The Waldo is excited to have The Bearly Dead return to the stage Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m. after last year’s SOLD OUT show. Not just another Grateful Dead cover band- this is a cosmic exploration of the Grateful Dead catalog! Bearly Dead, a Boston-based quintet, performs a concert-style show that celebrates the journey of the Grateful Dead from their earliest records until their final tours.

The anticipated "North Pole Express" event series begins this weekend in Boothbay, transforming the Boothbay Railway Village Museum into a magical Christmas wonderland for families. The event takes place on Saturdays and Sundays for three consecutive weekends, beginning Saturday, Dec. 6.

The North Pole Express

Wiscasset Holiday Marketfest is a shopping extravaganza for gifts and personal luxuries, but Marketfest is also a destination for seasonal activities to enjoy amidst the shopping hoopla. Have kids? Bring them along. To get in a holiday frame-of-mind, Marketfest is the place to go.

With the help of local creative makers, Wiscasset Holiday Marketfest shoppers can add that special handcrafted touch to their holiday celebrations. Workshops throughout Marketfest weekend, Dec. 5-7, will guide participants in the fine crafts of basket making, paper arts, and repurposing lobster rope from the sea.

Take Two is a series from reporters (and movie buffs) Fritz Freudenberger and Isabelle Curtis to review entertainment options in the region. This month's film is 2025’s “Frankenstein,” written and directed by Guillermo del Toro, starring Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi and Mia Goth. It is currently available on Netflix. 

This year's Early Bird Sale & Pajama Party on Nov. 22 included the return of the event's Bed Races, to the delight of spectators and competitors! 

The Greenleaf Inn team, also representing the Admiral's Quarters, took first place!

“Exploding Lobster” by Judy Nixon. At first glance I thought the subject must be a red phoenix rising from the ashes. The white floating objects floating away above the body, feathers. I was quite satisfied with my supernaturalist interpretation until I looked at the name of the painting. My eyes widened and then I just burst out laughing ... and then as I looked closer lobster claws and the shape of the body were visible. And those “feathers” are what we dip in butter.

Calling all Crafters! The Waldo Theatre is delighted to invite local makers and movie lovers to two upcoming Craft Cinema afternoons: cozy community gatherings designed for anyone who loves to craft while enjoying a great film surrounding by other creatives!

On Sunday, Nov. 30 at 4 p.m., we’ll be screening the iconic classic "Clueless" followed by a festive showing of "The Holiday" on Saturday, Dec. 7 at 4 p.m.

Kitchens in Maine are beginning to warm up as bakers near and far have started not only designing but baking and building their entries for the 2025 Gingerbread Spectacular at the Opera House in Boothbay Harbor. For the past 19 years both novice and professional gingerbread house builders, young and old, from near and far, have brought their holiday gingerbread houses and castles, cabins and lighthouses, tree forts and barnyards to be displayed as part of the exhibit. This year’s Gingerbread Spectacular is Dec. 12-14.

Join Kennebec Estuary Land Trust’s Community Engagement Manager, Tyler Pascocello and Maine Master Naturalist volunteers for a winter bird walk at Reid State Park on Thursday, Dec. 4 at 10 a.m.

Spark your holiday spirit with a visit to Historic New England’s 1807 Nickels-Sortwell House, Dec. 5-7, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., as part of Wiscasset Holiday Marketfest. Experience the house’s stunning interiors in a whole new way from vintage Christmas and New Year's celebrations to a fantasy solarium. Tours are self-paced with guides on hand to share the stories of the people and lives lived here.

Heartwood Theater will host youth auditions for ”Treasure Island” open to all Midcoast middle school students in grades 4-8, on Monday, Dec. 1 from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the Poe Theater, at Lincoln Academy.  This annual Winter Drama Adventure will be co-directed by Teralyn Reiter and Griff Braley.  No prior experience necessary.

Lincoln Theater is pleased to be part of the annual Villages of Light festival, bringing Santa Claus to town along with a free holiday film for this special celebration Saturday, Nov. 29 beginning at 11 a.m.

This free family event, presented in partnership with the Damariscotta Region Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by MaineHealth, begins with Santa’s arrival at the theater, where guests of all ages will have the chance to share their holiday wishes and snap a photo or two.

Wiscasset Holiday Marketfest is scheduled for Dec. 5, 6 and 7. The charming historic Village of Wiscasset will be decorated for the season by some remarkably busy elves. The unique shops and galleries will be welcoming new and returning shoppers during three days of holiday fun. Be sure to stop by and see some unique items that will be available. Wiscasset is always a special place to visit, especially during the holiday season. 

Wiscasset Holiday Marketfest has become a destination for shoppers searching the Village shops for unique, well-made gifts. During the first full weekend in December, the small retail stores, galleries and ateliers in the Village are joined by a special marketplace in the historic Nickels-Sortwell barn on Federal Street, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. When visitors enter the barn, they are welcomed to a wonderland of creations by local artisans.

The Skidompha Secondhand Book Shop in downtown Damariscotta will be open all day on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

According to the shop’s co-manager Rosie Bensen, “A couple of our volunteer shopkeepers thought customers might like an opportunity, before or after giving thanks, to visit our quiet shop, read by the fireplace, enjoy our views of the Damariscotta, or maybe treat themselves to a new book or do some holiday shopping.”

Tonight, Nov. 14 is Community Night at Gardens Aglow at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens from 4 to 9 p.m.