Trail Festival at Pineland Farms

The Trail Festival at Pineland Farms brings trail running to New Gloucester, Maine, over Memorial Day weekend, with courses laid out across the farm roads and wooded trails of the Royal River valley. You can pick anything from a quick 5K to the 30 hour ultra, then return to a central start-finish hub that keeps logistics simple for athletes, friends, and families. If you want a low-commitment taste of the weekend, the Saturday night Sunset 5K is an easy way to join in.

Expect a busy, well-run event village with local food, live music, and a community BBQ with beer for participants. You will share the venue with solo runners chasing 100 mile belt buckles, relay teams rotating through the night, and Sunday visitors lining up for shorter loop races. Underfoot, the routes skew toward well-groomed double track with some roots and rocks, enough to keep you alert without feeling overly technical.

Plan to arrive early Saturday so you can unload close to the venue before moving your car to the designated campus parking lots. Register ahead, since popular distances can sell out months in advance. Bring a reusable bottle for aid stations stocked with water, Untapped Maple energy shots, and snacks, and pack layers for Maine’s variable late-May conditions, often near 70 degrees by day and down to about 45 degrees overnight. If you are racing the 30 hour event, staging camp spaces are first come, first served, and dogs are limited to the Canicross 5K with rules that can change by year.

For lodging, you will have the shortest drive from Gray or New Gloucester, with broader dining and shopping options in Freeport or Auburn. If you want more space for gear and recovery, vacation rentals can work well, including options sourced through Lake.com around the lakes of southern Maine. Fees typically start around $34 for the 5K and rise with distance, the event runs rain or shine, and Pineland Farms does not accommodate camper or RV parking at the race venue.