The annual week-long celebration known as Maine Lobster Week starts Sunday across the state.

Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative Executive Director Marianne Lacroix says it has much in common with restaurant weeks across the country.

It’s very similar,” said Lacroix. “We’ve got over 60 restaurants participating all over the state, from Arundel to Presque Isle, which is amazing. And the restaurants have an option of doing a three-course meal or just a lobster special.”

Anyone wanting to take advantage of the specials during the week can search the website by city, or between restaurants offering three course meals or specials on lobster rolls.

Maine Lobster Week is meant to promote lobster consumption during the peak season and support the industry, which contributes more than 80 percent of the U.S. lobster catch.

Lacroix says Lobster Week is also a tip of the hat to lobster fishermen, who start working in the ocean before daylight in all types of weather.

“The fishermen really support the coastal community,” Lacroix said, “Here in the state, these coastal communities wouldn’t exist without our fishermen. And it’s something that I think everyone here in the state appreciates, and certainly it brings in tourism as well.”

A new event this year is the Lobster Roll Remix, which features 10 restaurants with international twists on the classic Maine lobster roll. The variety ranges from spicy Sichuan to Thai street food, sushi fusion to Mediterranean.

Lobster Roll Remix takes place Thursday at Southern Maine Community College in South Portland.

In addition, Lobster Week is showcasing four businesses that will ship Maine lobster to anyplace in the country – Get Maine Lobster, Graffam Brothers Lobster, Harbor Fish and Luke’s Lobster.