Portland's Harvest on the Harbor festival under new ownership
Courtesy / Harvest on the Harbor
The Harvest on the Harbor festival has brought nearly 28,000 culinary fans from across the globe to Portland since its inception.
The annual Harvest on the Harbor festival that draws food, beer, wine and spirit lovers from across the globe to Maine is now under new ownership.
The festival, which has brought nearly 28,000 culinary fans to Portland since its inception in 2008, was sold by the Greater Portland Convention and Visitors Bureau to Stefanie Manning and Gabrielle Garofalo, partners in the Portland-based experiential firm S&G LLC for an undisclosed sum.
“This was an opportunity we simply couldn’t pass up.” Manning said in a prepared statement. “The CVB has done a great job getting Harvest on the Harbor to its current status and we are thrilled to build upon their legacy for years to come.”
Manning is perhaps most well-known within the state as the vice president of marketing and circulation at MaineToday Media, while Garofalo owns the New York-based marketing and promotion firm Gabrielle Garofalo Inc. Consulting & Creative Energy. The two business partners first met while working for Newsweek in the 1990s, with Manning relocating to Maine in 2013 after her husband, Tom Manning purchased the Miss Portland Diner which she is also a co-owner of.
Four companies submitted bids to purchase the three-day event from the Conventions and Visitors Bureau, which will remain a sponsor until 2020. The festival has been featured in numerous publications including The New York Times and was singled-out in a 2009 Bon Appétit article “The Foodiest Small Town” which profiled the growing food industry within Portland.
“This event has helped to solidify Greater Portland’s reputation as a culinary destination.” Lynn Tillotson, Greater Portland CVB’s president and CEO said in a statement. “We are delighted to have S&G take this festival to the next level. We are confident they will expand its scope and reach while being true to its focus on highlighting Maine’s exceptional cuisine while driving new visitors to our region.”
The 2016 Harvest on The Harbor will be held on Oct. 19-23, with tickets going on sale June 1 online.
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