ROCKLAND – When some local people decided they wanted to join the many places around the country that have found whimsy with animals, choosing the right creature was easy.

Beginning in mid-June, Rockland will open its parks to the city’s – and the state’s – favorite crustacean, the lobster, in a public art event.

The idea is to put 50 41/2-foot-tall fiberglass lobster representations into the hands of area artists, who are free to paint, adorn, accessorize and transform the critters in virtually any way they can imagine. Then, each distinctive lobster creation will find a home for the summer on a concrete base in downtown locations.

The promotion concept was first used in Europe, but achieved great success in Chicago some years ago with cows. Other cities followed suit. Orlando, Fla., had lizards, New Orleans used fish, and Lexington, Ky., had horses.

Just up the coast from Rockland, Belfast last year had its Bearfest, in which 40 fiberglass bears were done up by artists and planted around town. The event drew as many as 60,000 visitors during the summer, organizers estimate, to photograph the creatures or merely gawk at them.

Heidi Benner, the events coordinator for the Rockland-Thomaston Area Chamber of Commerce, hopes the Lobster Maine-ia promotion will be just as big a hit as the other public art events.

The Chamber hopes to find a sponsor for each of the 50 lobsters.

Businesses, organizations and individuals will pay $600 to have their names on the base of each lobster and to be listed on the Web site. Artists will be paired off with sponsors, so the parties can talk about what theme or materials will be used, before the creations are launched.

The artist will get $100 as an advance. At the end of the summer when the creations are auctioned off, the artist will get a percentage of the sale price. The remaining funds will go to the Chamber to pay for programs.

Benner said the lobster models would stand with their tails curled under, creating a kind of chair which children no doubt will take advantage of as they stroll through the city. With their claws extended above their heads, the lobsters will stand close to 5 feet tall, she said.

Since the city’s Main Street is usually jammed with tourists in the summer, the Chamber decided to set up the lobsters slightly off the beaten path. A walking tour will be created, and a brochure guiding visitors to each will be available around town.

The tour – which will feature 41 of the creations – will begin at the Chamber’s information center on the city landing. Lobsters are planned for the library grounds, near the recreation center, on the Farnsworth Art Museum’s campus, at small parks near the Rite Aid store, KeyBank, and the Tradewinds Hotel, at the state ferry terminal, at the docks for the Monhegan boat line, and at the entrances to the city.

Visitors and locals will be able to vote for their favorite lobster.

The installation is planned for June 15. Then the creatures will be trapped and hauled Sept. 15 for a final public viewing at the Owls Head Transportation Museum, where they will be auctioned Sept. 22.

For information, call the Chamber at 596-0376, or check the soon-to-be-online Web site: www.rocklandlobsters.com.