Bands for Books is the major annual fundraising activity for The Friends of the Wiscasset Public Library.

Our thanks to Wiscasset photographer Bob Bond of 40 Federal Studio for these images from the July 30 Wiscasset Art Walk. 

Merrymakers of all ages are invited to shake it all out at Jailhouse Rock, an evening of food, fun and foot-tapping tunes at Wiscasset’s Old Jail on Federal Street. The rollicking  music will be provided by the jazz-rock-blues band Leopard Girls, beginning at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 8, rain or shine.

The water, the wind, and the wonder of a summer day in Maine set the vibe for the new August Member’s Show at the Boothbay Region Art Foundation (BRAF). The exhibition is now on view through Aug. 23 at the BRAF Gallery, located at 1 Townsend Ave. in the heart of downtown Boothbay Harbor.

New monthly series, library programs, and Common Ground Country Fair appearances highlight a growing literary community.

The Waldoboro Public Library launches its new Poet's Corner this September, opening the door to a month of readings, new programs, and literary gatherings that reflect the remarkable growth of Midcoast Maine's poetry community.

The Cody Sisters bring their distinctive brand of bluegrass to the Opera House at Boothbay Harbor on Saturday, Aug. 15 at 7:30 p.m.

Maddie and Megan Cody have been making music together since ages six and eight, respectively. Raised on the Colorado folk and bluegrass scene—with encouragement from their dad, who often played guitar around the house and was the original bass player in the band—festivals like RockyGrass were high notes amidst a lifelong musical awakening filled with live performances, songwriting, and travel.

Bands for Books 2025 was a wonderful event, and we realized our highest profit.

A night out at the theatre became an opportunity to nourish neighbors across the Midcoast when The Waldo Theatre partnered with Veggies to Table during its June production of “Don’t Dress for Dinner.” Through a silent auction and raffles held across the production’s four performances, the community raised $2,530 for Veggies to Table, supporting the nonprofit farm’s work to grow and donate organic produce and flowers to people experiencing hunger and needing joy.

Elegant cakes, intriguing experiences, and a treasure trove of raffle items await the guests at Lincoln County Historical Association’s annual Preservation Party. The event, which takes place this year on Sunday, Sept. 13, provides vital support for the organization’s mission.

In celebration of our country's 250th anniversary, Maine Historical Society (MHS) is on the road with its Dunlap Broadside of the Declaration of Independence Statewide Tour through October. MHS is traveling to all 16 of the state's counties, and on July 24 and 25 the tour arrived in East Boothbay at Bigelow Laboratory For Ocean Sciences. 

Maine Food & Beverage Education Center (MFBEC) is proud to present the third annual Maine Night Market on Saturday, Aug. 22 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Maine Tasting Center campus in Wiscasset. 

Sunday, Aug. 2, at 3 p.m. in Westport Island Town Hall, renowned historic shipwright Rob Stevens will tell about an epic Maine event in the American Revolution – The Quebec Expedition. He will describe how in 1775, Benedict Arnold led over 1,000 American soldiers on a grueling march up the nearby Kennebec River and through the Maine forest to attack Quebec City.  It was a harrowing journey with a significant outcome.  

Stroll the sidewalks, stop in to artist-owned galleries, and visit shops throughout the Village during Wiscasset Art Walk on Thursday, July 30 from 4 to 7 p.m., for a self-guided tour of art, music and craft.

The Boothbay Harbor region has some nice lighthouses that can be seen and photographed from places that afford good look angles but at very different times of the day. The Cuckolds is best seen from the Newagen Town Landing in the later afternoon, Ram Island Light can be seen from Ocean Point a little before local sunset and Burnt Island looks nice from the road to Spruce Point in the morning hours after sunrise.

Flare Night at Popham Beach will take place on Friday, Aug. 21, beginning with the annual parade at 7:30 p.m. from the Ft. Baldwin parking lot. The parade, which celebrates the arrival of the Popham Colonists in 1607, will be led by founder George Popham and his second-in-command, Raleigh Gilbert, portrayed by Popham residents in costume. The parade will progress through the village ending at Ft. Popham. Town vehicles such as fire trucks and an ambulance have been invited to the parade, along with local children and antique cars.

The woods, meadows, lakes and streams of Midcoast Maine have always beckoned to artists who enjoy working outdoors - en plein air. This year, the Maine Art Gallery (MAG) has encouraged the 18 plein air artists who have been chosen to participate in its annual “Paint It Maine!” event to use some of their time to paint in one of the many Midcoast nature preserves that are maintained by Midcoast Conservancy, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary.

The Maine Art Gallery’s current show, “Song of the Wild,” which closes on July 26, takes the gallery visitor on an indoor path through nature as expressed in a fascinating variety of mediums. At the same time, a select group of artists is setting up their easels in the woods and meadows of Maine to create new paintings for the upcoming plein air exhibit that opens on July 30.