Midcoast community events: Dec. 27 to Jan.3

NOTEWORTHY

THURSDAY, DEC. 29:

-Tracing Civil War Family History with Amy Truesdell, 6 p.m. at Rockland Public Library. Truesdell has traced the experiences of her great-great-grandfather as an infantryman in the 27th NY Volunteers as he transitioned from eager recruit to experienced veteran. In this presentation, she will share his story, answer questions, and sign copies of the book. Free event, in person at the Rockland Public Library Community Room, 80 Union St., or on Zoom. FMI: EMAIL by 4 p.m. on Dec. 29.

SATURDAY, DEC. 31:

-Happenings on the Harbor Presents 'Holiday on the Harbor,' at Rockport Marine Park. The festive First Night Celebration opens at 4:30 p.m. with food trucks, fire pits, luminarias and music. At 6 p.m. there will be a fireworks display. Free and open to the public. Visit the Rockport Harbor Facebook page for weather updates. For more information, call 236-0676.

-Midcoast Recreation Center New Year's Eve Party, 7 p.m. to midnight. Kids, families and adults are invited to spend an active evening raising money for MRC's annual fund. Entry is by donation and includes access to a Glow-in-the-Dark public skate, open pickleball, open ping-pong, pick-up style tennis triples, broomball, golf and board games. Raffles, drawings and prizes. Food and drinks available for purchase. Register in advance at midcoastrec.org or at the door. FMI: email EMAIL or visit midcoastrec.org.

-Rockin' In the New Year Dance Party, 8 p.m., Rockport Opera House, featuring The Right Track, an 11-piece classic R&B/soul/funk band with a full horn section. Cash bar. $15 tickets can be bought in advance at rockportoperahouse.org or at the door.

COMING UP:

-Belfast Flying Shoes First Friday Community Dance and Contra Dance, Jan. 6, at the fellowship hall of the First Church in Belfast, 8 Court St., entrance on Spring Street. Community dance at 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. contra dance with Chrissy Fowler calling and music by the Gawler Family Band. Dances will include simple and accessible community dances for all ages. FMI: belfastflyingshoes.org.

-Camden Opera House SoundCheck: 'It's a Wonderful Life,' Friday, Jan. 6, at 7:30 p.m. Everyman Repertory Theatre presents a Lux Radio Theatre–style adaptation for the Twelfth Day of Christmas. Choose-your-own reserved seats ($10, advance purchase offered via camdenoperahouse.com or 236-3154), plus a free Facebook livestream.

-Charting a Course for Global Trade, a Camden Conference Community Event featuring Cipperly Good at Belfast Free Library on Tuesday, Jan. 10, at 6:30 p.m. No registration is required for this free community event. For more information, to purchase tickets, or become a Camden Conference member, visit camdenconference.org.

MUSIC

THURSDAY, DEC. 29:

– Songwriter Sessions, in person and on Zoom from 6 to 8 p.m. The supportive group welcomes songwriters at every level and meets in the Picker Room at Camden Public Library and on Zoom. Email Ken Gross at EMAIL for more information or to receive the Zoom link.

COMING UP:

– Camden Opera House SoundCheck: Cindy Kallet and Grey Larsen, Friday, Jan. 13, at 7:30 p.m. Folk favorites Kallet and Larsen perform at Camden Opera House, 29 Elm Street. Choose-your-own reserved seats are $10, advance purchase offered via camdenoperahouse.com or 236-3154. You can also see the show via the free Facebook livestream.

FILM

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 28:

– 'Helium' at Rockport Public Library, 1 p.m. in the Rockport Room. Celebrate National Short Film Day with this award-winning Danish film directed by Anders Walter. Shown in Danish, with English subtitles. A discussion will follow the screening, for those who wish to participate.

THURSDAY, DEC. 29:

– 'Portrait of the Queen,' at Lincoln Theater in Damariscotta for two screenings, Thursday at 7 p.m. and Friday, Dec. 30, at 2 p.m. Award-winning photographer Fabrizio Ferri offers a portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II through revealing portraits of her by the photographers who accompanied and often created the image of the British monarchy itself. FMI: LincolnTheater.net.  'Portrait of the Queen' will also be at the Strand Theatre in Rockland, Dec. 30 to Jan. 4. FMI: RocklandStrand.com

COMING UP:

– London Stage Production of 'The Seagull,' at the Strand Theatre in Rockland, Thursday, Jan. 5 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) makes her West End debut in this 21st-century retelling of Anton Chekhov's tale of love and loneliness. Running time is 2 hours 30 minutes. Tickets: $15 general admission, $13 Strand members.

– Rockland Public Library Screens 'Stateless,' on Thursday, Jan. 5, at 6 p.m. This showing of Michèle Stephenson's new documentary about Haiti and the Dominican Republic is free and open to all. In the Community Room or on Zoom. FMI: email EMAIL by 4 p.m. Jan. 5 and identify the event in the subject line.

ARTS

– Crafts and Maine Marketplace Applications for 2023 Common Ground Country Fair, in Unity. The Crafts Area application is for Maine-based craftspeople applying to sell high-quality work that is original in design and concept, and the Maine Marketplace application is for Maine-based businesses that rely on a number of employees to create the finished product or produce a product line that is not original in design or concept. The application deadline is Friday, Jan. 27. FMI: 568-6041 or EMAIL.

– Call to Artists for Fifth Annual What's Nude in Boothbay Harbor? Boothbay Region Art Foundation invites members and nonmembers to submit works that celebrate the human form in paintings, sculpture, photography or mixed media. While this is a non-juried show, artists will be required to submit a registration form with a photo of their work by Jan. 30. For details, including entry fees and show dates, go to boothbayartists.org or call 633-2703.

– Call to Artists for 'Passages' at River Arts in Damariscotta, the first juried show of 2023. The theme allows for vast interpretation. For example, a piece could represent a journey or transformation, a pathway or opening. Deadline for entry is Saturday, Jan. 14, at 4 p.m. The juror is Jorge Arango, art critic of The Portland Press Herald. FMI: visit riverartsme.org.

– Maine Lobster Festival in Search of 2023 Poster Artist, $1,000 commission, winner will be chosen by a committee and must release the rights to the Maine Lobster Festival. Artists are asked to submit samples of their work and a bio. A sample lobster drawing is helpful. Deadline is Friday, Dec. 30 at mainelobsterfestival.com.

FRIDAY, DEC. 30:

– Explorations Read-Aloud for Adults, online from 11 a.m. to noon. Every Friday, Camden Public Library's YouTube channel and Facebook page stream a new recording of local thespian Joseph Coté reading aloud from a wide variety of fiction and nonfiction. This Friday, Coté reads from Paulo Coelho's novel 'The Alchemist.'

SATURDAY, DEC. 31:

– 'Joy' Exhibit at Miles Memorial Hospital, in Damariscotta, from Dec. 31 to March 3. Artwork by Maine artist Cheryl Young expressing the delight and pleasure animals bring.

COMING UP:

– 'Resurgence: UMVA In the Midcoast' comes to Camden, artists have joined forces to bring back the Midcoast Chapter of the UMVA (Union of Maine Visual Artists) at Camden Public Library from Jan. 4 to 29, any day the library is open. Artists' reception, free and open to the public, Saturday, Jan. 7, 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Find Midcoast UMVA on Facebook or email EMAIL.

– ArtLab for All at CMCA, Center for Maine Contemporary Art in Rockland, Saturday, Jan. 7, from 2 to 4 p.m., with teaching artist Jen Peppe. Free and open to all.

– Technique Tune Up – Watercolor Fundamentals with Erica Qualey, Tuesdays, Jan. 17, 24, 31, and February 7, from 3 to 5 p.m. on Zoom. Designed for beginner and intermediate painters. Details are at farnsworthmuseum.org.

HOME AND GARDEN

COMING UP:

-Maine Agricultural Trades Show, Augusta Civic Center, Jan. 10–12 (Tuesday–Thursday). The State of Maine Agricultural Trades Show is sponsored by the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. Producers and consumers alike visit this three-day show to get professional expertise, learn about technologies and to gather information on the agriculture industry.

FOOD AND DRINK

-Dinner Anywhere in the World Raffle, of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Belfast, until Dec. 31. The winner will have their choice of prizes. Tickets at the church office, 37 Miller St. in Belfast (338-4482); The Green Store, 71 Main St., Belfast (338-4045); and from most members of the congregation.

KIDS AND PARENTS

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 28:

-Book Time for Babies with Camden Public Library's Miss Amy, 10 to 11 a.m. The outdoor story time in Camden Amphitheatre is themed for toddlers and babies. Weather permitting. For information, email EMAIL. Offered every Wednesday.

– Camden Nursing Circle, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Zoom. Expectant and nursing parents are invited to join the community nursing circle in the Picker Room of Camden Public Library. Facilitated by Lulu Churchill (CLC) with input about library resources from Children's Librarian Amy Hand. Email EMAIL to receive a Zoom invite link.

THURSDAY, DEC. 29:

– Outdoor Preschooler Story Time in Camden Public Library Children's Garden, 10 to 11 a.m. Children's Librarian Miss Amy hosts in-person story times and crafts themed for preschool-age children; all ages and families are welcome. Bring a blanket to sit on. It's offered every Thursday.

– Creative Art Afternoons at Camden Public Library, 4 to 5 p.m. An after-school activity for kids who are interested in developing their artistic skills and experimenting with new crafts. One-hour projects are facilitated by Youth Librarian Miss Amy. Call 236-3440 to sign up. It's offered every Thursday.

FRIDAY, DEC. 30:

– Indoor Preschooler Story Time at Camden Public Library, 10 to 11 a.m. Miss Amy hosts in-person story times and crafts in the Picker Room. These story times are geared for preschool-age children, but all ages and families are welcome. It's offered every Friday.

COMING UP:

– Midcoast Conservancy Offers Youth Cross-Country Ski Lease Program and Clinic, with a fitting session set for Tuesday, Jan. 10, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Edgecomb Eddy School. The child who will use the skis must be present. The ski lease package is $70 per participant. FMI: email Andy at EMAIL, call 389-5150, visit midcoastconservancy.org/events.

– Registration Open for February Vacation Program for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Youth, Friday to Monday, Feb. 17 to Feb. 20, with an online parent info session set for Wednesday, Jan. 11. Pine Tree Camp, the Dirigo Experience, for ages 11 to 15. Register at pinetree.campintouch.com/ui/forms/application/camper/App

– Online SAT Prep Matters and SAT Boot Camp Courses Offered Through the Hutchinson Center, in Belfast, in multiple sessions in 2023. SAT Prep Matters is designed for rising high school juniors and seniors who plan to take the SAT in 2023. More information, including about scholarships, is available on the Hutchinson Center website.

MISCELLANEOUS

– Wayfinder Schools' Second Annual Great Escape Auction, online now through Jan. 1, features art, handcrafted jewelry, home goods, a schooner sail, rock-climbing lessons, a bi-plane ride, and more. FMI: visit wayfinderschools.org.

– AIO's Third Annual Fill the Strand Event, Keeping Neighbors Fed and Warm, set for Monday, Jan. 16, challenges the community to fill every seat in the historic theater with bags of food and funds for AIO's Food Assistance, Energy Assistance, Weekend Meal, and Diaper Assistance programs. The food and funds collected will go directly to AIO's programs that support Knox County families. FMI: Leila Murphy at EMAIL.

TUESDAY, DEC. 27:

– Walsh History Center Hour, from noon to 1 p.m. on Zoom. Do you have a question about the history of Camden, your ancestors that may have lived in the area, or the house where you live? Ken Gross and the Walsh History Center team at Camden Public Library will help find you an answer. FMI: email EMAIL. Advance notice of interest will give time to prepare.

THURSDAY, DEC. 29:

– Outdoor Tai Chi & Qigong in Camden, 11 a.m. to noon. Contact Anna Dembska at EMAIL to register and be alerted to a location change in case of inclement weather. Every Monday and Thursday.

FRIDAY, DEC. 30:

– Camden Chess Club, online from 4 to 6 p.m. The chess club holds online matches every Friday. You can join for free at Lichess.org, under the community section, or you can visit lichess.org/team/camden-chess-club. For more information, contact Evan Annis at EMAIL.

COMING UP:

– Tech Class: 'Cutting the Cord,' Monday, Jan. 9, from 4 to 5 p.m. at Rockland Public Library. Learn about canceling cable or satellite services and watching television shows online and about getting rid of a landline. Enrollment with the NDEC and class registration is required; you can enroll and then register at digitalequitycenter.org (or you can call the library and staff will help enroll and register you).

– New Ventures Maine Tuition-Free, Interactive Online Workshops in Jan., designed to help people in Maine gain the skills, knowledge, and confidence to start a business, build a career, and manage money, Also offered online, but at a self-pace, is My Next Career Move. For days and times of all classes and to sign up for any, visit bit.ly/NVMEClasses or call 621-3440.

– St. George EDU Talks Presents: CTE for All – Engaging Students, Growing Businesses, and Strengthening Our Communities, Tuesday, Jan. 17, 6 p.m., Mid-Coast School of Technology in Rockland. Attend in person or via Zoom. Business owners on the challenges of finding skilled workers, educators on expanding access to Career and Technical Education. Learn more at stgeorgemsu.org/page/cte-makerspace-building. Send questions/comments to the editors. « Previous Next »