Here's what's new at York and Ogunquit beaches in 2023: Shops, eateries, shows and more

Southern Maine’s big summer season returns in 2023 with more new businesses, newly renovated hotels, and frequent festivals and live events.

Restaurants, breweries, hotel owners and town officials are preparing for what they expect to be another busy season in towns like York and Ogunquit.

Beachgoers were out on Long Sands Beach last week walking in spring coats and jeans. Soon they will be in T-shirts and trunks and enjoying events like York Days, Ogunquit’s BonAire! Festival and weekly concerts at Ellis Park.

Here is a look at what is coming in 2023 to southern Maine’s beach towns.

York Days, Christmas in July and other events return

The York Parks and Recreation Department has a schedule of events slated for the 2023 season, from its annual York Days festival to September’s Beach Bonfire.

York Days returns July 28 and runs through Aug. 6 with activities all over York Beach and the Nubble Lighthouse. The festivities start with Christmas in July in which the Nubble will be lit up and a toy drive is held.

“Everyone seems to go crazy over that,” said Nick Darby, special events coordinator for the Recreation Department.

York Days includes a 5K race on July 30 that starts and ends at York High School, winding around Long Sands Road and Ridge Road. The festival ends with a two-day craft fair at the York Beach Ball Field on Aug. 5 and 6.

York Parks and Recreation’s last big event of the summer is their Beach Bonfire on Sept. 2 which raises money for the York Community Service Association.

Darby said the events the department holds all year long are a fun way to bring people together, locals as well as tourists.

“It’s really just a great opportunity to get the community out, get them together and create a sense of community,” Darby said.

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New restaurants and more at Short Sands Beach

A new Thai restaurant and an expanded Molly O’s takeout service are among the changes coming in 2023 to Short Sands Beach, known for its shops and restaurants.

The owners of the regional chain Bangkok Kitchen have opened their eighth store selling Thai food with their new counter-service restaurant Pattaya Thai at 15 Railroad Ave. They changed their new location’s name from Bangkok Kitchen to meet York’s ordinance against chain restaurants, differentiating it as a new business.

Anna Piradetpaopong, daughter-in-law of owner Khone Sanasy, said they are excited to serve a busy tourist spot like Short Sands Beach where no other option for Thai food currently exists.

“Good location to do business, especially summertime,” Piradetpaopong said.

Southern Girl Bakery will not return to its location at 4 Main St. after one season at the beach. Instead, Molly O’s diner is expanding there from next door, taking over the space as a new take-out counter. Manager Patti Krukoff-Bernier said Molly O’s will be using that space to sell to-go breakfast sandwiches and muffins and pastries.

Krukoff-Bernier is also excited for her second year of running Nick’s Beachside Grille at 1 Ocean Ave., which she opened last year as a co-owner. Nick’s moved into the former location of the Italian restaurant 1652 and brought casual beach and grill fare to a space with an ocean view.

Sweet Josie’s Candy Shoppe has spent the last few summers handling candy for patrons rather than having customers pick them out to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This year the candy shop has returned to its pre-COVID norm of having guests bag their own candy.

“It’s a big deal,” said Kathleen Perez who works at Sweet Josie’s.

Other events include fireworks at Short Sands Beach scheduled for July 4 at dusk, approximately 9 p.m. Live music and performances will take place most nights from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on the gazebo at Ellis Park between July 1 and Sept. 2.

New rides at York's Wild Kingdom

York’s local zoo and amusement park returns in 2023 with a new Ferris wheel-style ride while preparing for another year of baby goats, camel rides and other animal attractions.

Last year York’s Wild Kingdom had to close its longstanding Ferris wheel after more than four decades of service. Samantha Sauls, whose family owns and operates York’s Wild Kingdom, described the new ride as “like a family Ferris wheel” and said it will arrive from Italy sometime in July.

Sauls said the selection of kiddie rides will be expanded this year as well. Last year there were a few rides that were not brought online because of limited staffing. Her hope is their staffing woes will change this year so they can bring the public their full offerings.

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York’s Wild Kingdom has animal exhibits that range from the African lion to gibbons, camels, alligators, and several animals available for petting and feeding. Sauls said there will be more baby goats in the spring, as well as capibaras that have recently seen a surge in popularity on TikTok.

The Wild Kingdom opens on May 27.

“I think it’s nice for people when they come and go through the zoo, they can go visit Short Sands,” Sauls said.

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Joe Lipton’s Stones Throw Hotel and Restaurant was full within 20 minutes when he opened up for the season last month at Long Sands Beach.

He expects hotel bookings this year to be as busy as 2022, a season he described last year as being another step towards normalcy following the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I think this year is going to be probably – I’m expecting the same as last year,” Lipton said. “If the weather cooperates, I’m expecting the same sort of influx.”

Lipton has plans to finish work on seven new hotel units at his ViewPoint Hotel overlooking the Nubble Lighthouse by August. The rooms are being built into the side of the hill with green roofs to appear as part of the scenery.

Lipton is also working on a renovation of the Nevada Motel on Long Sands Beach he hopes to finish by August. The hotel first opened in 1951, built with the look of a battleship the one the original owner Henry de la Pena served on in World War II – the USS Nevada. The hotel will have a new third floor once the work is completed, as well as more spacious rooms.

Lipton said they are projecting the ViewPoint’s new rooms will be available for booking by August. He said that is the hope as well for the Nevada, although he said the hotel could open later.

Ogunquit saw one of its best-known hotels, the Anchorage by the Sea, sold this year after 45 years as a family business. It was sold by the Ramsey family to Giri Hotels, which also owns Ogunquit’s nearby Meadowmere Resort.

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Other hotels are planning fun for guests this summer as well. Tony Delois, whose family owns the historic Colonial Inn originally built in the 1850s, said the Colonial is preparing a scavenger hunt this year to help guests enjoy the town of Ogunquit and win prizes. He said the hotel will also have a weekly rotation of events from wine and cheese nights to ice cream events that kids can enjoy.

“People want to be in Ogunquit, and for lots of good reasons,” Joe Delois said. “It’s a great family town.”

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Ogunquit Pride, BonAire! return

2023 in Ogunquit sees the return of popular events and festivals like June 10th’s BonAire!, as well as the opening of a few new gift and clothing shops.

The summer season kicks off with Ogunquit Pride, a long weekend of festivities that runs from Thursday, June 1 through Monday, June 5. The events start with a flag raising in Veteran’s Park, followed by a community barbecue.

The next weekend, BonAire! returns in the main beach parking lot with live music all day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on the oceanside stage. Acts include the headlining rock-blues-roots group Butcher Baglio and Estes, featuring known Boston singer-guitarist Jon Butcher.

The festival features a craft fair with 90 vendors, as well as prize opportunities like tickets for cruises that go out from the cove. Hot air balloon rides will also be offered at the sports field off of Route 1.

Some of the older businesses in town are celebrating big anniversaries. The Ogunquit Museum of American Art is entering its 70th year, while the Omelet Factory is celebrating its 40th anniversary.

Some businesses are starting their journeys in Ogunquit, like Beach Bum Threads which launched its first store in York last year. Justine and Michael DiSalvo set out to make a clothing brand that represented the southern Maine surfing scene, and they announced on March 28 they were opening their second location in Perkins Cove.

“We are so grateful for everyone who supported us last year and are excited, to expand on that this summer in Perkins Cove,” they wrote in their announcement post.

Shore Road is getting a new gift shop in Captain Sawyer’s Mercantile, which will offer a variety of seaside-themed items like clothing, jewelry, candles postcards and similar items. Owner Raney Tromblee purchased the building last year and opened two businesses there for the 2022 season – Big Daddy’s Ice Cream and OGT Beanery.

The new gift shop will be upstairs above those two businesses and open in the next week, according to Tromblee. He said Ogunquit has proven to be a good town for investment given the amount of people that continue to visit. The town was named one of the top 10 beaches to visit as part of TripAdvisor’s 2023 Traveler’s Choice Awards.

“It’s a great town to be in,” Tromblee said. “It’s everybody’s happy place.”

Ogunquit Playhouse presents 'The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan,' 'The Da Vinci Code,' 'Tootsie' and more

The Ogunquit Playhouse returns this year with an assortment of musicals, thrillers and comedies to the seaside community for its 91st season.

“Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” is back for a five-week run this year at the Playhouse after a successful debut in 2022. The script brings “all the passion from the life and career of singer-songwriter Carole King” to the stage to tell her story, according to the Playhouse.

The lineup stays musical with a run of “Singin’ in the Rain” from June 15 to July 15. July 20 sees “On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio & Gloria Estefan” come to the playhouse as a new international production, according to the venue’s website. The play runs through Aug. 19 and tells the story of the musical family who fused Cuban traditions with the high energy of the ’80s and ’90s.

“The Da Vinci Code” makes its American theatrical premiere at the Playhouse this year, telling the story of the best-selling novel by Dan Brown that sold over 100 million copies. That play runs from Aug. 24 through Sept. 23.

Following is the regional premiere of the Broadway musical “Tootsie,” an adaptation of the 1982 film. In this version, struggling actor Michael Dorsey’s story takes place in the Broadway world rather than on daytime television. That production will run from Sept. 28 to Oct. 29.

The Ogunquit Playhouse also offers children’s theatre on its main stage during the daytime with productions of “Disney’s Finding Nemo, Jr.,” “Disney’s Descendants: The Musical” and “The SpongeBob Musical' in July and August.

New beach parking app in York

Beachgoers will notice some parking kiosks missing from both Long Sands and Short Sands Beaches – nine fewer, to be exact. The town of York is taking steps to phase out the use of its 42 parking kiosks due to the cost and time required for maintenance, as well as the fact that their parts are difficult to get.

However, they are making it easier to park with the use of a new parking app.

“I think this is just the wave of the future,” said Selectboard member Robert Palmer.

The missing kiosks were mostly removed from Long Sands Beach with one from Short Sands Beach, according to Assistant Town Manager Kathryn Lagasse. She said she worked with the town’s foreman to determine which kiosks were the least used and would be convenient to remove.

The app Pango can be downloaded on smartphones. It will allow people to pay for more parking from any location.

“This application, they could be laying on the beach and putting more money on,” Palmer said. “I think it’s sort of a win-win for the community.”

Beer, music and more at local breweries

Live music, dog shows and more are coming to local breweries in 2023, including a full music and beer festival in Wells set to draw 40 breweries from around the world.

Odd by Nature Brewing will host Oddity by the Ocean on May 20 for the festival’s second year, this time at Merriland Farm in Wells with more than 700 tickets sold. More than 1,200 are expected to attend with artists including reggae-influenced Over the Bridge and Long Beach Dub All-Stars, according to Odd by Nature owner Jay Grey.

Jakob Nowell, son of the late founder of Sublime Bradley Nowell, is also slated to appear as a featured artist, Grey said. Breweries will be coming from as far as Japan.

Grey said events like Oddity by the Ocean showcase what the southern Maine brewery scene can offer against the many beermakers in other parts of Maine like the Portland area.

“There’s a million breweries in Portland. We’re not Portland. We’re down here almost on like an island,” Grey said. “We want to make sure that we show people our little slice of Maine because I think southern Maine is pretty cool.”

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York’s two sister breweries - Southern Maine Brewing Company, or SoMe, and York Beach Beer Company – are also getting ready for a season of events that gets started with “York’s Best In Show: A Fun Dog Show” on May 13.

Other events include more frequent live music at York Beach Beer Co. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, as well as visits from the Cape Neddick Center for Wildlife where patrons can get up close and personal with the center’s raptors and reptiles.

Sarah Rowland, whose family runs both breweries, said the summer is a big deal for them as tourists flock to the area. She said they work to keep their prices reasonable so visitors don’t feel like they’re shelling out just to try locally-made beer.

“They can come and relax and have a few beers and not break the bank,” Rowland said. “We provide tourists and our locals just a really fun summer experience.”

Brickyard Hollow is preparing for its second season with a location in Ogunquit by bringing a whole new menu of pizzas. The brewing company recently purchased a new brew facility in New Gloucester, Maine, that Ogunquit General Manager Kaila Gutierrez said will mean many more “new and improved” craft beers.

“We cannot wait for our second season in the famous Ogunquit downtown,” Gutierrez said.

The Bush Family Classic tees off Kennebunkport

Fore! The Bush Family Classic, a golf tournament to benefit Gary’s House, will return to Kennebunkport on June 12 and 13.

A gala will kick off the two-day event at The Nonantum Resort at 95 Ocean Avenue in Kennebunkport on Monday, June 12, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The event will include silent and live auctions.

The tournament itself will follow on Tuesday, June 13, at the Cape Arundel Golf Club at 19 River Road in Kennebunkport. Breakfast will be served at 8:30 a.m. Opening remarks will be at 9 a.m. and the shotgun start will be at 10 a.m.

According to the Northern Light Head Foundation, Gary’s House is named after teenager Gary Pike, a Kennebunk teenager who lost his battle with cancer. His family needed to sleep in his hospital room because they could not afford to stay at a hotel. The mission of Gary’s House is to make sure families in similar situations will always have a place to stay while their loved ones are treated.

The Bush family has held this annual tournament for Gary’s House since 1996.

HarborFest returns to Wells

Harbor Park is the place to be in Wells this summer, as the town will see the return of its popular HarborFest on Saturday, July 29.

Rebecca Kelley, the town’s volunteer communications coordinator, said this year’s HarborFest will have plenty of family fun. In addition to games and a treasure hunt, the event also will boast a donut-eating contest, courtesy of Congdon’s Donuts, a drone exhibition, and “Coast Encounters,” a small pool where children will be able to meet sea critters.

Food trucks will be parked on-site, and Atlantic Harmonies will perform live.

And, of course, there will be the Lobster Trap Toss, which Kelley said is the only such competition in the state, and perhaps even the nation.

“If you win, then you’re the reigning national champion,” she said.

HarborFest will be held that day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The park is located at 331 Harbor Road.

According to Kelley, free concerts will be held at the gazebo at Harbor Park every Saturday night in July and August, from 6 to 8 p.m.

“These are all local bands from the Southern Maine area – a cool, diverse group of musicians,” Kelley said.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: York and Ogunquit beaches in 2023: New shops, eateries, shows