Bridgton & Harrison

Harrison and Bridgton in western Cumberland County is an area surrounded by lakes and mountains, quaint towns and villages with plenty of family-oriented activities. Nestled on opposite sides of pristine Long Lake, they have been historic destination vacation spots for over a century.

The area has a wealth of events going on throughout the year but it is the beauty of the natural resources that draws visitors.

The village of Harrison, between Crystal and Long Lakes, connects boaters with more than 30 miles of interconnecting waterways.

The area has biking and walking paths through woodlands and along the shoreline. It offers fishing, golf, sailing, swimming, tennis, and hiking opportunities along with a ski area that has popular night skiing, and snowmobile and all-terrain vehicle trails for exploring the outdoors.

The Loon Echo Land Trust conserves 3,750 acres of land in seven communities, including Harrison and Bridgton, that are open to the public for recreation, to view working farms and forests and experience nature close-up.

In January, the big event is the Mushers Bowl and Winter Carnival in Bridgton that attracts competitors from throughout the U.S. Sponsored by the Greater Bridgton Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce, it is a nine-day event filled with indoor and outdoor activities.

Bridgton is home to a drive-in movie theater, a community center, free public beaches and boat launches as well as the Shawnee Peak Ski Area. There are two ice arenas, three museums, artists' studios and art galleries, five children's playgrounds, a country club, and an active recreation program and many special events. The town even has a list of 100 things to do that cost little or no money.

In Harrison, art and culture are very much alive. There is the Deertrees Theatre Festival, the Sebago-Long Lake Music Festival, the Deertrees Children’s Wednesday Series, and art galleries.

Deertrees , built in 1936, is one of the most active performing arts venues in the Northeast, offering productions June to September.

Other special events in Harrison include Back-to-the-Past at the historic Scribner's Mill and Old Home Days activities, as well as the Maine Blues Festival in nearby Naples in June; a July 4^th road race in Bridgton that is one of the largest in the state; Maine Brew Fest at Point Sebago Resort in September; and Fryeburg Fair in October, Maine's largest agricultural fair.