is no better way 
than with a great vacation. Festiva has been offering exciting vacation options for the past 10 years. We have 27 resorts and 5 cruise club destinations. To learn more visit Festiva’s website or call 888-695-0200 today!
January 25, 2010
Bethel Winterfest
If you think you have missed the fun of Bethel Winterfest, don’t worry, there are still six more days of the event left. Take the opportunity to enjoy the winter activities Bethel is noted for.
Activities include Alpine skiing, hot air ballooning, laser tag, snow groomer riders, horse drawn sleigh rides, snow shoeing, indoor activities with carnations (January’s flower), Bethel Historical Society exhibits, and competitions among skiers and snowboarders including racing and rail tricks. Also enjoy these events that will be open all winter long during good weather conditions: skating at the outdoor rink, the snow maze and the 20-foot-long snow slide. Visit Bethel Winterfest’s website for more information.
We love to enjoy the snowy winter weather of Maine here at Festiva Adventure Club, but if you aren’t a fan, we can help you get to warmer 
climates. Come into our Portland office and learn about our exciting vacation options. With 3 resorts and 5 sailing destinations in the Caribbean and 14 properties throughout the Carolina Coast and the South, Festiva can get you out of the cold and into the sun. Visit our website or call 888-695-0200 to learn more today!
January 22, 2010
“Sweet Caroline!”
http://boston.redsox.mlb.com
The Red Sox are already preparing for the 2010 baseball season! Part of that preparation includes coming to Maine during the 2010 Red Sox Road Trip presented by Coca Cola. They will be visiting all six states in New England from January 20th-25th. One of the best parts is that they will be bringing Wally the Green Monster and their 2004 and 2007 World Series trophies along. On January 24th they will be at Sunday River in Newry from 9am-1pm and then they will be at L.L. Bean in Freeport from 4pm-8pm.
This exciting road trip will include fun activities for everyone. Maybe you want to take part in a speed pitch, see a balloon artist, take pictures with the trophies or even visit their much-loved mascot, Wally! Don’t forget to grab your voucher for a ticket pre-sale. Those with vouchers will have the chance to buy two Red Sox tickets online before they even go on sale to the general public. But get there early because vouchers will only be handed out on a first-come first-serve basis. If you love the Red Sox but can’t make it to Boston very often, this would be a great opportunity for you to see the guys and have some fun this weekend!
www.necn.com
While you’re in the area, why not stop by Portland and make a day out of it? There are so many places to eat and shop around here so if you have never been here you might want to check it out this weekend. If you can’t make it this weekend, you can always give Festiva Hospitality Group a call at 888-695-0200 to schedule a time to come in and learn a little bit about us and our exciting vacation program called Festiva Adventure Club. As a thank you for your time, Festiva will gladly give you some great gift cards to Famous Dave’s, Texas Roadhouse, Gritty McDuff’s or more! Or you can always visit our website to learn about the many destinations we offer all over the country!
January 21, 2010
Snodeo 2010 is here!
Photo by Todd Donaldson
If you’ll be in the Rangeley area tonight through this weekend you can’t miss this exciting event. It’s even worth the trip if you don’t live nearby. Rangeley is a gorgeous place to visit but it’s going to be especially thrilling this weekend when they host Snodeo 2010! It all kicks off tonight with a chili chowder cook-off at 6pm. Casino night begins at 7pm and for entertainment you can expect to enjoy Mike Rodrigue and Bill Cameron.
Tomorrow the fun begins with the family ride and cookout at 10am, a vintage snowmobile display from 10am-2pm, raffles and dancing from 8pm on and so much more. Saturday will conclude the event and it includes a radar run at Russell Cove. Registration begins at 8:30am and runs take place from 9am-2:30pm. There will also be a children’s activity table from 10am-2pm. You can take part in some helicopter rides, turkey bowling, a Mr. and Mrs. Snodeo contest, a pig roast and much more!
There will also be plenty of entertainment, an awards ceremony and drawing, a snowmobile parade and even fireworks. All proceeds from these events benefit the Rangeley Lakes Snowmobile Club Trail Fund. For more information on this event, check out the website.
Photo by Maggie Judd
If you enter to win the drawing for the Arctic Cat snowmobile and don’t win it, feel free to stop by the Festiva Adventure Club booth and enter to win a Ski Doo and ATV or $15,000 cash! If you do win, the choice is yours if you want the toys or the cash. How can you beat that?! You can also give Festiva a call at 888-695-0200 to find out how to win other cool prizes like Irving gas cards, dinner certificates or even a gift certificate for Central Maine Powersports or Tri-Sports! Check out Festiva’s website to learn a little about us.
January 20, 2010
Camden Snow Bowl
The US National Toboggan Championship is the only organized wooden toboggan race in the entire country. It is even believed by some to be the only one in the world! And it is right here in Camden, Maine. In order to take part in the Championship, your toboggan needs has to be of the original shape, material and design. Other than those brief qualifications, anybody can race, regardless of age or ability!
The Championships will be held on February 5th through the 7th. The race will take place at Barnestown Road in Camden, Maine, 040843. There are several ways that you can find out more information on this event. You can check out their website at www.camdensnowbowl.com or you can call Dan Bookham at (207)236-4404.
While you are in the area, you should head over to Portland, Maine’s, Festiva Hospitality Group office. We can help you vacation longer and for less money. We have 27 beautiful resorts scattered along the eastern coast and Midwest. They will take your breath away! Come on into one of our 90-minute presentations at Festiva and we promise you won’t go away unhappy! Your family can find many uses for what Festiva Hospitality Group has to offer and we will more than happy to help show you how. Feel free to head over to our website at www.festiva.travel!
