Falling in Love With Everything

Island hosts marathon, festivals, homecoming, ball games, and benefits

Carrie Jones

and

Shaun Farrar

Oct 22, 2024

MOUNT DESERT ISLAND—Long distance doesn’t stop a marathon runner and it’s not stopping a relationship either.

When Daniel Large was out in California to ride in an AIDS benefit that took him 545 miles along the California coast from San Francisco to Los Angeles, he expected long miles, beautiful sights and some camaraderie. What he might not have expected was to fall in love with another fundraising cyclist, Bryan Eckstein.

But Daniel did.

And Bryan did, too.

The only problem?

Daniel lives in Portland. Bryan lives in San Francisco, a continent apart.

So, Daniel did what any man missing his love did. He invited Bryan to come run a marathon—the MDI Half Marathon—one that Daniel’s run more than five times already.

Bryan finished the half (13.1 miles) in 1:27:286:41, with a pace of 6:41. Daniel was right behind him with a time of 1:30:496:56.

Dan Leonard, ran the marathon, in a different act of love, finishing in 3:49:468:47, Leonard raised money for a Camden boy’s family to help support them after an accident and to honor the memory of his brother-in-law who died before he could run the race.

The races run this weekend also support a Beyond the Finish Line program that “helps support the local communities of Mount Desert Island, where we run, as well as state, regional, and national organizations,” according to organizers in a message to racers. “Many of these groups provide goods, services, and volunteers to help you reach your goals.”

Through 2023, the program has raised $488,769 for charities.

Southwest Harbor hosted a finish line festival this year, celebrating community, the runners, and the season. Complete results for the marathon, half, relay are here.

Andrew Taylor won the half (1:13:26 time, 5:37 pace). Kerry Allen won the women’s half (1:19:17 time, 6:04 pace). Brunswick’s Matt Cheney won the marathon with 2:32:19 finish and 5:49 pace. Fort Kent’s Sarah Mulcahy won the women’s with a 2:51:54 finish and 6:34 pace. The three-person team of Cold Bums won the relay with a 3:31:29 finish and 8:05 net pace.

OTHER EVENTS—DREAMWOOD HILL’S MAINELY MEAT

This weekend the island hosted Mount Desert Island High School’s homecoming, a Halloween baseball game to help the Bar Harbor Food Pantry, a Finish Line Festival, and a two-day Harbor Music Festival.

Mainely Meat at Dreamwood Hill, across from Pirate's Cove, hosted a breast cancer fundraiser with silent auction and live music all day Sunday which raised $11,000.

The all-day event, which ran from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m., and the auction benefited the Beth Wright Center, as well as Wings of Eden. The impetus behind the idea comes from love for community and the love for the people that the owners and staff have lost to cancer.

Wings of Eden, a 501c3 corporation, is working toward opening a unique end-of-life care home in Hancock County. The home will provide a safe, loving, and caring environment for patients to receive end-of-life care.

HALLOWEEN BASEBALL FOR THE BAR HARBOR FOOD PANTRY

The Halloween baseball game at the Bar Harbor baseball fields off Park Street supported the Bar Harbor Food Pantry. Adults and kids were invited to play.

Thatcher Yarbrough and his family provided light snacks and drinks and music. He and his family live on the Mount Desert side of Otter Creek and come to Bar Harbor to participate in youth sports all year long.

Thatcher, 12, wanted to have a group play a “sandlot style” baseball game dressed in their Halloween costumes.

MUSIC FESTIVAL

Twenty-two musical groups across six different venues in two days? Welcome to Music Harbor! The event, the brainchild of Bo Jennings, provided participants and audiences with an opportunity to relax, listen, dance, and enjoy during the action-packed weekend

Whether perched on the lawn of the Ivy Manor on Main Street, enjoying some food and beverage at the Annex or the Finback Alehouse, dancing at Bar Harbor Beer Works, or enjoying the smell of the nearby ocean at the Sand Bar on West Street or the ambiance at Project Social, there was a never ending carousel of musical fun and variety available. And there was merchandise at Little Village Gifts.

Locals who are rarely seen out and about were spotted at multiple locations on both days enjoying the opportunity for live music and beautiful weather.

With an eye towards growth, Jennings would like to continue to expand Music Harbor to provide musicians, mostly local folks, the opportunity to showcase their work. He is already planing next year’s.