MidCoast Maine Journal

This year’s Boothbay Windjammer Days brings an unusual event: the Jammers and Joggers torch race.

This land-to-sea race will pit Boothbay Harbor physician (and marathon runner) Aquilino Alamo against the schooner Timberwind, captained by Joe and Bob Tassi of Camden, schooner owners whose boats are part of Windjammer Days 2012.  The race begins at 7am on June 25th when Alamo and the schooner leave Rockport Marine Park simultaneously.

Alamo’s land-based race from Rockport to Boothbay will be 41 miles long.  He’ll carry a torch, which he’ll pass to the captains of the Timberwind at the finish line.  Alamo’s three sons will run with him for the final miles of the race, and his wife, 6-year-old daughter and dog will run the last half mile of the race with him.

The schooner Timberwind will sail approximately 45.5 nautical miles from Rockport to Boothbay, with final sailing route based on weather conditions and other factors.

The finish line is in Boothbay’s Whale Park, where Alamo will meet the captains of the Timberwind to pass the torch, celebrating the Windjammers sailing into Boothbay Harbor for the 50th Annual Windjammer Days.  Who will win the race?  It will likely be a close one!  Whatever the outcome, the participants are getting together afterwards for a reception.

Want to know more about Jammers and Joggers, or Windjammer Days 2012 events? Visit the Boothbay Chamber of Commerce website.

Camden’s Cake Walk, Wacky Bingo in Boothbay, and an All Species Parade are part of this weekend’s MidCoast lineup.   Visit yesterday’s MidCoast blog post for Mother’s Day activity ideas.

Literary Luncheon with Jane McCloskey
Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library
May 11
11:45am

Kids love Robert McCloskey’s classic children’s books, which include Make Way for Ducklings and Blueberries for Sal. Hear his daughter, Jane McCloskey, speak about his work and the biography she wrote about her father at this week’s presentation. For more information contact the Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library at (207) 633-3112.

2nd Friday Art Walk
Brunswick
May 11
5-8pm

Stroll Maine Street as you browse the works of local galleries at Brunswick’s first Art Walk of the season.

All Species Parade
Brunswick Town Mall
Brunswick
May 11
4pm 

Dress as your favorite species or just watch the parade go by at this annual celebration of animals of all kinds.

Camden Cake Walk
Camden
May 12
1-4pm

Sample cake and other treats at each stop on this tour of ten Camden-area inns.  For more information or to purchase tickets call Frank Carr at (207) 236-2257.

International Migratory Bird Day
Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge
Rockland
May 12
10am-2pm

Guest speakers and games for kids are part of the day’s events, which celebrate not just International Migratory Bird Day but also the opening of the refuge’s new visitor center.

BAYFL (Brunswick Area Youth Football League) Golf Tournament
Brunswick Golf Club
Brunswick
May 12
1pm

Proceeds of this annual golf tournament fund football and cheerleading equipment and field improvements for youth in Bowdoin, Bowdoinham, Brunswick, Durham, Harpswell, Topsham and other nearby communities.  Interested in sponsoring a hole or playing? Visit the BAYFL website for more information.

New England Ringers Concert
First Parish Church UCC
Brunswick
May 12
7:30pm

This 14-member hand bell ensemble will wow you with their beautiful music.  For more information, visit the First Parish Church music program website.

Wacky Bingo
Opera House at Boothbay Harbor
Boothbay Harbor
May 12
6-8pm

Bring a book to donate to this weekend’s Wacky Bingo. All proceeds benefit CLICK (Connecting Lively Imaginative Creative Kids). For more information visit the Opera House at Boothbay Harbor website.

How are you planning to celebrate the mothers in your life this weekend?  If you’re in the MidCoast, here are some ideas:

Tea and Tulips
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
Boothbay
May 12
4pm

Wander through gardens of tulips and partake of a traditional afternoon tea.  For more information or to purchase tickets visit the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens website.

Mother’s Day Brunches
Throughout the MidCoast
May 13

Restaurants throughout the MidCoast will serve decadent Mother’s Day brunches including: Whitehall Inn in Camden, Natalie’s at the Camden Harbour Inn, the Summit in Lincolnville, Sebasco Harbor Resort, and Cook’s Lobster House on Bailey Island. Contact your favorite MidCoast restaurant to find out about special Mother’s Day plans.

Mother’s Day Wine Tasting
Savage Oakes Vineyard and Winery and Sweetgrass Farm Winery and Distillery
Union
May 13

Pamper mothers with Maine wine and chocolate at Savage Oakes Winery, and with wine and food pairings at Sweetgrass Farm Winery and Distillery. Mothers also receive a free plant during visits to Savage Oakes, courtesy of Union Agway and 7 Tree Farm.

Mother’s Day Flower Celebration
John Street Methodist Church
Camden
May 13

Attendees of this unique mother’s day celebration should all bring one flower for the large vase that is a centerpiece of the event.  For more information call (207) 236-4829.

Victorian Mothers Day Tea
Cabot Mill Antiques, Fort Andross
Brunswick
May 13
11:30am-3pm

Treat the mother(s) in your life to this complimentary afternoon tea! Visit the Cabot Mill Antiques website for more information.

Midcoast Symphony Orchestra Concert
Orion Performing Arts Center
Topsham
May 13
2:30pm

The Midcoast Symphony Orchestra pulls out all of the stops for this final performance of the season, which features a guest performance by John Ferrillo, principal oboist of the Boston Symphony.

Mother/Daughter Build Weekend
House #24
16 Deer Run Road
Thomaston
May 11-13

Spend Mother’s Day Weekend working together with other women on a project that benefits others by helping to build a house for a family in need.

This weekend’s sheep shearing event at Frostfire Farms started us thinking about spring…  the season when everything is fresh and new.

Daffodils, tulips, forsythia and hyacinths in bloom.  Peepers chirping at dusk. Birds building nests. Lobster and seafood stands and other summer businesses opening up for the season.   Baby lambs in the green fields of MidCoast farms.

And the start of summer farmers markets:

Bath Farmers Market
Saturdays from 8:30am-12pm from May – October
Waterfront Park
Commercial Street

Belfast Farmers Market
Fridays from 9am-1pm from May  – October
Waterfall Arts
256 High Street

Brunswick Farmers Market
Tuesdays and Fridays from 8am-2pm beginning May 1st
On the mall in downtown Brunswick between Park Row and Maine Street

Camden Farmers Market
Saturdays from 9am-12pm from May 12 – October 27
Wednesdays from 3:30-6pm from June 20 – September 26
Behind the Knox Mill

Damariscotta Farmers Market
Mondays from 3-6pm June 4 – September 24
On Main Street

Fridays from 9am-12pm May 18 – October 26
Damariscotta River Association
109-110 Belvedere Road

Rockland Farmers Market
Thursdays from 9am-12:30pm May 17 – October 25
Harbor Park

Union Square Farmers Market
Saturdays from 8:30am-12:30pm beginning June 7th
52 Common Road, Union

Looking for other Maine Farmers Markets? Visit the Get Real, Get Maine website.

Spring is on everyone’s mind this week, with a lecture on the nature of land design, a Mayfair, a Daffodil Garden Party, Spring Clean Up parties, and a glowing night golf tournament.

The Nature of Land Design
Rockport Opera House
Rockport
May 3
2:30-5:30pm

Learn the principles of nature-inspired landscape design as expert Tom Hopps describes two coastal residential projects.  For more information call (207) 594-4449.

Breakers Jazz Band
Opera House at Boothbay Harbor
Boothbay Harbor
May 4
7:30-10pm

Come out for a night of swing and big band music! It’s going to be a lot of fun and all proceeds benefit the Opera House.

Bay Leaf Cottages Volunteer Weekend
Bay Leaf Cottages and Bistro
Lincolnville
May 4-6

Stay two nights for free this weekend at Bay Leaf Cottages while helping out with painting and yard work, and you’ll receive a voucher for a two-night stay during the 2012 season.  Continental breakfast will be provided for volunteers.   Can’t make it this weekend but want to participate? A second Volunteer Weekend is May 18-20.

Daffodil Garden Party
Camden
May 5
2-5pm

Cookbook author Elinor Kivans has spent the last 28 years planting thousands of daffodils in her garden.  Wander her spectacular gardens of daffodils at this afternoon party benefit for the Georges River Land Trust, which will feature iced tea, lemonade and cookies.  Visit the Georges River Trust website for more information or to purchase tickets.

Spring Clean Up Day
Union Area Chamber
Union
May 5

Come out for a day of community fellowship and sprucing up!

The Music of Jimi Hendrix
Turtle Island Quartet
Rockport Opera House
Rockport
May 5
7-9pm

This jazz quartet puts their unique spin on some of Jimi Hendrix’s classic songs.   Back by popular demand, it’s an event you won’t want to miss.

Country Fareways Glow Ball Tournament
Country Fareways
Bowdoinham
May 5
7:30pm 

Special glowing pink golf balls will be part of this nighttime 10-hole scramble, which benefits the Breast Cancer Division of the American Cancer Society. Pink light sticks on flags and pink luminaries at the tee markers light the way along the course.  For more information call (207) 666-5603.

Mayfair
Bath
May 5

How does Bath kick off the month of May? With a day of Maypole dancing, music, a scavenger hunt, tent sale and yard sales throughout the city.  Join Maine’s “Cool Little City” for a day of fun and bargains.

Powerful Professional Transformation: Unleashing Leadership
Hutchinson Center
Belfast
May 5
8am 

Use the skills you’ll learn in this one-day workshop to enhance your professional life. Topics covered include: resume writing, interview skills, time management and organization, professional network building.

Sheep Shearing
Frostfire Farm
Union
May 6
10am

If you’ve ever wondered how one shears a sheep, here’s your chance to find out. Watch and/or help as Frostfire Farm’s sheep shed their winter coats (with a little assistance).   And as you might expect, there will also be fresh fleece available for purchase for those who spin, knit or craft.  For more information call (207) 845-2209.

WRFR’s Fourth Annual Fashion Show
Lincoln Street Center
Rockland
May 6
6-9pm

What’s hot this year? Find out at this spring fashion show featuring the newest styles courtesy of local boutiques.  Food, live music and a silent auction are all part of the evening, which benefits non-profit community radio station WRFR.

Boothbay’s 39th annual Fishermen’s Festival begins today.   Join the Boothbay Region for this three-day event celebrating its long history as a fishing community with a series of fun, unique fishing-oriented contests and activities.

This year’s Festival includes a golf scramble, the Shrimp Princess Pageant, a cod fish relay race, pot buoy decorating contest, bait shoveling race, trap hauling competition, lobster crate running, dory bailing race, oyster shucking contest, tug of war and a dunk tank. There will also be live music, an arts and crafts show, and games and activities for kids such as a Bubble Gum contest.  Even a tour of the Burnt Island Lighthouse.  Events conclude on Sunday with a Blessing of the Fleet, Memorial Service for fishermen lost at sea, and Fishy Fest Finale.

Who will be this year’s Shrimp Princess?  Win the trap hauling and lobster crate running contests? Shuck the most oysters? Win the codfish relay race? Spend some time at the Fishermen’s Festival this weekend and you just might find out.

 photo courtesy of the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce

What are your planning this week? There’s a lot to choose from in the MidCoast including Rockland’s Live Quiz Show, Dancing with the Stars, the Fishermen’s Festival, and Free Range Music Festival!

So You Think You Know Rockland? Live Quiz Show and Auction
The Strand
April 26
6-9pm

Rockland Main Street’s annual live quiz show will be a hoot!  Bid on items in the “Only in Rockland… Experience This!” Auction.  Watch as contestants answer rounds of questions on Rockland’s current topics and history, including people, events, buildings, sports, and local businesses. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for students.

Dancing with the Stars
Camden Opera House
April 27

Watch the best moves of local dancers at this weekend’s fundraising event for the Community School.

Astronomy on Beech Hill
Beech Hill Preserve
Rockport
April 27
7:30-9pm

Gaze through the telescopes of astronomer Tom Hoffelder at stars and planets from the top of Beech Hill. For more information, visit the Coastal Mountains Land Trust website.

Fishermen’s Festival
Boothbay Harbor
April 27-29

Boothbay has celebrated its history of fishing with the annual Fishermen’s Festival for 39 years!  Join residents for pot buoy decorating, a golf scramble, Shrimp Princess Pageant, live music, cod fish relay race, bait shoveling race, trap hauling competition, arts and crafts show, lobster crate running, dory bailing race, tug-of-war competition, oyster shucking contest, Blessing of the Fleet.  Plenty of kids’ activities and games, a tour of the Burnt Island Lighthouse, and much more.

Chip, Split and Drive Day Open House
Union Farm Equipment
Union
April 28

Start the farming season off right at Union Farm Equipment’s Open House. Test equipment and attend lots of demonstrations and seminars.  Fun for the whole family!

Free Range Music Festival
Belfast
April 28
11am-12pm 

More than thirty acts will perform at this year’s Free Range Music Festival, across eight Belfast venues.  It’s a full day of music, followed by an after party at Three Tides.  Visit the Free Range Music Festival website for more information.

An Evening with James McMurtry
Strand Theatre
Rockland
April 28
8-10pm

Immerse yourself in the music of a legendary musician and songwriter at this weekend’s show.

Public Speaking Mini-Course
High Mountain Hall
Camden
April 29
4pm

If you always find yourself nervously sweating the night away right before a presentation, sign up for this two-hour course. You’ll learn strategies to help you confidently and effectively communicate your ideas to audiences of all sizes. Admission is $10.

Earth Day Celebrations, a Timber Framing Class, Used Book Sale, and all kinds of Workshops are part of this week’s MidCoast events:

Timber Framing Class
Hidden Valley Nature Center
Jefferson
April 19-22

Learn how to build a timber frame structure from the very beginning—felling the trees for your lumber.  Visit the Hidden Valley Nature Center website for more information or to register for the class.

Amazing Raptors
Vose Library
Union
April 20
10:30-11:30am

Learn about raptors, how to “hoot up an owl”, and have your picture taken with Ziggy the Turkey Vulture during this presentation by raptor experts Barbara and Tomm Tomlinson of Wild-Haven.  Visit the Vose Library website for more information.

Used Book Sale
Belfast United Methodist Church
Belfast
April 20-22

Books, books and more books!  All proceeds benefit the Greater Bay Area Ministeruim Food Cupboard, which feeds local residents in need. For more information or to donate books call (207) 338-5575.

Earth Day Extravaganza
Weymouth House
Bristol
April 22
11am-3pm

Live music, gardening and nature workshops, nature-themed games, a bounce castle, and plenty of kid-oriented activities are part of this annual community gathering hosted by the Pemaquid Watershed Association and the Weymouth House Community Initiatives.  Bring a picnic basket and a blanket or lawn chairs and enjoy this year’s Earth Day celebration. 

Nature Art and Photography Show
Unity College
April 22
11am-4pm

The works of over 40 artists will be on display at this weekend’s Nature Art and Photography Show, part of Unity College’s Earth Day events.

Mid-Day Chambers: Learn how to Create Innovative Packages and Specials that Draw New Customers to Your Business
Topsham Public Library
Topsham
April 19
11:30am-1pm

Margaret Hoffman, Development Project Officer for the Maine Office of Tourism, will present strategies for using packages and specials to bring potential customers to your business as part of this Mid-Day Chambers presentation. Admission is free for Chamber members. For more information visit the Southern Maine Chamber of Commerce website.

Tech Meetup – Skype and Facetime
Curtis Memorial Library
Brunswick
April 23
12-1pm

Learn to use or share your experiences with free online audio and video programs online tools such as Facetime and Skype at this free workshop.  This is one of three seminars, followed by a Photo tools storage workshop on May 7th and a Facebook workshop on May 14th. Visit the Curtis Memorial Library website for more information.

World Book Night
Patten Free Library
Bath
April 23
5:30-7:30pm

Celebrate the pleasures of reading at this free event, which features food, music, and local authors.

Today brings the 7,000th MidCoast Maine Facebook page fan!  And as we think about this milestone, we’re thinking about some of the things that make the MidCoast region so special to so many people. Such as:

Sunny, perfect spring days like today.

Fun towns and traditional fishing villages.

Unique places to stay and to shop.

Beaches, state parks, and so many places to hike and bike.

Unforgettable day trips and drives.

Windjammer and schooner cruises.

Almost two-dozen lighthouses.

The Lighthouse Lover’s Tour.

A variety of festivals and events throughout the year.

Lobster dinners, fresh Maine seafood, and lots of alternatives if you’re craving something else.

Ice cream stands.

MidCoast train rides.

Fascinating museums and historical sites.

Ferries to take you to the MidCoast’s year-round island communities.

Plenty of pet-friendly places and activity ideas for those who like to travel with their dogs.

What do you love most about the MidCoast?

The MidCoast is a very pet-friendly place!  And these ideas from Jane Liedtke of Lincolnville’s Bay Leaf Cottages and Bistro can help you and your favorite canine enjoy the MidCoast:

• Visit a MidCoast winery, or tour some of the MidCoast’s shops, galleries or stores.  Many places enjoy pets—pop your head in or call ahead to find out if your well-behaved dog is welcome. You’ll even find bowls of water for thirsty dogs in front of many locations.

• Dine on fresh Maine seafood while your dog relaxes at your feet.  MidCoast restaurants will allow canines in their outdoor dining areas.

• Visit the dog park in Belfast.

• Visit one of the MidCoast’s dog-friendly beaches, such as the rocky beach to the right of the Lincolnville Ferry terminal.

• Take a ferry to one of the MidCoast’s islands and spend a day exploring with your dog.

• Stroll through Merry Spring Gardens in Camden.

• Book a sail on a dog-friendly schooner or windjammer. The Schooner Olad allows dogs, as do many of the other ships that sail out of Camden Harbor.

• Hike a trail… there are many in the MidCoast region.

• Stop by one of the Loyal Biscuit Company shops in Rockport, Camden or Belfast. In addition to treats, toys, food and other pet supplies, each Loyal Biscuit Company location has a dog wash for those that have had a little bit too much fun exploring the MidCoast.

Looking for more ideas?

Pick up a copy of the free paper Downeast Dog News or Annual Pet Maine guide.  Visit the Bay Leaf Cottages and Bistro blog for ideas and more tips on traveling with your pet.  And find pet-friendly listings of all kinds on the MidCoast Maine website.