MidCoast Maine Journal

It’s a busy weekend in the MidCoast, with events including: Souper Bowl Sunday, Bowdoinham’s Ice and Smelt Festival, Longfellow Days, a Linda Greenlaw book signing, Cellardoor’s Winterfest and a Snow Ball.

Bowdoinham Ice and Smelt Festival
Mailly Waterfront Park
Bowdoinham
February 3-4

The Ice and Smelt Festival is the kickoff event of Bowdoinham’s 250^th Anniversary Celebration!  Festival events include games and activities, a dance, potluck, live music, a Best Beard Contest, and a wide variety of exhibits and discussions focused on Bowdoinham’s history of ice cutting and smelt fishing, along with classes to teach traditional skills such as cold process soap making and needle felting.

Longfellow Days
Brunswick
February 4-26

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was a student and teacher at Brunswick’s Bowdoin College.  Join the town of Brunswick for this celebration in his honor, which will include community poetry readings, lectures, dinner events, films, a Valentine dessert buffet and Cabaret event, and much more.

Winterfest
Cellardoor Winery
Lincolnville
February 4
10am-3pm

Sledding, snowshoeing, ice-skating, horse drawn carriage rides, hot cocoa and donuts, and of course wine tastings are part of this year’s Cellardoor Winery Winterfest events.  Dress up in your favorite football attire for this year’s Winterfest for a chance to win one of four food platters designed to make your Super Bowl Sunday party a smashing success!

Snow Ball
Rockport Opera House
Rockport
February 4
6:30pm

Get your tickets to the Snow Ball fast—tickets for this annual event sell out every year! Dance the night away to the live music of “Creatures of Habit,” and enjoy the complimentary appetizers and cash bar. Dress is casual, and all proceeds benefit the Ragged Mountain Recreation Area Redevelopment Project/Camden Snow Bowl.

Pop-Up Cards Workshop
Vose Library
Union
February 4
10:30am-12:30pm

Just in time for Valentine’s Day comes this workshop to help attendees learn to create beautiful, complex Valentine cards.  The workshop is geared towards adults and teens, and even includes paper and patterns.

Plan 2012: A Wedding Forum
French’s Point Retreat
Stockton Springs
February 4
Begins at 8am

If you’re planning a wedding, you’ll find plenty of inspiring ideas at this forum!  For more information email info@fpmaine.com or call (207) 567-3650.

Souper Bowl Sunday
People’s United Methodist Church
Union
February 5
10:30am-12:30pm

A wide selection of homemade soups and bread will be served at this benefit event for the local food pantry. Non-perishable food items will be accepted in addition to monetary donations.

Linda Greenlaw Talk and Book Signing
Owls Head Transporation Museum
Owls Head
February 5 at 1pm

This free talk by Linda Greenlaw on her most recent books includes copies for sale, a book signing and refreshments. Call (207) 594-4418 for more information.

Each year Brunswick celebrates Longfellow Days, a series of events inspired by poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a former student and professor at Brunswick’s Bowdoin College.

This year’s Longfellow Days celebration runs from February 4th through February 26th and focuses on the theme of “the loving connectedness that enriches our personal and public lives.”  Events will be an eclectic mix of fascinating opportunities, beginning with a Community Tea with Maine Women Poets on February 4th.

In addition to a variety of readings by present day poets, there will be free tours of Longfellow’s rooms at the Joshua L. Chamberlain Museum and many Valentine’s Day themed events, such as “WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT? Changing Patterns for Dating and Marriage,” a lecture at Brunswick’s Curtis Memorial Library, a Heart’s Delight Dinner with readings by Maine’s Poet Laureate, Wesley McNair, and a Cabaret featuring a buffet of Valentine’s desserts accompanied by readings of poetry and love letters.

A chapel service of music, poems and readings focused on the theme of love is the closing event of this year’s Longfellow Days… at a church that houses a Bible owned by Longfellow.

What a perfect celebration of the life and work of this great poet and former Brunswick resident!

Camden’s Winterfest, a Cabin Fever Ceilidh, a Winter Carnival and an Overcoat Tour are all part of this weekend’s MidCoast events:

Winterfest
Camden Amphitheater
Camden
January 28

Join the Camden community for this annual celebration of the winter season.  Events include ice carving, outdoor skating, live music, face painting and more.  Hot soup and light snacks will be available, courtesy of local restaurants. For more information, visit the Camden Winterfest website.

A Cabin Fever Ceilidh
Belfast Curling Club
Belfast
January 28

This Maine Celtic Celebration fundraising event features live music, fiddlers, Scottish Country Dancers, excellent food, and plenty of dancing.  Tickets can be purchased at Out of the Woods in Belfast, or at the door. Proceeds will fund this year’s Maine Celtic Celebration.

Nor’easter Days:  Drawing from the Collection
Penobscot Marine Museum
Searsport
January 28
9am-2pm

Artist Nancy Morgan-Barnes will lead this class in drawing techniques using paintings from the museum’s collection as models.  Registration is $50 for this half-day class.  For more information, call (207) 548-2529.

Overcoat Tour
Penobscot Marine Museum
January 28
1-4pm

Dress warmly for these free tours through the unheated Merithew House at 2pm and the (heated) Seabag Visible Storage Center between 1-4pm.  Tours are led by Collections Manager Cipperly Good.

Winter Fine Art and Antique Auction
Thomaston Place Galleries
Thomaston
January 28-29

Bids can be placed online, by phone or in person at this year’s Winter Fine Art and Antique Auction, which features museum quality items including art, pottery, jewelry, paintings, and furniture.

Rockland Rotary’s Winter Carnival
Johnson Park
Rockland
January 29

Snow golf, dog sled rides, sledding, skating, Union Farm Snow Cat rides, and ice hockey are only part of what you’ll find at this free event.  There will also be plenty of good food available for purchase, including hamburgers, hot dogs, chili brownies and more.

College Goal Sunday
Region Ten Tech High School
Brunswick
January 29
2-4pm

Starting college next fall? Here’s your chance to navigate the complexities of financial aid and apply for it easily with the help of financial aid experts.

History buffs take note: A fascinating series of MidCoast history events and exhibits take place in the next few months, featuring items and presentations from the Penobscot Marine Museum.  Admission to all is free!

Photo from the Elmer Montgomery Collection
Courtesy of the Penobscot Marine Museum 

Knox County Through Eastern’s Eye
Camden Public Library
Through January 31

This exhibit features snapshots of MidCoast life from the massive archives of the Eastern Illustrating and Publishing Company, a Belfast-based postcard company of the early 1900’s.

Selections from the Elmer Montgomery Collection and Selections from The Atlantic Fisherman
Hutchinson Center
Belfast
Through April 30

The Atlantic Fisherman, a Belfast-based trade paper for commercial fishermen, donated its collection of photos from the beginning days of mechanized fishing to the Penobscot Marine Museum. Stop by the Hutchinson Center for this display of some of the most dramatic photos from the collection and from the Pre-World War II collection of Thomaston-native Elmer Montgomery.

Maine Agriculture: Views from the Past
Belfast Co-op
Belfast
February 1-28 

Historic farm photography on display at one of the MidCoast’s superb natural foods stores—what a perfect combination!

Digging Deeper into the Eastern Illustrating Collection
Belfast Free Library
Belfast
February 9 at 6:30pm

Penobscot Marine Museum Photo Archivist Kevin Johnson explains the MidCoast’s agricultural history of the photos on display at the Belfast Free Library.

Digging Deeper into The Atlantic Fisherman Collection
Hutchinson Center
Belfast
February 22 at 6:30pm

Ben Fuller, Penobscot Marine Museum Curator, will thrill attendees with fascinating details of the MidCoast’s fishing history during this illustrated talk.

Digging Deeper into the Elmer Montgomery Collection
Hutchinson Center
Belfast
April 25 at 6:30pm

Early 20th century Thomaston-native Elmer Montgomery donated his collection of hundreds of pre-World War II photographs of MidCoast communities, boats and waterfront scenes to the Penobscot Marine Museum.  Museum Curator Ben Fuller puts the Hutchinson Center exhibit of these photos in context with this illustrated talk.

Photo from The Atlantic Fisherman Collection
courtesy of the Penobscot Marine Museum 

It seems odd in the middle of winter, but in the MidCoast there’s always something in season!  Winter is the season of plentiful Maine seafood: scallops, Maine shrimp, lobsters, and crabs.  And when inspired cooks and chefs share tasty recipes for scallops and Maine shrimp.

While Maine lobsters are harvested all year, winter is a good time to find hard shell lobsters before they cast off their shells and become “shedders” or “soft shells” in the spring molting season.  Lobster lovers’ preferences are divided on whether hard shell or soft shell are the best. Some consider soft shell meat to be sweeter.  But hard shell lobsters actually have more meat within their shells, and it’s denser than the meat of soft shells, which have a higher water content.  Hard shells are also hardier than soft ones, so they’re better suited for shipping to non-Maine locations.

Whatever your preferences, you’ll find plenty of fresh seafood in MidCoast stores this time of year, or you can purchase it online. Visit the MidCoast Maine website for searchable listings for local seafood purveyors.

Pies on Parade, a workshop on cooperative business success, music and art—all part of this week in the MidCoast:

By Land and By Sea: Leveraging Co-ops for Business Success
Common Ground Education Center
Unity
January 19

If you’ve ever wondered how fishing or farming cooperatives work or would like to start one, this workshop can provide you with the essentials needed to create a cooperative, and insight on what it’s like to be part of one. For more information or to register for this daylong conference visit the website.

Midwinter’s Night Dream Exhibit
Chocolate Church Art Gallery
Bath
January 20
5-7pm

How do local artists interpret winter in their work?  Visit this exhibit including paintings, ceramics, mixed media, and don’t miss the opening reception at Bath’s Chocolate Church Art Gallery.

Holy Mackerels, Cattle Call & the McCarthys
Opera House at Boothbay Harbor
Boothbay
January 21
7:30-10pm

Three bands — one fabulous concert at the Opera House at Boothbay Harbor this Saturday night!  Doors open for seating at 7pm. Tickets and more information are available on the Opera House’s website.

Pies on Parade Tour
Rockland
January 22

Mmm… pie.  45 different types of pie from Rockland area restaurants and inns.  Apple, raspberry, cranberry apple, and whoopie pies…. Along with savory pies such as crab quiche, Cornish Meat Pasties, and Italian Galettes.  Sample some (or all) of them as you tour Rockland’s Historic Inns.  Tickets are available at participating inns only.  All proceeds of the tour benefit the Area Interfaith Outreach Food Pantry.

A beer tasting and brewery tour, orchestra concert, and snowstorm christen the opening days of new Nordic Ski and Snowshoe trails at the Camden Snow Bowl—all in the MidCoast this week!

Kitchen Dinner Garden Series
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
Boothbay
January 12
6pm

Reserve your seat for this multi-course meal featuring a mix of coastal New England and French cuisine by Pierre Gignac, chef of 98 Provence in Ogunquit.

Opening Celebration for New Nordic and Snowshoeing Trails
Camden Snow Bowl
Camden
January 14
10-11am

Celebrate the opening of these eagerly anticipated new trails at this weekend’s celebration!  Nordic and snowshoeing trails—another great part of the Camden Snow Bowl and Coastal Mountains Land Trust.

Beer Tasting and Brewery Tour
Hartstone Inn/Shag Rock Brewing Company
Camden
January 14
1-3pm

Beer aficionados won’t want to miss out on this tour of Shag Rock Brewing Company, guided by brewing expert Richard Ruggiero.  Participants can also sample 10-12 seasonal hand crafted ales and lagers.

Midcoast Symphony Orchestra Concert
Orion Performing Arts Center
Topsham
January 15
2:30pm

This “orchestra showcase” includes three sections to feature different parts of the orchestra: a Brass Fanfare, a Woodwind Serenade, and a symphony movement to highlight the string section.  For more information or tickets visit the Midcoast Symphony website.

In an age when movies are routinely delivered to one’s home by mail and web, a movie at the theater is still a memorable experience.

Whether a gripping thriller has you on the edge of your seat or a love story destined to be a classic makes you cry into your popcorn, a movie night at a MidCoast theater is worth the price of admission.

Maybe you’ll take in a film at Rockland’s plush, retro Strand Theatre, Belfast’s Colonial Theatre or Damariscotta’s Lincoln Theater, which take you back to the glamour of Hollywood’s Golden Age.  Or see a film at the modern Flagship Cinema in Rockland, where stadium seating and stereo surround sound make you feel like you’re in the middle of a scene yourself. Or maybe you’ll visit Brunswick’s Frontier Café, Cinema and Gallery for an unusual new local or independent film and a light meal.

Make your next date night an old-fashioned dinner and a movie night at one of the MidCoast’s movie theaters!

Colonial Theatre
163 High Street
Belfast, Maine
(207) 338-5087

Flagship Cinemas
9 Moody Drive
Thomaston, ME
(207) 594-2100

Frontier Cafe, Cinema and Gallery
14 Maine Street
Brunswick, ME
(207) 725-5222

Lincoln Theater
2 Theater Street
Damariscotta
(207) 563-3424

Strand Theatre
345 Main St.
Rockland, ME
(207) 594-0070

Today brings a bit of much anticipated snow to the MidCoast! Followed by a weekend of events–bingo melds with a post-holiday castoff gift swap in Boothbay, an Open House for artisans interested in cooperative sales, a Yoga Mala and more.

Film Noir for Dark Nights
Curtis Memorial Library
Brunswick
January 6, 13, 20, and 27

Curtis Memorial Library makes the most of January’s long, dark nights with this series of free film screenings.  Settle in on the library’s cozy couches in front of the fire and enjoy the show.  For more information visit the Curtis Memorial Library website.

Wacky Bingo
Boothbay Fire Station
Boothbay
January 6
6-8pm

This truly unique bingo experience will be fun.  Bring a holiday gift that you can’t bear to keep, re-wrapped and labeled with a suggested recipient gender and age.  Your gift will be one of the bingo prizes… and you’ll win someone else’s gift for every bingo round you win. It’s all part of the fun at this year’s Wacky Bingo game.  For more information call (207) 633-3112.

Lupine Cottage Open House
Belfast
January 7
1:30pm

Are you an artisan thinking about selling your handmade products through a cooperative? Learn about cooperative sales opportunities and membership at this weekend’s Open House!  You can even bring your handmade products to the event so that a juried committee can assess them and provide you with feedback.   For more information call (207) 338-4300.

Lecture: America’s Cultural Soft Power
Strand Theatre
Rockland
January 8
1pm

Roger Dell, Farnsworth Art Museum Director of Education, will explain the history of American mass culture and its world influences through this illustrated lecture.

New Year’s Yoga Mala: 108 Salutations to the Sun
High Mountain Hall
Camden
January 8
10am-12:30pm

Offer your prayers and intentions for 2012 through this traditional yoga practice that will include live drumming, chanting, meditation, and celebration.  It’s an impactful way to celebrate your New Year’s “Resolutations” and part of the proceeds will go to help local families in need. Visit the High Mountain Hall website for more information.

It’s time… for the MidCoast’s outdoor ice-skating rinks to open for the season!

Due to this week’s chilly weather, outdoor rinks are almost ready.  So bring your skates to one of these locations for an old fashioned, outdoor ice skating experience:

Belfast Ice Skating Rink
High Street

This large, portable rink is brand new and open for the season! Hockey games are held from 7-10am and 1-10pm, and open ice skating hours are 10am-7pm.

Brunswick Parks and Recreation Ice Rink
Town Mall
Brunswick

Ice skaters of all ages and levels love to glide at Brunswick’s Town Mall during the winter.  The rink will open any day now, weather dependent.  Check the Brunswick Parks and Recreation website for updated information.

Lishness Field
Pine Tree Road
Brunswick

Lishness Field hosts endless hockey games during the winter months.  Like the Brunswick Town Mall rink, Lishness Field is maintained by the Brunswick Parks and Recreation Department, and is scheduled to open as soon as the weather allows.

Coffin Pond
River Road
Brunswick

Also scheduled to open any day now, weather dependent!

Camden Amphitheatre
Atlantic Avenue

This 52 x 80 foot rink is located near Camden Public Library will likely open this week.

Goddard Pond
At the corner of Marshall and High Streets
Bath

This football-field size, well-lighted outdoor rink is maintained by the City of Bath and will open as soon as the ice freezes completely. It features a warming hut, concession stand, and bathrooms.