The very first carnival was a four day event held in July 1956.  It was billed that year as the first annual Lobster Carnival, which indicates the optimism held by the organizers that it would continue into the future.  It has consistently met the expectation of the first organizing committee that it would “focus attention on the town and would bring in a larger number of summer visitors.”

 

Generally the credit for the venture is given to Edgar Cannon, who was a member of the Town Council and the chair of a Tourist and Publicity Committee of the Board of Trade.  Under his direction a committee of service groups in the community was formed and Charles Hogan was appointed as over-all director of the carnival.  The organizations that were involved in addition to the Board of Trade were the Legion Branch No. 5, the Y’s Men, the Kinsmen, the RCAF Association No.