‘Just open and chug,’ at the Moxie drinking contest

Learn some strategy behind the popular Orland River Day competition

Mike Smith of Bucksport in a victory stance after winning his second Moxie drinking contest. Photo by Maizy Weirich.

Sept. 14, 2026

By Maizy Weirich

ORLAND – Six contestants took on the ultimate Moxie drinking challenge at this year's Orland River Day Festival. 

The rules were simple: Contestants must finish everything in their cans, cannot set down the can they're actively drinking from, and the first to finish three cans wins. 

It took last year's Moxie drinking champion, Mike Smith of Bucksport, one minute and one second to down three cans of Moxie and reclaim his title. 

Smith said the competition was fun, although not much of a challenge this year, considering his opponents were all children–three of whom were his own. The other five contestants struggled to finish two cans before the challenge ended.

Smith said his strategy is simple: “Just open and chug.”

Smith said he might burp a little, but “if you burp too much then foam comes up.”

Although three cans was this year's limit, Smith said he had to drink 12 cans of Moxie the year prior. 

“Last year they had made us drink until the time ran out, and whoever drank the most won that one,” Smith said. 

Orland River Day held other competitions like canoe and kayak races and a whoopie-pie-eating contest. The festival also hosted close to 40 vendors along Narramissic Drive, marking another successful river day. 

Jackie Gott, owner of the Gott Lunch? food truck, said sales were brisk during the event, which has “grown incredibly” over the past few years.

“We sold out last year. We sold out this year sooner,” Gott said.