AUBURN — When downtown comes to life, chances are that Jennifer Boenig’s got something to do with it.

Boenig, Auburn’s downtown coordinator and self-described “coordinator of fun,” is the driving force behind some of the city’s most exciting events, including the Auburn Lobster Festival and New Year’s Auburn.

With a background in communications and event planning, Boenig’s goal is to treat residents and visitors to the endless possibilities of year-round fun in Auburn.

A Maine native who once couldn’t wait to leave home, Boenig found herself drawn back by the strong sense of community she wanted for her kids. Little did she know she would become an important factor in strengthening that sense of community in Auburn.

What is your name, how old are you and where are you from? My name is Jennifer Boenig, I’m in my late 40s and I’m a local. I grew up in Greene and graduated from Leavitt Area High School. I went to college in Vermont and then moved around, living in New Hampshire, New Jersey and Indiana before coming back home to Maine. As a teenager, I couldn’t wait to leave, but once I had my two kids, I wanted them to grow up in a safe place and realized it was time to come back home. Maine is a great place to raise a family.

And the city of Auburn hosts some amazing events like the Auburn Lobster Festival coming up May 17. Stop by Festival Plaza and say hello! I’d love to see you there!

What is your role in the city of Auburn? I’m the downtown coordinator and I like to say I’m also the “coordinator of fun.” My role has evolved over the three years I’ve been with the city. When I started, I was working with Jay Brenchick, the director of economic development, and focused on attracting business and development interest in the city. Events bring people together so that’s always been part of my job, but that part has grown into the city hosting three signature events: New Year’s Auburn, Auburn Lobster Festival and Auburn Blues & Brews.

New Year’s Auburn started during the city’s 150th birthday celebration. The Auburn Lobster Festival started off as an April Fool’s joke and I must admit, I was skeptical at first, but it was a huge success, and this May will be our third annual event. The Blues & Brews event started as a community event with Ken Goodman as the organizer and once I started working for the city, Ken and I started working together to grow this event. I’ve also transitioned from economic development to the Communications and Community Engagement Department, so my focus has changed to overall city communications.

Do you ever have moments where you think, “Man, this is going to be a good event”? When we decided to do the drone show in 2023 at the New Year’s Auburn event, we knew it was going to be great. Our community was still in shock and grieving from the mass shooting, so the usual traditional fireworks display didn’t seem appropriate. We also love being the first and that was the state’s first large-scale drone show. We were very fortunate to have generous sponsors, which covered the cost of the show.

How did you come to your role at the city of Auburn? What did you do before? I had a former work colleague reach out to me about the position and I was ready for a new challenge. It was a new position, so I had the flexibility to develop the role into something that interested and challenged me. I also knew events would be a large part of the job and I truly enjoy event planning. It’s organized chaos and a lot of problem solving on the fly, but that works for me. I’m so lucky to have a great team helping me at the city.

I have a communications background and have worked in television news, state government, and a few nonprofit organizations, including a chamber of commerce and community action agency.

Going back to your youth, what did you think you would be doing at your age? I am an avid reader and just love books, so I thought I’d be a teacher or a librarian. In high school I realized I could take my love of reading and writing and focus it on journalism. Being on TV seemed glamorous so I decided to go to college for communications with a concentration in television news reporting and anchoring. I’ve been a writer and storyteller in some form in every job I’ve had.

How do you balance work and life? What are some of your favorite things outside of work? Finding balance can be hard and I am so thankful for my amazing family. I couldn’t do half the things I do without their support. When my kids were younger and my husband was working, my parents would help. Then once my kids were older, they would work events with me. It’s a team effort.

(I love) curling up with a good book and a cat or two. We have five. I enjoy being creative in the kitchen, especially baking. I also love traveling and discovering new places.

What is the best thing about Auburn? The people and its location. We are in the middle of it all and home to all the things that make it a great place to live, work and raise a family.