CAMDEN – Food, glorious food.

And wine. And beer.

Much of it grown, caught, raised, fermented and brewed here in Maine.

That’s what the second annual Maine Fare celebrates the weekend of Sept. 14-16, said organizer Janet Dutson.

The event grew out of the Camden Food & Wine Festival in 2005. Dutson said soon after that event, organizers learned that noted food writer Nancy Harmon Jenkins and some friends had been planning an all-Maine food event. So last year, the two groups joined forces for the first Maine Fare.

“We had about 1,000 people last year,” Dutson said.

This year’s Maine Fare features a host of events over the weekend, including Friday, with much of it at the Waterfall Events Center in the Knox Mill in Camden but also in area restaurants and inns.

The underlying theme of the nonprofit effort is to celebrate Maine food. Local food, organic food and “slow” food – as opposed to fast food – also are emphasized.

“Our goal here is to promote Maine food culture,” Dutson said, and to spread the event up and down the coast and eventually to inland parts of the state.

Organizers, and supporters including the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, say food and wine festivals have enormous potential to draw tourists, especially during the shoulder season when visitation begins to flag.

Maine Fare offers a full menu of cooking classes, demonstrations, samples and panel discussions. Though some classes cost extra, Dutson said, organizers deliberately set the daily admission price at $10 for what they are calling the Maine Fare Marketplace, which includes cooking demonstrations, presentation and panel discussions.

Among the panel discussions and presentations scheduled are:

. “Real Food for Maine Kids: Linking Farms, Schools and Communities,” featuring Amanda Beal, president of Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association.

. “Secrets of Maine Food Writers,” featuring cookbook authors Jenkins, Kathy Gunst, and Michael Sanders.

. “A Subversive Plot: Bringing the Delicious Revolution into Your Own Backyard,” with Roger Doiron, founding director of Kitchen Gardeners International.

Throughout the weekend, classes and three guided food pairings will be offered, such as Maine wine and cheese; Maine beer, breads and sausages; and Maine seafood and spirits.

The opening reception and dinner is from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14, and will benefit MOFGA. Maine Fare will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 16.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.mainefare.com, by calling 800-854-5952, or at the door.