Community Calendar

Returning by request to Bagaduce Music Concert Series for the third time, Internationally-acclaimed Ezekiel’s Wheels Klezmer Band brings passion, virtuosity & contagious energy to every performance. The Wheels improvise with the intimacy of chamber music and the intensity of a rowdy dance band. Their engaging contemporary interpretation of Jewish music is irresistible to audiences ranging from elementary school students to the judges at the International Jewish Music Festival, who heralded them as “a true musical democracy.”

Join filmmakers for a screening of the award-winning, Maine-made movie "Childish Things," followed by a Q&A and a tour of the iconic blue bus featured in the film.

Awarded "Best in Fest" at the 2025 Vacationland Film Festival, the 95-minute roadtrip mockumentary follows an amateur musician who, facing pressure from his girlfriend to propose, embarks on a drive from Maine to California to sell his beloved blue tour bus. A fully improvised film shot on an actual roadtrip across America, "Childish Things" is a funny, poignant, and honest exploration of the time in every artist’s life when they wrestle with whether to persevere in their creative pursuit.

Present for the Q&A will be director/star Nick Cassidy, cinematographer/editor Cash Cassidy, and bus man Tyler Sebago—all three of the movie's crew members.

The occasional series of free performances in Camden Opera House’s intimate third-floor listening room welcomes Chris Ross back for a solo performance, after he opened for the Mallett Brothers this spring. The award-winning Maine singer-songwriter is a native of Hancock and past winner of the New England Music Awards’ Songwriter of the Year award. Known for his cinematic lyrics and sharp humor, Ross’ wit matches his musical talent. Elevator lobby doors at 29 Elm St. open 7 p.m. Free admission to all. Donations to the sponsoring Community Arts Fund are welcomed.

The clock struck 11 PM at Elvis Presley’s Los Angeles mansion. Under the glow of red and blue lights, The Beatles stepped into a room that seemed to echo the future of music—a jukebox, a crescent couch, and a bar set the stage. Elvis stood at the center, ready for the convergence of two worlds. That night, rock ‘n’ roll royalty sealed its legacy.

We are excited to welcome a local Keynote Speaker this year - Valerie Sherman, JD CFP® Assistant Vice President, Major and Planned Giving at Colby College who will be opening the Conference with “Planned Giving in Campaigns: Considerations and a Case Study at Colby College”. The choice of a.m. breakout sessions are “Incorporating Planned Giving into a Comprehensive Program” or “Tax Law Changes That May Impact Planned Giving and Philanthropy” and the choice of p.m. breakout session are “One Person, Many Hats: Achieving success in Planned Giving when you’re the entire Development Team” or “AI for Prospect Screening and Donor Conversation”. The Conference will close with an interactive session “From Good to “Just Right”: Refining Your Planned Giving Program for Maximum Impact”. Here’s the link to our website for more information on the agenda, sessions, and speakers: mpgc.org/conference

This conference remains the largest annual offering for fundraisers in Maine. Conference attendees include Maine non-profit executive directors and development staffers, members of various professional associations as well as people who provide wealth management and trust services. Founded in 1995, MPGC is the sole Maine chapter of the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners. The Council provides its members with information about the benefits of implementing planned giving programs and the ethical obligations of planned giving professionals through our annual conference and regular Lunch & Learn/hosted Webinar programs on planned giving techniques, strategies and trends.

The 2025 Northeastern Old Growth Conference: Wildlands and Old-Growth Forests, co-hosted by Middlebury College and the University of Vermont, will be held September 17–20, 2025, at Middlebury’s scenic Bread Loaf Campus in Ripton, Vermont. Scientists, conservationists, policymakers, health professionals, writers, and artists will gather to share knowledge and inspire a future with more wildlands and old-growth forests in the Northeast. This year’s themes include The Future of Old Growth, Healthy Forests, Healthy People, and Old Growth Ecology. Keynotes include Jerry Franklin, Tom Spies, Lynda Mapes, and Bob Leverett. Registration is open and spots are limited — visit our website.

Cushing-based artist Vic Goldsmith will have a show of work entitled “Transition” on display in the upper and lower levels of the Rockport Public Library, Sept. 3-29. The exhibit will feature Goldsmith’s improvisational wood carvings and abstract colored pencil drawings he calls “pencil paintings.” An opening reception will be held at the library on Friday, Sept. 5, from 3 to 5 p.m.

“In both my sculpture and drawings, I use abstraction and the surreal to see and express alternative patterns in the ordinary elements of our world,” says Goldsmith. During the past three years, arthritis has necessitated a transition to pencil drawing as Goldsmith’s primary means of creative expression. With the drawings, “color and shading add another layer to the choices I make in moving the work forward, a significant difference from the generally monochromatic wood sculptures.”

Victor Goldsmith grew up in New York and took an inspiring sculpture class with Jack Squier while studying architecture at Cornell University. He entered the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) as a graduate assistant in sculpture, receiving his Master of Fine Arts degree in 1979. While his career ultimately focused on architecture and construction consulting, Goldsmith recalibrated after retirement and resumed working on wood sculpture full-time in 2001. His work has been shown in New York, Rhode Island, Portland, Maine, and locally in a number of Rockland galleries.

If you're a community member eager to keep on learning as the years go by, check out the Belfast Senior College’s fall semester schedule. With eighteen courses to choose from, there's something for everyone, from hands-on learning, to discussions and lectures. There's no tests, no homework and opportunities to interact with other learners. Registration opens on Tuesday, September 2, and classes start on September 22. Belfast Senior College (BSC) welcomes all who are ages 50 and over to become a member to enjoy this community of learners.

Join the Lewiston Public Library for Baby Sensory Playtime in the Children’s Department every Thursday* morning from 10am to 12pm, starting September 5th, 2024.
*(The Library will be closed on Thursday, 11/27 in observance of Thanksgiving & on Thursday, 12/25 in observance of Christmas)

Drop-in and join us for Baby Sensory Playtime! Babies and their caregivers will have the opportunity to interact with a variety of sensory toys and socialize with other families with young children.

Playtime with sensory toys contributes to a baby’s cognitive development, fine motor skills, social and emotional development, creativity, and language development.

Recommended for babies ages birth-18 months and their caregivers. Siblings are always welcome. This program is free, open to the public and no registration is required.

The Lewiston Public Library is located downtown at 200 Lisbon Street at the corner of Pine Street and Lisbon St.

More information on Children’s programs is available by contacting the Lewiston Public Library at 513-3133 or LPLKids@lewistonmaine.gov.

A weekly gathering of friends, coffee, and games, for patrons 55 and up. Don't forget to ask for your FREE cup of drip coffee or tea. A part of our Community Thursday programming.