Community Calendar

These Community Salons are held at 6pm on the first & third Wednesdays of each month. They are free & open to all. Come with your thoughts, questions, concerns, & ideas. Network & connect with others who are working to promote equity & justice, creating resiliency within our communities. For the topics and Community Notices please sign up for our bi-monthly newsletter by emailing betterbiddeford@gmail.com.

Tate House Museum Presents
The Maritime Marauder: Captain Henry Mowat
A Lecture by Author Harry Gratwick

Portland--- Join us for a talk by author Harry Gratwick about one of Portland’s most infamous characters, Captain Henry Mowat, a British sea captain who sailed into Portland’s harbor and bombarded the town by cannonball for much of the day on October 18, 1775. This act resulted in the destruction of more than two-thirds of the town and was a punitive measure against patriot activities during the Revolution.

Harry Gratwick’s talk is titled The American Revolution Comes to Maine: The Henry Mowat Controversy--was he truly the scoundrel of Revolutionary Maine?

Gratwick, a lifelong summer resident of Vinalhaven, is a retired secondary school history teacher who taught for 45 years mainly at the Germantown Friends School in Philadelphia. He has written extensively for the Working Waterfront and the Island Journal is the author of seven books on a variety of topics related to Maine's history. He is a graduate of Williams College and holds a Master’s degree from Columbia.

The lecture will take place in the beautiful backyard and garden at Tate House from 6:45- 8:15 pm. The first 30 min will include a book signing by Mr. Gratwick. Copies of his book will be available for sale and the lecture begins at sundown, 7:15 pm.

Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy the ambiance of Tate House overlooking the Stroudwater River. In the event of rain, the lecture will be moved indoors. Visit our website for details if the weather is questionable.

Tickets are available in advance at tatehouse.org and at the door. In advance prices are $12 general, $10 for THM members. At the door prices are $15 and $12 respectively.
October 18, 1775 marks the 250th anniversary of this momentous event for Portland, and this lecture is the first of three commemorative programs to remember the occasion. Mark your calendars for a reenactment of the bombardment on Sept 20 and city-wide historical programs on Oct 18 including a special program at Tate House. Details forthcoming at tatehouse.org.
 
FMI: Holly Hurd
hkhurd@tatehouse.org
Tate House Museum
1267 Westbrook Street
Portland ME 04102

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1617841991949?aff=oddtdtcreator

Thursday, September 4 through 30. Portland Camera Club Exhibit. We are thrilled that the Portland Camera Club is returning to the Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library for September. Please stop by to enjoy the new exhibit located in the Business Center. Founded on May 24, 1899, the Portland Camera Club is one of the oldest camera clubs in the United States. The club welcomes anyone interested in photography, regardless of experience. Programs include education through classes, workshops, photo outings and guest speakers as well as competitions. PCC is a charter member of the Photographic Society of America and the New England Camera Club Council. Find out more about meetings and programs on their website, PortlandCameraClub.org. The Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library is located at 18 Maine Street, Kennebunkport. For further information, please call 207-967-2778 or visit www.graveslibrary.org.

From the remote island of Tiree to headlining festivals around the world, Skerryvore has skyrocketed to become one of Scotland’s finest musical exports. And it’s easy to see why. Their eclectic fusion of folk, rock, and Americana – with thundering drums and bagpipes, of course – is as rich as a single malt scotch. Since setting sail, Skerryvore has performed in over 25 countries and scooped up Scotland’s “Live Act of the Year” award – three times. With their distinctive mix of fiddle, accordions, pipes and whistles, alongside guitar and vocals, underpinned by driving bass, drums and keys, Skerryvore fuses outstanding musicianship with pure joy. They are one of our favorites and bet they will become one of yours too.
Sponsored by the Cowan family and anonymous fans of Skerryvore!

Portland’s First Friday Art Walk is a free self-guided tour of art galleries, art studios, museums, and alternative art venues on the first Friday of every month from 5-8pm. Its mission is to open the doors of Portland’s visual arts community by joining together and introducing a wider audience to the unique vitality of the artists and venues of Portland, promoting interest with non-exclusivity and easy-access, thereby strengthening the arts and community through diversity and celebration.

Belfast Flying Shoes presents the First Friday Community Dance and Contra Dance Series. 6:00 warm-up session for the All Comers Band, led by Willy Clemetson & Benjamin Foss and open to all musicians, instruments, and skill levels. Tune list available on the website. 6:30 Community Dance (Chrissy Fowler & Lisa Newcomb calling with music by the All Comers Band.) 8:00 Contra Dance with a guest caller & musicians (see calendar for details).

At the Fellowship Hall of the First Church in Belfast, UCC, 8 Court St, Belfast ME. Community Dance admission is $1 kids & $2 adults; Contra Dance admission is $15-20 (and includes admission to the Community Dance.) Volunteers who commit in advance get free admission. Masks available for those who wish to wear them.

For the BFS community care policy, First Friday FAQ, and more info on the contra schedule and other programs, volunteering, or other questions, visit: www.belfastflyingshoes.org or belfastflyingshoes@gmail.com.

Join us for an incredible evening of music with Lane to the Glen!

Tickets are $25 for general admission and $35 for priority seating. Don’t wait to get your tickets: the price at the door will be $30 for General Admission and Priority Seating is only available in advance!

Sligo Traditional Trio comprising Oisín Mac Diarmada (fiddle), Daithí Gormley (accordion), Samantha Harvey (piano, dance)

Oisín and Daithí are steeped in the music and history of the Sligo area, having previously collaborated on ‘Fiddlers of Sligo Tunebook’, a publication which set transcriptions of the fiddle repertoire of key Sligo exponents alongside historic images and context.

Daithí Gormley is widely regarded as one of the finest button accordion players of his generation. His remarkably accomplished debut album Fiddling without a Bow brought an expressive mix of old and new tunes played with an attention to detail, and he is regarded as a conduit to past masters of Irish traditional music.

Oisín Mac Diarmada and Samantha Harvey perform frequently with Téada, a worldwide-touring band founded by Oisín in 2001. Oisín and Samantha previously recorded The Green Branch, a sparkling album of fiddle and piano in 2015, with subsequent teaching and performing engagements in places such as the United States, Italy, France, and Japan.

Learn More about the artists:
https://lanetotheglen.com/

https://lanetotheglen.bandcamp.com/

She crash-landed on purpose to show you bad taste.

She's back and funnier than ever!

The next chapter of Jenda's Movie Madness is here at The Playhouse At Waterville Station, on Friday, September 5, 7-9PM.

With special guest Lady the Cable Guy!

Come and watch the 1963 classic screwball comedy mystery CHARADE, starring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn, with hilarious commentary provided by Jenda and Lady!

18+ Tickets are $10 online or at the door.

Tickets available here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jendas-movie-madness-charade-1963-tickets-1572020779469

This is a benefit show with all proceeds generously going to The Playhouse to promote its mission bringing a variety of community-based cultural events to Central Maine.

Snacks and drinks available.

Enjoy spectacular video clips of virtuoso performances by opera’s greatest stars, hosted and annotated by John Curtis. The program aims to gratify both opera aficionados and those new to the genre.

The opera series includes printed programs and is presented free of charge as a public and educational service by the Old Surry Village School Preservation Group. Call 207-667-4877 for more information.

Lyric Music Theater presents Next to Normal. Weekends September 5-21, 2025, with ASL-interpreted matinee on September 14.

Next to Normal, an intimate exploration of family and illness, loss and grief, is an emotional powerhouse. Dad’s an architect; Mom rushes to pack lunches and pour cereal; their daughter and son are bright, wise-cracking teens, appearing to be a typical American family. And yet their lives are anything but normal because they are coping with crisis and the unpredictability of a mother’s worsening bipolar disorder. With book and lyrics by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Brian Yorkey and a thrilling and original rock score by Pulitzer, Tony, Emmy and Grammy Award winner by Tom Kitt, Next to Normal explores how one suburban household copes with crisis and mental illness. Winner of three 2009 Tony Awards, including Best Musical Score and the 2010 Pulitzer Prize, Next to Normal was also chosen as "one of the year's ten best shows" by critics around the country, including The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, Rolling Stone and The New York Times. Next to Normal takes audiences into the minds and hearts of each character, presenting their family’s story with love, sympathy and heart.

Next to Normal explores complex emotional themes and includes moments that may not be suitable for all viewers such as substance use, grief, mental illness and self-injury. Recommended for ages 14+ with parental discretion.