Community Calendar

"Off the Charts", a Portland-based jazz quartet, will be playing the last Sunday of each month through May 2025 at brunch at Lenny's Pub, Hawkes Plaza, 1274 Bridgton Road, Westbrook, ME. Brunch is from 10-2; music, 11 to 1:30.

“Off the Charts” is Kenny Gaspar, piano and trumpet; Rick Bernard, bass; Rusty Quinn, drums; and Mike Banas, guitar. While their influences include everything from Bebop to Blues to Chet Baker, their primary repertoire is drawn from that genre of music known as the “Great American Songbook” – the canon of significant early 20th century jazz standards and pop tunes (Ellington, Porter, Kern, Mercer, Arlen, et al.)

Lighting Up Lives, One Tree at a time!

The Festival of Trees is a festive celebration - a partnership with the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce, the Alfond Youth & Community Center and presented by the Central Maine Betterment Collaborative.

The Festival of Trees is a cherished annual event that transforms the Waterville Elks Lodge into a winter wonderland, beautifully decorated with dazzling trees, each uniquely adorned with fantastic gifts curated by local businesses and organizations. We invite the community to revel in the holiday spirit while supporting community initiatives. Funds raised during the festival directly benefit our community experiencing food insecurity and provide meaningful workforce development opportunities.

Details:

📍 Waterville Elks Banquet Center, 76 Industrial Rd, Waterville, ME
📅 November 21 & 22 | 10:00 -7:00 PM
November 23 | 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
November 28 & 29 | 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM
November 30 | 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

🎟️ $2 per person | Free for kids 12 & under
🎫 Tree raffle tickets: 50¢ each (cash only)
💰 50/50 raffle tickets also available

To volunteer or sponsor a tree, please visit: https://festivaloftreesmaine.net/

Portland--Come Light The World!
Have you ever bought a goat from a vending machine? How about warm clothing for a child, groceries for a family, or job training for the underemployed?

This year Portland will have that chance. From November 20 to December 10 visitors at The Maine Mall can purchase essential items like from The Light the World Giving Machine to help those in need in Maine and throughout the world.

The nonprofits featured in the South Portland Giving Machines include: Catholic Charities; Furniture Friends; Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine; Ronald McDonald House Charities Maine and Through These Doors.

8th Annual Holiday Craft Fair. Come support over 25 local vendors.

Formerly known as the Holiday Bazaar, Made is a curated seasonal marketplace that highlights the artistry and craftsmanship of Maine makers, offering visitors a unique selection of locally handmade goods.

Thank you to our sponsors Kennebec Savings Bank, the City of Waterville, Central Maine Newspapers, and Back Office Solutions!

This is the 16th season of Concerts at Norcross Point, a free concert series on the shores of Maranacook Lake. This year's schedule is as follows:
July 6 - The High Spirits
July 13- Norwood Pearson (and friend(s?))
July 20- Keiyana Marie Trinidad
July 27- Winthrop Heritage Days
August 3- LQH
August 10 - Calypso Soldiers
August 17- Bella Anne
August 24 - Katie Daggett and Ed Desjardins

Parking is free but limited, public restrooms available, bring a flotation device or anchor your boat offshore and join the flotilla!

The Dance Annex Presents The Nutcracker — November 29 & 30 in York, Maine

The Dance Annex brings its ninth annual production of The Nutcracker to the York Community Auditorium for three magical performances on November 29 and 30!

Join Clara on her enchanting journey to the Land of the Sweets, featuring special guest artists, members of the Annex Contemporary Dance Company, and more than 60 talented local students. Enjoy the dazzling battle between the Nutcracker and the Mouse Queen, the beauty of the dancing snowflakes, and the grace of the Sugar Plum Fairy in this timeless holiday classic.

Performances take place Saturday, Nov. 29 at 1 p.m. & 6 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 30 at 1 p.m.
Tickets are $34 for adults and $26 for seniors and children (12 and under).

Begin your holiday season with this spectacular production that is sure to delight audiences of all ages!

Tickets and more information at www.thedanceannexstudio.com

REALLY is a play about mourning, intimacy, and the conflict between goodness and greatness as seen through the lens of photography.

UMaine Judaic Studies is honored to present "Feeding Women of the Talmud, Feeding Ourselves," with Kenden Alfond and Sara Tillinger Wolkenfeld, on ZOOM, November 30th, 2025.

Join us for a delicious look at Jewish tradition with Kenden Alfond and Sara Tillinger Wolkenfeld!

Kenden Alfond is a Paris based psychotherapist with over two decades of international experience who publishes new content every Wednesday at Jewish Food Hero on Substack, featuring a mix of community-submitted recipes and interviews, Israeli recipes in translation, and Kenden’s own low-carb kosher recipes. Kenden is also the author of several books that bring a thoughtful and contemporary lens to Jewish food and culture, including: Jewish Food Hero Cookbook, Beyond Chopped Liver: 59 Jewish Recipes Get a Vegan Health Makeover, Kosher Macros: 63 Recipes for Eating Everything (Kosher) for Physical Health and Emotional Balance, Jewish Sweets: A Worldwide Community Cookbook of 100 Dessert Recipes. Connect with Jewish Food Hero on Substack: 🌐 https://jewishfoodhero.substack.com/

Sara Tillinger Wolkenfeld is the Chief Learning Officer at Sefaria (https://www.sefaria.org). Sara is a member of Class Six of the Wexner Field Fellowship, and an alumna of the David Hartman Center at the Hartman Institute of North America. She is pursuing a PhD in Jewish Studies at Gratz College, and is a recipient of Walder Foundation’s Fellowship for Orthodox women within that institution. Sara also serves as Scholar-in-Residence at Ohev Sholom Congregation in Washington, DC. Her current research and writing focus on the intersection between Jewish ethics and advancements in technology. Sara’s writing has been published in The Atlantic, First Things, and Religion Dispatches, as well as numerous Jewish publications.

Click here (https://maine.zoom.us/meeting/register/TVG89lcmScuCA7SX92ZOfA) to register for complementary access via ZOOM.

Sponsored by UMaine Judaic Studies
Derek A. Michaud, Coordinator
derek.a.michaud@maine.edu 207.581.3890

Sample a variety of seasonal specialty beers while enjoying the incredible ambiance of The Cellars at Allagash, our wild and sour barrel aging space. If you are looking for a traditional brewery tour, check out our "

The highlights:
6 samples
60 minutes
In-depth barrel room exploration and chance to see the Coolship
$38 before tax/fees
21+

Please read on before booking:
Tour-goers must be 21 or older. Infant-wearing is welcome - the tour path through our manufacturing plant is not suitable for young children or strollers.

Guests who are not drinking beer can purchase a Designated Driver ticket and will have a choice of NA beverage.

Dogs are not allowed on this manufacturing plant tour.