Mainebiz

V O L . X X X I I N O. I V S P O R T S / T O U R I S M / R E C R E AT I O N F O C U S E very year, thousands of run- ners congregate in Maine's Downeast region for mara- thons, tens of thousands of boaters glide along the coastline, and millions of hikers, bikers and others gravitate to Acadia National Park. While the scale of participation varies widely, each event generates income for local businesses, supports jobs and bolsters communities. 'Marathon of the north' e Mount Desert Island Marathon/ Half/Relay, launched in 2002 with 392 finishers, drew 1,983 in 2025 from all 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as abroad. e Down East Sunrise Trail Relay, started in 2014 with 106 runners, grew to 391 from 14 states plus Canada. And Millinocket Marathon & Half, begun in 2015 with just 54 finishers, ballooned to 2,303 last year from 40 states. While most partici- pants hailed from Maine, they were joined by athletes from Canada, the U.K.. Iran and the Philippines. "e MDI Marathon was the 'New York City Marathon of the far north,'" says Gary Allen, founder and race director. "And the Millinocket marathon was, 'Why wouldn't this work?' I think the Millinocket marathon has an iden- tity of its own." e 2025 Millinocket edition, which doesn't charge an entry fee, was bigger even than the MDI Marathon. "We've been told lodging is full from Bangor all the way to Houlton," says Allen. "It definitely fed a need. You get on the Golden Road and you have that snow- capped peak of Katahdin looking you in the face." e 2023 MDI Marathon gener- ated over $2.1 million for the local economy, says planning and opera- tions director Mary Ropp, citing figures from the Maine Sports Commission. e Millinocket Marathon's 2015 through 2021 edi- tions generated a total of $2.8 mil- lion for the Katahdin region. In 2025, the events attracted $110,966 in charitable donations. e events are hosted by Crow Athletics and produced by Run Maine Inc. RUN, BOAT, HIKE Outdoor recreation powers Downeast economy B y L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r P H O T O S / C O U R T E S Y O F C ROW AT H L E T I C S Gary Allen and Mary Ropp say the planning process for next year's race is always underway. The 2023 MDI Marathon generated over $2.1 million for the local economy. The Millinocket Marathon has grown from 54 finishers in 2015 to 2,303 a decade later. 18

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