Portsmouth Herald: Capt'n Eli Family Fun Day

View photos and video from the 2nd Annual Capt'n Eli Family Fun Day at the Regatta Banquet & Conference Center in Eliot, Maine.


Spending a rainy day with Capt'n Eli
Also a teen race car driver and giant inflatable whale

By Gina Carbone
November 15, 2009

ELIOT, Maine — The intrepid Capt'n Eli, a 13-year-old race car driver and a giant inflatable whale came together on Saturday for the second annual Capt'n Eli Family Fun Day.

During the free event, held at the Regatta Banquet & Conference Center, Jay Piscopo sketched characters from his graphic novel series, "The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli."

Pass modified driver Sulo Burbank, 13, of Gorham, Maine, let kids check out his race car, which was parked outside next to an Eliot fire engine.

Children danced to the sounds of the Rick Miller Trio and drank Capt'n Eli's Soda, which is a sponsor of Burbank's racing.

The Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation brought a 60-foot whale into the banquet hall for kids to walk through, and set up a table full of stuffed animals and marine information. The event functioned partially as a fund-raiser for the Portsmouth-based nonprofit organization.

Event coordinator Tami Kennedy said they had seen about 200 visitors come in by around 1:30 p.m. on a day of pouring rain, with people already waiting outside before they opened at noon. She estimated by 4 p.m., at the end of the event, they would have welcomed around 300 people.

"We've had a great response," Kennedy said. "The objective is to get more fans and to give people an awareness of the series and who the characters are."...READ MORE

November 14 - Stand by for adventure!

Check out photos from last year's event at this link.

WHAT: 2nd Annual Capt'n Eli Family Fun Day
WHEN: Saturday, November 14 -- Noon-4:00
WHERE: Regatta Banquet & Conference Center
Route 236 - Eliot Commons - Eliot, Maine
Directions at this link

Calling kids of all ages! Join the Capt'n Eli crew for a day of family fun. Come get your hands on a free superhero sketch by Jay Piscopo, creator of The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli graphic novel series.

Blue Ocean Society will take you inside a life-size finback whale and introduce you to real life sea creatures you can hold in your own hands. Rock out with the Rick Miller Trio and hilarious all-ages improv comedy with The Escapists.

Meet 13-year-old race car driver Sulo Burbank and check out his cool car. Enjoy Shield's hot dogs and delicious Capt'n Eli's Soda.

Admission is free but you can help Capt'n Eli support healthy oceans with an optional donation to Blue Ocean Society.

Nov 14: Capt'n Eli Family Fun Day

WHAT: 2nd Annual Capt'n Eli Family Fun Day

WHEN: Saturday, November 14 -- Noon-4:00

WHERE: Regatta Banquet & Conference Center
Route 236 - Eliot Commons - Eliot, Maine
Directions at this link

Calling kids of all ages! Join the Capt'n Eli crew for a day of family fun. Come get your hands on a free superhero sketch by Jay Piscopo, creator of The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli graphic novel series. Blue Ocean Society will take you inside a life-size finback whale and introduce you to real life sea creatures you can hold in your own hands. Rock out with the Rick Miller Trio and hilarious all-ages improv comedy with The Escapists. Meet 13-year-old race car driver Sulo Burbank and check out his cool car. Enjoy Shield's hot dogs and delicious Capt'n Eli's Soda.

Admission is free but you can help Capt'n Eli support healthy oceans with an optional donation to Blue Ocean Society.

Check out photos from last year's event at this link.

Sulo Burbank Wins at Riverside Speedway

Capt'n Eli's Soda is a proud sponsor of 13 year-old Pass Modified driver, Sulo Burbank. Sulo just finished off July with a bang last Saturday night.

The second year driver from Gorham, Maine bested the field, wheeling his #21 Capt’n Eli’ s Soda/VeMMA PASS Mod into victory lane at Riverside Speedway in Groveton NH during the Summerfest Event.

Soaked with sweat after the event, Sulo hopped up on the podium dwarfed by the second and third place drivers, and sporting a grin only a first time winner can muster and thanked his Dad, his Crew Chief Bubba Pelton, Spanky Anderson at Traxside, and his two biggest sponsors Capt’n Eli’s Soda and VeMMA.

It has been an up and down sophomore season for Sulo. After flirting with top five finishes at Speedway 95 and Unity Raceway early in the season Sulo finally climbed the podium at lee USA Speedway in June, collecting a Pass Mod third behind PASS Mod Ace Andy Shaw and North Carolina Pro Jay Fogleman Two weeks later a promising return to Lee USA ended early with a mechanical problem and a hard smack to the
front stretch wall. But that’s racing. Good days and bad days are all part of the deal.

While the Riverside win was the first full sized Stock Car win for the young driver from Gorham, he’s no stranger to Victory Lane. Racing karts since five, Sulo has collected hundreds of trophies including over forty victories throughout New England. With the 2009 season only half over and check marks next to a couple of
Sulo and the team’s biggest goals, the future looks good. For now it’s back to prepping the PASS Mod for the Unity race August second and working at collecting another one....

Capt'n Eliot!

Hundreds of Capt'n Eli fans turned out in Eliot, Maine for a day of undersea adventure at Capt'n Eli's Family Fun Day at the Regatta Banquet and Conference Center. Check out all the photos HERE.

Newspaper reporter Geoff Cunningham from Foster's Daily Democrat joined the fun to interview comic artist Jay Piscopo and talk with some Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli fans. Read Geoff's story HERE.

The Undersea Adventures of Capt'n Eli creator Jay Piscopo spent the day drawing sketches and signing autographs while the rest of the crew handed out free comics, collectible card games, and Seasearcher tattoos to adventure lovers of all ages!

Families played the Undersea Adventures Trivia Game, tried their hand at coloring their favorite Capt'n Eli characters, met race car driver Sulo Burbank, rocked out with the Rick Miller Trio, enjoyed hilarious all ages improv comedy with The Escapists, and checked out real sea life with Blue Ocean Society.

FREE Family Fun Day! November 1

On Saturday, November 1, the Regatta Banquet and Conference Center in Eliot, Maine will host a free Capt’n Eli Family Fun Day from Noon – 3:00 p.m. This day will feature a full afternoon of entertainment and celebrate the launch of the new all-ages graphic novel series The Undersea Adventures of Capt’n Eli, written and illustrated by Jay Piscopo of Portland, Maine. Attendees will receive a free Capt’n Eli comic book and collectible card game and have the chance to meet the creator and get a free sketch.

The Travis James Humphrey Band will start at Noon and The Escapists will perform interactive all-ages improv comedy at 2:00 p.m.

Attendees will also have the chance to meet special guest, Sulo Burbank -- a 12-year-old race car driver from Fryeburg, Maine – and take a look at his race car.

In addition, kids will have the opportunity to explore real sea life with Blue Ocean Society’s hands-on display.

This event also features complimentary Maine-made Shield’s Hot Dogs and hand-crafted Capt'n Eli's Soda.

For directions click HERE.

FMI: 207-351-4623 – info@regattaroom.com – www.regattaroom.com