Antiques show finds its new ‘forever home’ in Castine
Down East Art & Antiques Show opens Aug. 12 at new location, showcasing 1,000 objects from dozens of dealers
The show offers three full days of art and antiques. Photo courtesy of Laura Carrigan.
Aug. 5, 2026
By Annie Means
For three days next week, distinguished design agencies, antique retailers, and art exhibitors will descend on the town of Castine to showcase English, European, and American antiques.
Since its founding in 1948, the Down East Art & Antiques Show has attracted internationally recognized exhibitors, showcasing everything from historic 17th-century antiques to the highest-style 21st-century art and objects.
This year, over 1,000 objects will be on display from 34 different exhibitors, coming from across the New England seaboard and as far away as Florida and Tennessee.
Martha Stewart is a frequent visitor to the show. Photo couresy of Laura Carrigan.
Previously, the event was held in Blue Hill’s George Stevens Academy. This year marks the first time Castine’s Maine Maritime Academy will host the Down East Art & Antiques Show.
“We’ve landed on something quite amazing. We all get to be under one roof,” says Laura Carrigan, Director of the Down East Art & Antiques Show. ”This feels like a forever home,” she added.
The show will take place at the Alexander Field House at Maine Maritime Academy, located at 1 Pleasant Street in Castine.
The multi-day event will open with a preview cocktail party on Wednesday Aug. 12, before exhibitors showcase their pieces to the full public on Aug. 13-15.
The show isn’t just about antiques. It’s also a who’s who of the interior design world. Martha Stewart has been a repeat attendee, and several famous architects and designers, including Billy Cotton, Gil Schafer, and Libby Cameron, will host a book signing at 11 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 14.
General admission to all three days of the show costs $20. The preview party offers early access to the show, the cocktail party, and all three full days for $175.
To find out more about the show and to reserve tickets, visit the Downeast Art & Antiques Show’s website.
