The Downeast Art & Antiques Show, which takes place from August 12 to 15 in Castine, Maine, is one of designer Billy Cotton’s favorite events on the design calendar. “It’s intimate in scale, with really passionate dealers,” he explains. “Because it’s smaller and a little off the beaten track, you get to develop relationships with dealers. That’s where so much of my learning comes from.” Cotton is honorary chair of this year’s show, which has a special, personal meaning for him after the untimely loss last year of his best friend, Blair Taylor, “an incredible artist, glassmaker, and writer,” who lived in Blue Hill, Maine, “and always said this was the best art fair of the year.” As chair, “I’ll be honoring my friend and will be there with her children to celebrate her legacy,” Cotton explains.
Antiques dealer Andrew Spindler, who has a beautiful store in Essex, Mass., will be at the Downeast Show.
Courtesy of Andrew SpindlerThirty-four dealers will be exhibiting at the 2026 show, which benefits the Maine Maritime Academy. Among the booths Cotton is most looking forward to visiting: Masachussetts-based dealers Oliver Garland from Woods Hole, Andrew Spindler from Essex, and Village Braider from Plymouth.
Cotton will also be signing books on Friday, August 14, alongside a who’s who of design luminaries including Gil Schafer, Libby Cameron, and FREDERIC style director Eugenia Santiesteban Soto, author of Arbiters of Style: The New Wave of French Interior Design. (To purchase tickets, click here!)
Billy Cotton’s Local Favorites
“The Castine Historical Society, where my friend Blair worked, is a wonderful organization preserving the history of this area,” says Cotton. “Castine is lesser known than, say, Bar Harbor, but it has a rich maritime history. (In fact, it was once the second wealthiest port in America, which the gracious architecture throughout the town attests to.) “While you’re there, go see Maine artist Francis Hamabe’s work at the Abbott School, or take a walking tour to see the well-preserved homes, historical sites, parks, and museums around town.”
Exhibits at the Castine Historical Society take place in the former Abbott School, built in 1859, on the town common.
Courtesy of the Castine Historical Society
Matt Powell and George Trinovitch purchased the 1894 Pentagöet Inn in 2022 and have carefuly restored it with help from a grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Courtesy of the Pentagöet innWhile in town, you might run into Cotton at the charming Pentagöet Inn & Pub, his local lodging of choice. Built in 1894 as Castine’s first “summer hotel,” it also has a good restaurant, he notes. Looking for a more laid-back meal? Head to Crosby’s Drive-In in Bucksport. “It’s an old, family-run business and a classic—I’m obsessed with the lobster roll,” says Cotton.
Crosby’s Drive-In in Bucksport has been doing things the old-fashioned way since 1938. They’re also well-known for their burgers and onion rings.
Courtesy of Crosby's Dine-InFor an afternoon jaunt, head to the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts about an hour south of Castine in Deer Isle. “It’s a really special place—the modernist buildings there are well-preserved, and their mission is tied to the long history of craft in Maine,” says Cotton. “It’s where craft and art meet, which is a big conversation in the art world now, but Haystack has been engaging in this dialogue for generations.” Looking to stay longer? Haystack offers a wide range of courses and workshops for everyone from beginners to professionals.
The Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, which has been around for 75 years, is located about an hour south of Castine in Deer Isle.
Courtesy of Haystack Mountain School of CraftsAnd don’t forget to take some time to soak in the region’s natural delights. “If you’re in this part of Maine, the best thing is to get out on the water,” says Cotton. “There are a number of boat charters along the coastline, and that’s one way to get to my favorite hidden swimming hole, a former granite quarry on Green Island in Stonington Harbor.”
Learn more about the Downeast Antiques & Art Show and purchase tickets here.
