Middleboro's Herring Run Festival at Oliver Mill Park, Nemasket River

Middleboro has the largest herring run in New England. 

Below are the pamphlets that were handed out at the Festival by the Middleboro Lakeville Herring Fishing Commission. 

The herring start to run in March and run through late May. River herring live in the Atlantic ocean all year long, but in the spring the adult fish start to swim (run) up the Taunton River into the Nemasket River. They lay their eggs in Assawampsett Pond and the adults return to the ocean. Adults make their first run when they are 3-4 years old.

   The Herring Run festival ran Friday, Saturday and Sunday and was very well attended for a first time event. Everyone that attended seemed to have had a great time. Plans are already in the making for next year. Parking was at the KOA across the street/ Rte. 44 on Plymouth St. Buses shuttled everyone across the busy road to the festival and then back again.

North Street bridge crossing the Nemasket River at the herring run

 falls

standing on the walkway over the river looking downstream

I don't know who the kids were but they were having a blast getting wet and catching a fish and then releasing it. I can remember doing this when I was a young girl and my grandfather would take me to the herring run here in Middleboro and in Brewster, MA.

                               Just reach in the river and grab a fish.

geese ignoring all the herring and the crowds busily looking for something to eat

herring that went down a small stream was caught in the weeds for a few seconds, but it managed to get back into the deeper water to continue its swim to spawn. 

Thousands of herring swimming downstream. leaping out of the water

fish ladders going downstream

There were many craft booths, antique cars, and food vendors at this 3 day event over the weekend.

I had a lobster roll for lunch. It was delicious

there is also another herring run on Wareham St, Middleboro were there are fish ladders and falls. The water is very high due to all the rain we have had lately. The water comes rushing down the Nemasket swirling and foaming. 

If you click on the photos below you can see the fish in the water

  

coming down the fish ladders thousands of herring 

flipping in and out of the water

The water was filled with thousands of fish...hard to see in the photos above because there were so many. You could see fins and backs swirling in the water as they tumbled and swam downstream.

A booklet with all of the festivals and events that are planned in the town throughout year were given out at the Herring Festival. Inside the booklet there are lots of wonderful photos and information.

I took a video yesterday (4.14.2014) at the Wareham Street herring run, but I haven't figured out how to download it off my camera yet. I keep getting an error message. 

Elaine