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Friday, May 17

PATHS graduation
8:30 a.m. “Portland Arts and Technology High School (PATHS) will hold its graduation ceremonies on May 17. The session I ceremony will be from 8:30 to 10:15 a.m., and the session II ceremony will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Both ceremonies will take place in the lower ‘b’ building (the carpentry lab area) of PATHS, 196 Allen Avenue.  The events are open to the public.”
Lincoln Peirce at St. Brigid Catholic School
10:30 a.m. “Award-winning author and illustrator Lincoln Peirce will speak and offer a demonstration to students at St. Brigid Catholic School on 695 Stevens Avenue on Friday, May 17 at 10:30 a.m. The Portland resident moved to Maine in 1992 and is the creator of the comic strip Big Nate, which appears in nearly 300 U.S. newspapers. The successful syndicated comic strip led to a middle grade book series that has sold close to five million copies and has been featured on Good Morning America and in USA Today. In addition, Peirce has also created several animated pilots for Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon. Peirce will discuss his comic strip, books and journey with the third, fourth and fifth graders at St. Brigid. He will also give a drawing demonstration. Born in Ames, Iowa, Peirce grew up in Durham, New Hampshire where he began creating his own comic strips in the sixth grade. He attended Colby College, where he created a weekly comic strip entitled Third Floor for the school newspaper.” For more information, contact Principal Peter Buckley at 797-7073.
Kevin Sheehan at the Portland Public Library
noon to 1 p.m. Kevin Sheehan speaks about his book “The Aberration” at the Friday Local Author Series, Friday, May 17 from noon to 1 p.m., Meeting Room No. 5, Portland Public Library. “‘The Aberration’ is a disturbing story that chronicles the near dissolution of Karcher and Witte’s young marriage by an unethical female psychiatrist in Portland who seduces Karcher through hypnotherapy. Emotionally crippled by alcoholic parents, a parade of nannies who doubled as his mother’s lovers, and the suicide of his masculine mother, Karcher is an easy mark. Within weeks, the doctor has him hooked and so confused, he believes his wife is the one who controls him. But there is always hope. The book is buoyed by narrator Karcher’s unsteady progress toward reconciliation — with his deceased mother, his wife and himself — and by the firm grounding provided him by his centered wife and her Maine parents.”
‘Spamalot’ auditions in L/A
6:30 p.m. Lewiston/Auburn Community Little Theatre is calling for auditions for its blockbuster musical “Monty Python’s Spamalot” on May 17 at 6:30 p.m. and May 19 at 1 p.m. on the third floor at Great Falls Art Center 30 Academy St., Auburn. FMI, please access the CLT website at www.laclt.com.
Duplicate bridge tournament in Camden
7 p.m. Duplicate bridge tournament in Camden. ACBL sanctioned. Camden Rockport Middle School.  Pairs sessions Fri., May 17, 7 p.m., Sat., May 18, 12:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.  Swiss teams match on Sun., May 19.  Call Lance at 273-3223 for partner or more info.
‘Leviathan’ screening at SPACE
7:30 p.m. “Leviathan” screening. Friday. May 17, 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 19, 7:30 p.m. Doors open at 7 p.m. for both screenings. SPACE Gallery, 538 Congress St., Portland. $8, $6 for SPACE members and students w/ ID. “A groundbreaking, immersive portrait of the contemporary commercial fishing industry, ‘Leviathan’ was filmed off the coast of New Bedford, Massachusetts — at one time the whaling capital of the world as well as Melville’s inspiration for Moby Dick. Today New Bedford is the country’s largest fishing port with over 500 ships sailing from its harbor every month. ‘Leviathan’ follows one such vessel, a hulking groundfish trawler, into the surrounding murky black waters on a weeks-long fishing expedition. But instead of romanticizing the labor or partaking in the longstanding tradition of turning fisherfolk into images, filmmakers Lucien Castiang-Taylor (Sweetgrass) and Verena Paravel (Foreign Parts) present a vivid, almost-kaleidoscopic representation of the work, the sea, the machinery and the players, both human and marine.” http://www.space538.org/events/leviathan
The Early Evening Show — Geek Edition!
7:30 p.m. The Early Evening Show — Geek Edition! “The show will feature performances by Mike Miclon’s alter-geeky-ego Dickie Hyper-Hynie as well as robots, juggling, nerdy trivia and a special appearances by the high-tech comedy group, AudioBody and the off-beat magician Wally Wiggins AKA Leland Faulkner. The show will also include live music by the Early Evening Show Orchestra with Oren Robsinson and other surprise guests. The Early Evening Show has been described as a cross between Saturday Night Live and classic Johnny Carson and is a blend of wild improvisations, prizes, comic sketches, upbeat music and spectacular finales. Every show is unique and you never know what’s going to happen!” The Freeport Theater of Awesome, 5 Depot St., Freeport. May 17 and 18, 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $19 in advance/$21 at the door and are available online at www.AwesomeTheater.com
‘Wittenberg’ by David Davalos
7:30 p.m. April 30 – May 19. “Trouble brews in the hallowed halls of Wittenberg University as professors Martin Luther and Doctor Faustus duel for the allegiance of their pupil – Prince Hamlet. From tennis and beer to soliloquies over skulls, Davalos’ imaginative comedy of 16th century college life mixes slapstick and wordplay with a philosophical exploration of reason versus faith, played out in a zany spin on classic characters – real and imaginary!” May 14-17 at 7:30 p.m.; also May 16 at 2 p.m.; May 18 at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.; May 19 at 2 p.m. Portland Stage. http://www.portlandstage.org

Saturday, May 18

Portland Bulldog Challenge
8:30 a.m. Registration and Check-in opens. The Portland Bulldog Challenge will be held Saturday, May 18 at the Portland Arts and Technology High School, 196 Allen Ave. in Portland. This inaugural 2.5-mile race course will be packed with mud, water, obstacles and more mud. Run/crawl as an individual or four-person team with the knowledge that your efforts will be helping support scholarships and provide equipment, training and many other athletic needs. Prizes will be awarded for the top finishers and T-shirts will be given to all competitors who register before April 30. Come join the fun! For more info or to register log on to www.portlandbulldogchallenge.com.”
Tri for the Y & 5K Run
8:30 a.m. “Join us for the Y’s fourth annual Tri for the Y & 5K Run! This event will be held on Saturday, May 18 at 8:30 a.m. at the Casco Bay Branch in Freeport. It’s sure to be a fun-filled family event with something for everyone! There will be activities for the children and an awards ceremony after the triathlon and 5K. This year is sure to be even bigger and better than the past! This is a fundraising event for the YMCA of Southern Maine. All proceeds will go towards our financial assistance program to ensure that we turn no one away because of an inability to pay. Join us for a morning of fun!” www.ymcaofsouthernmaine.org
WestFest Neighborhood Celebration
9 a.m. “On Saturday, May 18, the West End Neighborhood Association will hold the fourth annual WestFest Neighborhood Celebration. The event will start with a Neighborhood Breakfast at St. Louis Church at 279 Danforth St. All are welcome, so begin your day in a fun and tasty way. If you need a ride to St. Louis, hop on a horse-drawn wagon at the Irish Heritage Center at 42 Gray Street and ride to breakfast in style! Free wagon rides will be available from 9-11 between Irish Heritage and St. Louis and from 11-1 from Irish Heritage on a loop around the neighborhood. From 10-4 an art/craft show and sale will take place at Irish Heritage Center, along with raffles, face painting. and a visit by the Portland Public Library’s new Bookmobile. From 11-2 Chalk-It-Up sidewalk drawing contest will be underway on Danforth Street between State and Park. The theme is ‘My West End’ and you may register that morning to participate. These events are all offered on a donation basis and we hope you will give as generously as you can. All proceeds go to support the swimming lessons for fourth and fifth graders at Reiche Elementary School and free open swims for kids during the summer at the Reiche pool. FMI 879-6024 or www.wenamaine.org.”
South Portland Land Trust Plant and Bake Sale
9 a.m. “The South Portland Land Trust annual Plant and Bake Sale on Saturday, May 18, at the American Legion Hall at 413 Broadway in South Portland.  The SPLT plant sale is a perennial favorite of the gardening community — an amazing variety of annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs, wildflowers, groundcovers, etc. will be available for sale, as well as baked goods and coffee.  The sale will open to SPLT members at 8 a.m. and to the general public at 9 a.m.  Individuals or families are welcome to become SPLT members the day of the sale to take advantage of the early sale hours. The SPLT is currently seeking donations of plants and garden-related items from individuals and/or businesses and is seeking volunteers willing to dig and transplant donated plants.  Contact Helen Slocum at 408-1039 or email her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to take part in the event that has become a South Portland tradition!”
Maine’s Equestrian Open Farm Day
9 a.m. Riding To The Top Therapeutic Riding Center in Windham will be open for tours and other activities as part of Maine’s Equestrian Open Farm Day on Saturday, May 18. 9 a.m. to noon,  Horse Show classes featuring RTT riders; noon to 1 p.m. Drill Team and demos featuring RTT staff and volunteers. RTT staff and volunteers will be available 9-12 for tours of the farm and to answer questions about RTT’s equine assisted activities and therapies. RTT is celebrating 20 years of service to the community — come see what the RTT experience is all about! Direction: To get to RTT take Route 302 to Land of Nod Road to 14 Lilac Drive.”
Tate House Museum Herb and Plant Sale
9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tate House Museum Herb and Plant Sale will be held on May 18, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1267 Westbrook St., Portland. The museum garden contains heirloom plants that would have been found in an 18th century garden for medicinal, culinary and fragrant uses. The sale will include perennials and herbs that are found in our historic garden.  We will also have some popular annuals available for sale.  Plants will also be supplied by Broadway Gardens as well as museum volunteers and members. Our museum gift shop will also be open. The Tate House will also be opened for tours at a discounted rate for those buying plants.”
Maine Masonic Civil War Library and Museum
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. James E. Dufresne, director of the soon-to-launch Maine Masonic Civil War Library and Museum in Portland, announced a “soft opening” on Saturday, May 18. The new library and museum is opening at 415 Congress St. A grand opening will be held later this summer, he said. Maine Masonic Civil War Library and Museum hours will be Wednesday through Friday from noon to 5 p.m., and Saturday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. It will be closed on national and state holidays. It will also open by appointment. Entrance may be gained by way of the side door on Chestnut Street.
For details, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
SMCC commencement
9:30 a.m to 12:30 p.m. “The largest graduating class in the 67-year history of Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) will join with faculty and staff for an ocean-side commencement ceremony on the South Portland Campus athletic fields on Saturday, May 18 from 9:30 a.m to 12:30 p.m. A total of 1,074 students are expected to receive their degrees from the College. The SMCC Class of 2013 graduates hail from 15 Maine counties, 17 states, eight countries, and include 33 students who are the first ever graduates of SMCC’s Midcoast Campus in Brunswick, which opened in 2011. The oldest graduate is 67 and the youngest is 19, with an average age of 29. These students represent incredible diversity of age, culture and experience including 40 graduates who are U.S. veterans.”
UNE 178th Commencement
10 a.m. “University of New England’s 178th Commencement ceremonies will take place outdoors under the tent on UNE’s Biddeford Campus this Saturday, May 18 at 10 a.m. The University will award an estimated 1,450 associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees at the event, representing the College of Arts and Sciences, Westbrook College of Health Professions, College of Osteopathic Medicine, and College of Pharmacy.  Each college will recognize its own student achievements at pinning and hooding ceremonies throughout the week. U.S. Senator Angus S. King, Jr. is the Commencement speaker.  UNE will honor Maine’s Poet Laureate Wesley McNair with an honorary Doctor of Letters degree. The UNE College of Pharmacy will also mark the historic occasion of its inaugural graduating class, which includes 26 students from Maine. The event will also be streamed live at  http://stream.une.edu.”
University of Maine School of Law graduation
10 a.m. Mara Liasson, an award-winning political correspondent for National Public Radio, will be the keynote speaker at this year’s commencement for the University of Maine School of Law. The graduation ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 18, at the Merrill Auditorium in Portland. Ninety-seven students will be awarded J.D. degrees and two students will be awarded post-professional LL.M. degrees. More than two dozen merit awards will be presented to graduates. Family, friends and community members are welcome to attend. Also at commencement, the school will present the 2013 L. Kinvin Wroth Award to the Honorable John A. Woodcock Jr., Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine. The award, named after former Law School Dean L. Kinvin Wroth, honors a Maine Law graduate who has achieved distinction in his or her career by contributing as a leader, locally, nationally or globally, and who has helped advance his or her alma mater.” www.mainelaw.maine.edu
French Story Time
10 a.m. French Story Time with Greely French Club. Prince Memorial Library, 266 Main St., Cumberland. FMI 829-2215.
Spirits Alive gardening workday
10 a.m. to noon. “Volunteers dying to get into historic Eastern Cemetery have many options through Spirits Alive 2013 Events, Gardening Workday, May 18, 10 a.m. to noon. Meet at the Congress Street gate. Spirits Alive, the advocacy group for the Eastern Cemetery, opens the historic cemetery’s season with a gardening workday on May 18. From 10-noon, join cemetery friends, gardeners, history buffs, and neighbors to spruce up the area for summer. There will be an opportunity to gather the refuse of winter as well as mulch around the happy trees dotting the landscape. No experience is required! Master gardeners will be on hand to instruct volunteers on the basics of working near historic gravestones, and provide a fun morning for all. Support this city green space and help us encourage respect by keeping it beautiful. FMI: http://spiritsalive.org/events.htm Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (Jean Keller), facebook.com/spiritsalive.org, twitter.com/easterncemetery.”
Perennial Swap in Cumberland
10 a.m. to noon. Bring a plant, take a plant. Free! Prince Memorial Library, 266 Main Street, Cumberland. FMI 829-2215.
Bayside Spring into Health Fair.
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. University of Southern Maine: “For the third year students are organizing and fundraising for the Bayside Spring into Health Fair.  This event is sponsored by the local business community and brings health and safety information directly to the people of Bayside.  Many other CONHP community partnerships participate in the fair.  In addition local fire, rescue, police, social service, recreation and health care providers host booths.  Demonstrations on nutrition, health and fitness highlight the benefits of healthy living.  The community looks forward to this exciting annual event.” Oxford Street (between Chestnut and Myrtle). ”Come join us for informational tables, kids activities, music and more! Presented by the University of Southern Maine Bayside Community Nursing Partnership with Bayside Neighborhood Association and Midtown Community Policing. For more information or to volunteer, contact Dylan Jose at USM.” baysideportland.org/news-and-events
Indoor Yard Sale for Time Dollars
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. “Abundance Day: Indoor Yard Sale for Time Dollars - Join us Saturday, May 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Allen Avenue Unitarian Universalist Church, 524 Allen Avenue, Portland. This is on the bus route near Washington Avenue and Allen Avenue. Open to Time Dollar members for Time Dollar Exchanges (and no cash accepted.)We have 25+ members offering new and gently used items for Time Dollars, including household items; art; hand-crafted items and clothes like new aprons and baby items; food and snacks; gardening materials and seeds; services; and a whole lot more! Additionally, members will offer chair massages, face painting, a craft table will be available for your self-directed use. There will be a talk on gardening, and self care/ health class. Play Nexus (http://www.playnexus.com/) will be here to offer play activities for kids and adults alike! Come have fun with other Hour Exchange Members, get some great items for Time Dollars and Play in our Community! See you here, Lesley Jones, lesleymjones@yahoo.comCall or email questions!”
Catholic Charities thrift store event
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Catholic Charities thrift store in Portland is turning two and everyone is invited to come see what’s new at its second anniversary party on Saturday, May 18 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Debuting a new name: Threads of Hope, the store is committed to creating a shopping experience everyone can feel good about! ... On Saturday, May 18 customers will enjoy half-off all clothing as well as have the chance to enter raffles to win a pair of Red Sox tickets, gift certificates to Olympia Sports, or dinner for two at local restaurants. A free custom tote bag will be given away with a $20 purchase, while supplies last. Threads of Hope features gently worn clothing, shoes, accessories, furniture and books. Hours are Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Threads of Hope is located in the Union Station Plaza, 244 St. John St. in Portland. Threads of Hope relies solely on donations for its inventory and welcomes donations of gently worn clothing, shoes, accessories, furniture, books, CDs and DVDs from individuals and businesses. Items may be brought to the store during regular business hours or to arrange for a pick-up of larger items, call 781-8555.  For more information visit www.ThreadsOfHopeCCM.org.”
Bug Light Kite Festival
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. “Come enjoy a day of old-fashioned, kite-flying fun at Bug Light Park! Members of the Noreasters Kite Club and Kites Over New England (KONE) will offer a fantastic display of fun and fanciful kites, will offer many activities like bol racing and a candy drop for the kids, and will help anyone looking to learn how to fly their own kite. Kites will be available for purchase in the museum gift shop at the park. There will also be food and drinks available for purchase at a barbecue at the event. Portland Breakwater Lighthouse (aka Bug Light) will be open to the public during the festival, as well, giving a rare chance to see the inside of the lighthouse, thanks to volunteers from the South Portland/Cape Elizabeth Rotary Club. Rain date: May 25.” Bug Light Park, 1 Madison St., South Portland. www.sphistory.org
All State Music Festival
2 p.m. Windham High School Performing Arts Center. The University of Southern Maine School of Music hosts the 60th annual Maine Music Educators Association All State Music Festival, May 16 to May 18 on the Gorham campus, culminating in three Saturday afternoon concerts at Windham High School. Starting at 2 p.m. http://www.usm.maine.edu/events
Piece By Piece, Portland
2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The Telling Room presents Piece By Piece, Portland, Saturday, at the St. Lawrence Arts Center. “A collage of interwoven stories by Telling Room students with scenes from a village in Uganda, from the front seat of a sports car, to a crowded airport in Belgium, an ELL classroom, a private school in Haiti, or a kite flying contest in Iraq ... tickets at the door, pay what you like, arrive early!” Also at the Theater Project in Brunswick, 5 p.m. May 19. http://www.tellingroom.org/events
‘Wittenberg’ by David Davalos
4 p.m. and 8 p.m. April 30 to May 19. “Trouble brews in the hallowed halls of Wittenberg University as professors Martin Luther and Doctor Faustus duel for the allegiance of their pupil – Prince Hamlet. From tennis and beer to soliloquies over skulls, Davalos’ imaginative comedy of 16th century college life mixes slapstick and wordplay with a philosophical exploration of reason versus faith, played out in a zany spin on classic characters – real and imaginary!” May 14-17 at 7:30 p.m.; also May 16 at 2 p.m.; May 18 at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.; May 19 at 2 p.m. Portland Stage. http://www.portlandstage.org
Bean Supper in South Portland
5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Bean Supper at Peoples United Methodist Church, 310 Broadway, South Portland. Baked beans, casseroles, homemade pies and more. $8 each, $17 family  Last Bean supper until September.
Lowry’s Lodge Poetry Series
7 p.m. Saccarappa Art Collective, 861 Main St., downtown Westbrook. 591-7300 (many fine eateries along Main and Bridge streets), featuring: Claire Hersom (poet; Equal Justice Maine; Gary Lawless, Board of Directors (internationally respected poet; Gulf of Maine Books). Hosted by Jim Donnelly and Anna Wrobel, ‘Official’ home of Moon Pie Press (Westbrook Arts), $3 suggested donation, refreshments / Q & A with poets (please check out Saccarappa Art Collective’s Facebook page).
Ghost tours at Fort Knox
7 p.m. “The Friends of Fort Knox announced that the first ghost tours of the season, conducted by the East Coast Ghost Trackers, will take place Saturday evening, May 18th. Visitors may sign up for one of three, hour and one half guided tours where they will learn ghost hunting techniques, the legends of Fort hauntings and see ghost hunting equipment in action. The tours are $15 per person and tickets may be purchased in advance by calling 469-6553. The ghost tours will take place at 7 p.m., 8:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.” A complete schedule of upcoming events may be found on their web site fortknox.maineguide.com
‘Singing for a New Day’
7 p.m. “Women in Harmony is an inclusive group, welcoming women of various musical abilities while emphasizing choral excellence. Concerts are held twice yearly, in January and May. ‘Singing for a New Day’ will be performed on Saturday May 18 at 7 p.m. and Sunday May 19 at 4pm, Woodfords Congregational Church, 202 Woodford Street, Portland. Tickets are available at Longfellow Books and Starbird Music in Portland, and at Nonesuch Books in South Portland. $12 advance, $10 student/senior, $15 at the door. For more information, please go to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .”
Bluestocking Film Series symposium
7 p.m. “The Bluestocking Film Series is on the move. With a new venue in Osher Hall at Maine College of Art, Maine’s only women’s film event is expanding to two days, celebrating the accomplishments of women in film with an international roster of provocative, award-winning short films on Sat., May 18 and a free-to-the-public symposium on Sun., May 19, titled ‘Why We Need The Bechdel Test Now.’ The Bluestocking will once again showcase woman-directed short films from the U.S. and around the globe. ‘This is our biggest, boldest screening yet,’ Kaminski says, ‘with stories that run the gamut from the darkest of dark comedies to thoughtful dramas and more.’ There will also be a raffle fundraiser with fun prizes — drawing will take place on Sunday.” The Bluestocking films will screen in Osher Hall at Maine College of Art at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 18. Tickets are $9/general and $6/student and are on sale via Brown Paper Tickets, brownpapertickets.com; Watch trailers: bluestockingfilms.com
Comedian Ray Harrington in Portland
8 p.m. “Comedian Ray Harrington will be performing May 18 at the Mayo Street Arts Center in Portland. The show starts at 8 p.m. with opener Kevin Neales. It will be Ray’s first appearance in Portland since recording his debut album at the Comedy Connection in September of last year. Tickets for the show are available online at http://www.mayostreetarts.org. Originally from Bangor, Ray started performing in a musical duo called Travesty in Training before stepping off on his own to do stand-up. After several years of performing in the Maine area Ray made the move to Rhode Island, were he was named Best Comedian in Providence.  Having conquered stages all around the US Ray has branched out and recently headlined in London, England.  His first comedy CD was recorded at the Comedy Connection in Sept. 2012.”

Sunday, May 19

Southern Maine Heart Walk
8:30 a.m. “Teams of families, friends and co-workers will take part in the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Southern Maine Heart Walk on Sunday, May 19. The goal is to raise $300,000 to support the AHA’s lifesaving research, education, and advocacy efforts. Health screenings, guest survivor speakers, heart-healthy food, children’s activities, Hands-Only CPR demonstrations, and educational exhibits all aim to inspire people to lower their risk for cardiovascular diseases. News 8’s Tracy Sabol and WPOR FM’s Rachel Flehinger will serve as emcees.” Rain or shine. AAA Parking Lot, 68 Marginal Way, Portland, is the new location. 8:30 a.m. — Registration/Breakfast; 9:10 a.m. — Brief kick-off ceremonies/speeches; 9:30 a.m. — Walk around Back Cove. American Heart Association, American Stroke Association, 51 US Route One, Suite M, Scarborough. 523.3005.
‘Food is Hope’ concert and food drive
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. “Truly Chillemi, a fourth grader at Pond Cove Elementary School in Cape Elizabeth, has organized the third annual ‘Food is Hope’ concert and food drive to benefit Wayside Food Programs of Portland. The concert will be held on Sunday, May 19 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Local Buzz, 327 Ocean House Road, Cape Elizabeth. Scheduled artists include traditional Cuban combo Primo Cubano, the Gorham School of Music Marimba All-Stars, and the Forbes Brothers, as well as others. Donations of non-perishable food will be collected at the event.”
Pet Rock in the Park 2013
11 a.m. to 4 p.m. “Portland Veterinary Specialists proudly presents Pet Rock in the Park 2013 taking place on Sunday May 19, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Rain Date: May 26) at Deering Oaks Park, Portland. http://www.deeringoaks.org. Join the crowd as people and pets gather for a day of music, food and four-legged fun. Live musical entertainment on the Holistic Select-sponsored stage. ... Vendors on hand including food concessionaires, veterinary hospitals, pet products, doggie day care facilities, and shelters/rescue groups with pets looking for forever homes, Raffles and Prizes throughout the day. All to benefit Chase Away K9 Cancer, http://chaseawayk9cancer.org; more info at: http://y1009.com/events/pet-rock-in-the-park
Victoria Mansion’s Annual Doll Tea
1 p.m.  At the Maine Irish Heritage Center,  34 Gray St.,  Portland. “This year’s theme is fairies! This popular annual event features live music, party favors, gift bags, door prizes, tea, baked goods and other refreshments. Once again there will be a crowning of Tea Royalty and Portland Ballet will be on hand to offer lessons to children. Afterwards, tour Victoria Mansion, decorated with beautiful dolls, for free! Guests of the Doll Tea are encouraged to bring their own dolls to the event! Adults $25, Children $15, Member and group discounts available. To purchase tickets call 772-4841; email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ; see events at www.victoriamansion.org for more information.”
‘Wittenberg’ by David Davalos
2 p.m. April 30 to May 19. “Trouble brews in the hallowed halls of Wittenberg University as professors Martin Luther and Doctor Faustus duel for the allegiance of their pupil – Prince Hamlet. From tennis and beer to soliloquies over skulls, Davalos’ imaginative comedy of 16th century college life mixes slapstick and wordplay with a philosophical exploration of reason versus faith, played out in a zany spin on classic characters – real and imaginary!” May 14-17 at 7:30 p.m.; also May 16 at 2 p.m.; May 18 at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.; May 19 at 2 p.m. Portland Stage. http://www.portlandstage.org
Carnival of the Animals with the PSO
2:30 p.m. Discovery Concert presented by the Portland Symphony Orchestra. Tickets $10. A symphonic adventure for the whole family. Come early for games, crafts and lots more family-friendly musical fun. Seating:  General Admission. Run Time: 60 minutes. Ages: Geared toward ages 5-12. All ages must have a ticket to attend this event. Box Office opens: 12:30 p.m. Pre-Show Activities: Please arrive for activities at 1 p.m. or 1:30 p.m. House opens:  2 p.m. Merrill Auditorium.
Bluestocking Film Series symposium
4 p.m. “The Bluestocking Film Series is on the move. With a new venue in Osher Hall at Maine College of Art, Maine’s only women’s film event is expanding to two days, celebrating the accomplishments of women in film with an international roster of provocative, award-winning short films on Sat., May 18 and a free-to-the-public symposium on Sun., May 19, titled ‘Why We Need The Bechdel Test Now.’ The Bluestocking will once again showcase woman-directed short films from the U.S. and around the globe. ‘This is our biggest, boldest screening yet,’ Kaminski says, ‘with stories that run the gamut from the darkest of dark comedies to thoughtful dramas and more.’ There will also be a raffle fundraiser with fun prizes — drawing will take place on Sunday.” The Bluestocking films will screen in Osher Hall at Maine College of Art at 7 p.m. on Saturday, May 18. Tickets are $9/general and $6/student and are on sale via Brown Paper Tickets, brownpapertickets.com/event/371184, or at the door the evening of the screening. Visa/Mastercard accepted at the door. The symposium will take place in Osher Hall on Sunday, May 19 at 4 p.m. and is free to the public. FMI, contact Kate Kaminski, founder/organizer. Watch trailers: bluestockingfilms.com
‘Social Action as Spiritual Practice’
4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The Chaplaincy Institute of Maine will host a lecture/slide presentation Sally Bowden-Schaible and Robert Schaible titled “Social Action as Spiritual Practice: The Role of Interfaith Ministry in Achieving Middle East Peace.” “Sally is founder and coordinator of LivingWell, a center for mind-body health and spiritual growth, in Westbrook.  Robert, professor emeritus of arts and humanities at the University of Southern Maine, has devoted his time since retiring in 2011 to working as chair of Maine Voices for Palestinian Rights. Sally and Robert made their second trip to Israel/Palestine in May of last year as part of a delegation organized by the D.C.-based Interfaith Peace Builders. The event will be held at The Center for Grieving Children, 555 Forest Ave.  Portland. FMI: 347-6740

Monday, May 20

City Council honors city’s 2013 top students
7 p.m. “The Portland City Council will honor the highest-achieving high school seniors in the Portland Public Schools at its meeting on May 20 at 7 p.m. in Portland City Hall. The council will issue proclamations for Sophie Hulbert, top-ranking senior at Casco Bay High School (CBHS), Eliza Lambert, CBHS’s second-ranked senior, Nathan Finberg, Deering High School’s valedictorian, Alyssa Donovan, Deering’s salutatorian, Alison Noel Savage, Portland High School’s valedictorian, and Charles (Chip) William Weber, Portland High’s salutatorian.”

Tuesday, May 21

The Salvation Army annual breakfast
7 a.m. Guest speaker, Maine humorist Gary Crocker. Ramada Inn at Saco Plaza, coffee and tea, 7 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.; buffet breakfast served at 7:30 a.m. Tickets are $15 each, can be purchased by calling 934-4381. All proceeds to benefit Camp Sebago.
Public invited to pray for peace
noon. “Wars and rumors of wars are much too present, and our faith urges us to pray for peace. State Street Church United Church of Christ located at 159 State St. in Portland continues holding a vigil at noon on the third Tuesday of the month. We invite members and the public to take some time to pray or meditate or contemplate the urgency of building a just and peaceful world. We will gather on the front steps of the church between noon and 1 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21, seeking a world where people strive for diplomatic relations instead of wars. Please join us if you are able.”
Night Owl Workshop
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The Telling Room presents. “Join fiction writer Charlotte Bacon for Intimate Strangers:  Bringing Your Birth Stories to Life, May 21, May 28 and June 4, 6:30-8:30 p.m. “In this three-session class, participants will have the chance to write and tell the story of the arrival of the most amazing strangers they have ever met:  their own babies.  Over the course of three weeks with the guidance of a teacher and a midwife, participants are invited to explore and relive the memories and feelings of these unique events and set them on the page. Parents of all kinds, adoptive or biological, brand new or much older, and birth workers of all kinds are encouraged to join. This multi-session workshop is $100, or $70 for TR volunteers.” http://www.tellingroom.org/events
Foreside Garden Club
7 p.m. The next meeting of the Foreside Garden Club will be held at the Falmouth Public Library on Lunt Road in Falmouth. It will feature a  program by master gardener Susan Snow on invasive plants in Maine. It will be followed by refreshments and a brief business meeting. All are invited to attend this free presentation and learn about what to avoid in our gardens. FMI Mimi Hinkel 829-3578.

Wednesday, May 22

Hall School blood drive to honor school nurses
7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. “Fifth graders at Portland’s Hall Elementary School are working with the American Red Cross on a blood drive to honor school nurses.  The drive will take place on May 22 from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the gym  of Hall School, 23 Orono Road.  To find out more and to sign up, call 1-800-RED CROSS or visit www.redcrossblood.org. Val Vassar’s and Rebecca Norling’s fifth grade classes at Hall learned about the function of blood in the body and the need for blood donations, especially to meet a shortage of O-negative blood.  Fifth graders went to every classroom in the school to teach students about the importance of blood.  They gave each student two invitations for friends or family members to donate blood. The fifth graders also made posters to publicize the blood drive, and they are making daily announcements over the school intercom. Their goal is to collect more than 50 pints, the amount of blood donated during Hall’s first drive a year ago.”
‘The Retrofitting Movement’ by MEREDA
1 p.m. to 5 p.m. “The Maine Real Estate & Development Association (MEREDA) will host ‘The Retrofitting Movement: Repositioning Underutilized Commercial Real Estate’ will take place on Wednesday, May 22 at the Holiday Inn By the Bay in Portland, with a social hour to follow. Admission is $95 and pre-registration is required. MEREDA members are offered a $20 discount and, this year, students and municipal officials and employees are offered free admission with pre-registration. The conference is sponsored by Blais Civil Engineers, Libby Hill, Mainebiz, Pierce Atwood, EnviroVantage, Building Envelope Specialists, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, SMRT and Sevee & Maher Engineers. Conversation around the cutting-edge concept of retrofitting and creative re-use planning at the annual spring conference, scheduled for May 22 in Portland. “MEREDA will welcome to Maine a leading expert on the topic of retrofitting, Ellen Dunham-Jones, and will host a panel of local experts. Additionally, MEREDA will recognize the six most noteworthy and significant Maine commercial development projects from the previous year at the conference. Dunham-Jones is a leading authority on suburban redevelopment.  She has been featured in The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Harvard Design Magazine, Urban Land, Planning, Architectural Record, TEDx and other venues. Co-author of Retrofitting Suburbia, Dunham-Jones will share case studies of underperforming asphalt properties that have been redesigned and redeveloped into vital centers of community. Her presentation will focus on adaptive reuse of vacant buildings, environmental repair, revising zoning codes and public works standards and providing easements for future connectivity and adaptability. Local experts who will participate on the panel include Sarah Schindler of the University of Maine School of Law, Denis Lachman of Lachman Architects & Planners, Tex Haeuser of the City of South Portland, Vanessa Farr of the Town of Yarmouth and Craig Gorris of The Maine Mall. Each have been involved in the retrofitting movement and will support Dunham-Jones’ presentation by addressing some of the practical challenges and opportunities with respect to retrofitting in Maine communities.” For more information and to register, visit www.mereda.org.
MOFGA Farm Training Project workshops
5 p.m. Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association’s Farm Training Project workshops begin on May 22! These workshops, organized by the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, are designed for and targeted to participants in MOFGA’s Apprenticeship Program but are free and open to anyone who is interested. The first workshops this season are titled “Starting with the Soil: Sustainable Soil Management.” They take place on Wednesday, May 22, at 5 p.m. at Six River Farm in Bowdoinham and on Thursday, May 23, at  5 p.m. at Village Farm in Freedom. “Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and at  www.mofga.org.”
Westin Portland Harborview proposal
5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Rockbridge Capital representatives have unveiled plans on the Westin Portland Harborview proposal for purchase of a portion of Congress Square Plaza for development of an event facility. The public is invited to a meeting of the Congress Square Redesign Study Group, Portland City Council Chambers. This will be an opportunity for the CSRSG to review the revised proposal and send their comments and recommendations to the Housing and Community Development Committee and City Council. http://www.ci.portland.me.us
Screening of ‘Welcome to Lee Maine‘
6 p.m. to 8 p.m. At One Longfellow Square, Portland (doors open at 5:30 p.m.), coordinated by Maine Military and Community Network, Portland Chapter. Cost: Free (Donations recommended). “ A film screening of ‘Welcome to Lee Maine.’  On June 23, 2007 his mother’s birthday, Joel House was killed by an IED while on patrol in Taji, Iraq. He was 22. On November 30, 2007 Blair Emery was killed by an IED while on patrol in Baghdad, Iraq. Blair was 24. Both soldiers were from Lee, Maine. ‘Welcome to Lee Maine’ is a film about a small close-knit community in rural Maine; (pop 845) that must deal with devastating news that it has become the smallest community in America to lose two sons in the Iraq War. Lee, Maine is a town with strong Christian, patriotic and traditional values that struggles to overcome the shared heartbreak. While many have very different views of the war, they are united in their support of the families and each other in their loss. The evening will feature a panel of Cumberland County veterans immediately following the screening — giving the public a rare opportunity to hear firsthand from the veterans themselves about their experiences serving and their lives here at home. The panel will include Veterans of Afghanistan, Iraq, Korea, Vietnam, and WWII, plus family members, and Veteran service providers. ... The Maine Military and Community Network (MMCN) seeks to provide a bridge between military members, their families, and the communities in which they live and work. The network is a collaborative effort between Portland area agencies including: Preble Street Resource Center, Pinetree Legal, The Portland Vet Center, University of Southern Maine, Career Services, and many others.  Clifford Trott, PhD, the local MMCN chapter coordinator, serves as the Team Leader at the Portland Vet Center, a center providing readjustment counseling and services to Veterans and their families.” http://www.portlandmaine.gov/
‘Maine’s Financial Time Bomb’
6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The Maine Heritage Policy Center presents “Maine’s Financial Time Bomb” with Stephen A. Moses, president, Center for Long-Term Care Reform. “Did you know that the Pine Tree State has one of the oldest average populations in the United States? Did you know that Maine also has one of the most generous Medicaid-funded long-term care programs in the nation? Are you aware that people with hundreds of thousands of dollars in wealth routinely qualify for that public assistance program, i.e. welfare? Meanwhile, Maine faces serious budget problems and struggles to finance basic government programs (education, public safety, and funding for roads). So, how are your finances? Are you struggling financially? Should you — the Maine taxpayer — have to foot the long-term care bill for wealthy Mainers and other recent New England transplants? It’s time for us to take our medicine and come to terms with reality.” 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 22, Schooners Seafood & Steakhouse, 5 South Main St., Brewer; noon to 1:30 p.m., Thursday, May 23, DiMillo’s On the Water, 25 Long Wharf, Portland. For additional information, please contact Kate Clark  by phone at 321-2550 or by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
South Portland Historical Society
6:30 p.m. Annual Meeting of the South Portland Historical Society, 6:30 p.m., at the South Portland Community Center, 21 Nelson Road. Guest lecturer, Bud Warren will present a lecture: “Tide Mills in and around South Portland.” “Warren is a maritime historian and one of the founding members of the Tide Mill Institute. He will help us learn what a tide mill was, how they worked, and he will explore with us the tidal mills around this area, such as were found at Mill Creek and Long Creek.” Admission to the lecture is free for current members of the South Portland Historical Society; non-members may attend with a $10 donation. FMI, call the Society at 767-7299.  South Portland Community Center, 21 Nelson Road, South Portland. May 22. 6:30 p.m. Free for current members of South Portland Historical Society; $10 donation for non-members.   www.sphistory.org
Raised Bed Gardening
7 p.m. “Please join us on May 22  at 7 p.m. with guest speaker Richard Brzozowski from the University of Maine to learn more about Raised Bed Gardening. Admission is free and refreshments will be served. This is offered by the members of Highland Lake Grange No. 87. The Grange Hall is located at the corner of Route 302 and Hardy Road, Westbrook. The last gardening presentation for this year will be with Kate McCarty and will cover Food Preservation please feel free to join us for that on Sept. 25. Questions please contact David at 854-5753 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .”

Thursday, May 23

Author Gail Rowe in Cumberland
2 p.m. “Gail Rowe will be at the Prince Memorial Library in Cumberland for the Meet the Author series at 2 p.m. to talk about her book, ‘The Roots of a Family — Life in Rural Maine.’ Take a step back in time with the author as she describes the lives of her parents during the great Depression and World War II. Her maternal grandparents raised sixteen children in a four-room house without the benefit of electricity or indoor plumbing, while her paternal grandparents had a small dairy and market garden. Rich with historical details, this ‘remarkable tale captures a lost way of life in rural Maine … strikingly candid.’”
‘Images of Johnny Appleseed’
7 p.m. Maine Historical Society. “Images of Johnny Appleseed: Saint or Buffoon? Speaker: Russell Powell. John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed, is among America’s most widely misunderstood folk heroes. Chapman (1774-1845) is widely credited with spreading the apple gene in America. But while schoolchildren everywhere learn some variation of Appleseed’s story, it is usually inflated by myth. It seems as if we cannot decide whether to revere Chapman or ridicule him, and many depictions do both. Author Russell Steven Powell will separate fact from fiction in describing Chapman’s peripatetic life and legacy, and show how many of the depictions of Chapman through the years reflect the values of the people portraying him rather than the man. Like Chapman, Powell is a Massachusetts native who has devoted much of his career to spreading the word about apples, most of that time as executive director of the New England Apple Association. Powell discusses Chapman and his legacy at length in his new book about apple growing in the United States, ‘America’s Apple’ (2012, Brook Hollow Press).” https://www.mainehistory.org

Friday, May 24

Young Athletes Festival
9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Special Olympics Maine will offer its first annual Young Athletes Festival for children ages 2 ½ to 8 who have Intellectual Disabilities or Autism. The Festival will take place at the Frank H. Harrison Middle School In Yarmouth and will be conducted by Special Olympics Maine and the eighth grade students from the school. Young Athletes is an introduction to the sports offered by Special Olympics, for young children with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism. Participants will learn about catching, balance, striking, kicking, jumping, throwing and more. The students at Frank H. Harrison Middle school will run the children through a variety of fun stations throughout the event. The children will also have a chance to enjoy parachute time, bubbles, face painting, a snack and more. Each participating child will also receive a T-shirt and a medal at the end. The best part about the Festival … it is free! And you can bring similar aged siblings or class mates along also.”
Sabbathday Lake Shaker Museum
10 a.m. The 2013 season of the Sabbathday Lake Shaker Museum, Route 26, New Gloucester, will open on May 24, at 10 a.m. The museum is open Mondays through Saturdays (closed Sundays), 10-4:30 through Oct. 14. Tours. Exhibits. Special events. Museum shop 926-4597. www.shaker.lib.me.us.       
Slides of two-week visit in Israel/Palestine
7 p.m. “Five New England Episcopal activists, members of the 800-strong women’s organization The Outreach Committee of the Society of the Companions of the Holy Cross, will make a talk/slide presentation of their two-week visit in Israel/Palestine earlier this year. Their trip was sponsored by Sabeel, the Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center in East Jerusalem. Topics to be covered include home demolitions, refugee camps, the separation wall, the spirit of the Palestinian people, Kairos Palestine, Rabbis for Human Rights and interfaith nonviolent direct action. Wishcamper Center, 42-44 Bedford St., room 133, University of Southern Maine, Portland campus. Sponsored by a coalition of peace and justice and religious organizations. Q/A session will follow the talk. Palestinian olive oil will be on sale. FMI: 239-8060; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .”
Kierkegaard’s 200th birthday
7 p.m. “This May 24-26, St. Ansgar Lutheran Church in Portland will be celebrating Soren Kierkegaard’s 200th birthday and exploring his philosophies. The centerpiece of the weekend will be ‘Seducer/Philosopher/Pietist: Reflections on the life and thought of Kierkegaard,’ a presentation by Jennifer Hockenbery Dragseth, Professor and Chair of the Philosophy Department at Mount Mary College in Milwaukee. Among the panelists are Jeremiah Conway, USM Philosophy Professor and author of the recent book The Alchemy of Teaching.  The presentation will be followed by lunch and a panel conversation. All events, including lunch, are free of charge. For a complete schedule of events or list of speakers, call 774-8740, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or go to www.saintansgar.org. Happy 200th Birthday, Kierkegaard! (free film; presentation and panel discussion; lunch; worship with Jennifer Hockenbery Dragseth, guest preacher). Friday, May 24 at 7 p.m. — ‘The Seventh Seal,’ the Kierkegaard-influenced film by Ingmar Bergman, withfree popcorn! Saturday, May 25 at 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Presentation by Jennifer Hockenbery Dragseth, followed by complimentary lunch and panel discussion. Sunday, May 26 at 10 a.m. Worship with Jennifer Hockenbery Dragseth, guest preacher. St. Ansgar Lutheran Church, 515 Woodford Street, Portland (corner of Woodford Street and Brighton Avenue). Cost:  All events are free. RSVP to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 774-8740. (RSVP appreciated but not required.)”

Saturday, May 25

Limington Extension Yard Sales
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Limington Extension Yard Sales on Saturday, May 25 and every dry Saturday in June, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.,  476 Sand Pond Road, Limington. Shower gel 25 cents, jeans $2.  Hundreds of 25 cent items. Benefits BEHS scholarships.  FMI 692-2989.
Friends of the Maine Wildlife Park plant sale
9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. “It must be spring, because it’s time for the Friends of the Maine Wildlife Park annual and extremely popular annual plant sale on Saturday, May 25 through Memorial Day Monday, May 27. The Friends volunteer group helps out the wildlife park in so many ways; this year’s fundraising is specifically for a new and more spacious Canada lynx exhibit. Learn more about the Friends’ ongoing projects and enjoy great bargains on spring plants, including annual and perennial flowers, vegetables & floral baskets grown in their own greenhouses! There are hundreds of geraniums this year — so make a point to stop at the park first when you get ready to plant your Memorial Day baskets!” The Maine Wildlife Park has over 30 species of native wildlife on display, plus wildlife gardens, nature trails, a fish hatchery and other interactive exhibits and displays. The park is open daily from April 13 through Nov. 11 from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; visitors must leave the premises by 6 p.m. www.wildlifeparkfriends.org
Creator Expo at Casco Bay High
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sam Pierce, a senior at Casco Bay High School in Portland, is hosting a Creator Expo on May 25 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the school, located at 196 Allen Avenue.  The event is free and open to the public. Sam is seeking people who explore the possibilities of what they can dream up and build using their minds and tools, and the minds and tools of their friends.  They could be garage inventors, sculptors, artists, engineers, chefs, scientists, crafters, artists or others who don’t fit into any category.  The expo aims to bring together families and individuals to celebrate the Do-It-Yourself mindset and showcase all kinds of incredible projects. For additional information, questions or a desire to participate in this event, please contact Sam Pierce at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Guided Nature Hikes in New Gloucester
10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Guided Nature Hikes through the fields and woods of Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, Route 26, New Gloucester, will be available at 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Highlights include Loon’s Point on Sabbathday Lake, Aurelia’s Cascade, Old Grandfather and the Old County Road. Fees: $5, adults; $2, children; under 6, free. 926-4597. www.shaker.lib.me.us.   
Kierkegaard’s 200th birthday luncheon
10:30 a.m. “This May 24-26, St. Ansgar Lutheran Church in Portland will be celebrating Soren Kierkegaard’s 200th birthday and exploring his philosophies. The centerpiece of the weekend will be ‘Seducer/Philosopher/Pietist: Reflections on the life and thought of Kierkegaard,’ a presentation by Jennifer Hockenbery Dragseth, Professor and Chair of the Philosophy Department at Mount Mary College in Milwaukee. Saturday, May 25 at 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Presentation by Jennifer Hockenbery Dragseth, followed by complimentary lunch and panel discussion.”
Rich Woodall at Coast City Comics
1 p.m. to 6 p.m. “Rich Woodall, the artist for the Phantom Variant cover of IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles No. 22, will be in the store for an exclusive signing event! We are the only store in Maine that carries these extremely limited covers, so this is a unique opportunity to have one of these special covers signed by the artist! Rich modeled the TMNT No. 22 Phantom Variant off of Todd McFarlane’s cover art for Hulk No. 340! It’s a great cover, and we’re really excited to host Rich for this event!” Coast City Comics. http://coastcitycomics.com
‘I’m your neighbor’ reading event
3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The City of Portland says “I’m your neighbor” with a city-wide read of “New Arrival” literature; kick-off event Saturday, May 25 in Rines Auditorium, Portland Public Library. “In the midst of a national conversation about immigration and assimilation, the refugee resettlement city of Portland, Maine, is debating, not policy or safety, but which book to read first. ‘I’m Your Neighbor, Portland,’ a collaboration between Portland Public Library and Curious City, will kick off at the Main Library on Monument Square on May 25. The year-long, city-wide read and series of public events is designed to promote a sense of community among the diverse people who make the port city their home, featuring nine books for children and adults that are set in Maine’s ‘new arrival’ communities. The characters and subjects of these books made Maine their home in the last several decades and helped transform Portland into a vibrantly multiracial and multicultural community.”
Civil War talk by MacIsaac at the Fifth Maine
7 p.m. Kim MacIsaac, Fifth Maine Regiment Museum Curator, Fifth Maine Regiment Museum, 45 Seashore Ave.,  Peaks Island. $5 per person. “The Civil War exacted an enormous loss of life and property on Americans, both North and South. How did those on the battlefields and at home cope with the war and its aftermath? What was the emotional toll paid by civilians and soldiers? Fifth Maine curator, Kim MacIsaac, looks at how the soldiers and their families dealt with death and loss on the battlefield and at home both during and after the war. The Fifth Maine Regiment Museum is a nonprofit museum and cultural center housed in the 1888 Fifth Maine Regiment Memorial Hall.  Its mission is the preservation of Civil War and local history.  To that end the museum offers a wide variety of lectures, concerts, tours, youth education programs, and community activities.  Membership is open to the public.” For more information call 766-3330 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Sunday, May 26

Sea Dog Dash
8 a.m. “Time to dust off those running shoes, and get moving! That’s right, it will soon be time for the first annual Sea Dog Dash for Independence. On Sunday, May 26 at 8 a.m. put your best foot forward in our 5k, 10k or 1-mile fun run starting and finishing at the Brunswick Junior High School. More information and online registration is available at www.SeaDogDash.com.”
Worship with Jennifer Hockenbery Dragseth
10 a.m. “This May 24-26, St. Ansgar Lutheran Church in Portland will be celebrating Soren Kierkegaard’s 200th birthday and exploring his philosophies. ... Worship with Jennifer Hockenbery Dragseth, guest preacher. St. Ansgar Lutheran Church, 515 Woodford St., Portland (corner of Woodford Street and Brighton Avenue). Cost: All events are free. RSVP to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 774-8740. (RSVP appreciated but not required.)”

Tuesday, May 28

DEPA ‘Business After Hours’
5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The DownEast Pride Alliance “Business After Hours” Networking Event, Tuesday, May 28, The Salt Exchange, 245 Commercial St., Portland. “Join us this month for business networking for GLBT & gay-friendly business professionals. Free. Cash bar, lite food & media table provided for sharing business cards. Sponsored by Proactive Resources, Norman, Hanson & DeTroy, Liz Winfeld of RBC Wealth Management and Diane Newman of State Farm. FMI www.depabusiness.com.”
Flatbread benefit for Women in Harmony
5 p.m. to 9 p.m. “Flatbread Pizza benefit for Women in Harmony, a 60-plus chorus of women’s voices singing for social justice. Please join us at Flatbread’s Pizza, 72 Commercial St., Portland on Tuesday, May 28 from 5-9 p.m. Kids’ music and activities from 5-6 pm; wonderful acoustic music with Pretty Girls Sing Soprano from 7-9 pm. A portion of all pizza will be donated to Women in Harmony. Please join us! “
DownEast Pride Alliance networking
5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The DownEast Pride Alliance “Business After Hours” Networking Event at the Salt Exchange, 245 Commercial St., Portland. “Join us this month for business networking for GLBT & gay-friendly business professionals. Free. Cash bar, lite food and media table provided for sharing business cards. Sponsored by Proactive Resources, Norman, Hanson & DeTroy, Liz Winfeld of RBC Wealth Management and Diane Newman of State Farm. FMI www.depabusiness.com
Cancer & Faith: Facing the ‘New Normal’
6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. “A cancer diagnosis can lead to a deeper faith or inspire us to seek new spiritual resources. Join this interfaith panel to discuss the crossroads of cancer and faith: Jennifer Mancini, Buddhist Hospice Chaplain; Rosie Wohl, Communal Jewish Chaplain; and Rev. Jill Job Saxby.” To register call 774-2200. Cancer Community Center, 778 Main Street (Route One), South Portland. http://www.cancercommunitycenter.org/ProgramRegistration.htm
Peacemaking after Deadly Conflict
7 p.m. “David Zarembka, coordinator of the African Great Lakes Initiative of the Friends Peace Teams, will speak on Tuesday, May 28 at 7 p.m. at the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church of Portland, 425 Congress St., Portland. His topic will be Peacemaking after Deadly Conflict: Healing and Reconciliation in Rwanda, Burundi, and Kenya. David has worked in the African Great Lakes region for over forty-five years, and currently resides in Kenya. Since 1988 he has been the coordinator of AGLI, a Quaker based organization which organizes peacemaking activities through local groups in that area. Based on the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP), the group’s Healing and Rebuilding Our Communities program has helped hundreds of individuals and communities heal from the Hutu-Tutsi genocide as well as more recent trauma experiences. The event is free and open to the public.  It is sponsored by the Allen Avenue Unitarian Universalist Church, First Parish Church of Portland, and the Portland Friends Meeting. For further information contact Cushman Anthony, telephone 781-4591, or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .”

Wednesday, May 29

Westin Portland Harborview proposal
5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Portland City Council Chamber, Housing and Community Development Committee public meeting. This will be a single-item agenda to receive public input on the Eastland at Westin Portland Harborview presentation/proposal, for purchase of a portion of Congress Square Plaza for development of an event facility. At this meeting, the HCDC members may vote on a recommendation to the City Council or outline a process for further consideration. http://www.ci.portland.me.us
Author talk with Beth Harmon
6:30 p.m. Author talk with Beth Harmon, Chimney Pond Tales. Refreshments will be served. Prince Memorial Library, 266 Main St., Cumberland. FMI 829-2215

Thursday, May 30

Maine Literary Awards ceremony
6 p.m. “The winners of the 2013 Maine Literary Awards will be revealed live at a ceremony on Thursday, May 30 at 6 p.m. at SPACE Gallery in downtown Portland. The event is free to Maine Writers & Publishers Alliance members with a suggested $10 donation for nonmembers.” For more information or questions about the awards, call 228-8264 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
‘Duck and Cover’ with Acorn
7:30 p.m. The New York Theatre Company in collaboration with Acorn Productions, presents Michael Kimball’s Duck and Cover, opening May 30 at the Acorn Studio Theatre in Westbrook. Michael Kimball, author of past Acorn Studio Theater hits ‘Best Enemies’ and ‘The Secret of Comedy,’ introduces his new play ‘Duck and Cover,’ winner of the 2013 Northern Writes Festival’s ‘Best Play’ award, to area audiences in this new production, directed by Acorn Acting Academy faculty member Stephanie Ross. The play features a ‘Father Knows Best’ family, happily sheltered in 1962 suburbia, who tries to maintain its innocence during the Cuban Missile Crisis and the arrival of eccentric jazz trumpeter Uncle Bunny.” Performances of “Duck and Cover” take place Thursday through Sundays from May 30 to June 9. The production runs May 30 to June 9, Thursday through Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets cost $15 ($12 for students and seniors), and they may be purchased on-line at www.acorn-productions.org or by calling Acorn at 854-0065.

Friday, May 31

The Portrait Show at Constellation
noon to 4 p.m. “Portraiture has been an accepted part of the art canon since cave people made pictures of animals on walls.  Today with the expansion of digital culture, a portrait can be many things and represent many things — countries, animals, people, even ideas. Come see how the members of the  Maine Artists Collective (MAC) reinterpret the theme in assemblage, painting, mixed media, watercolor, sculpture, photography and digital art. The Portrait Show runs from May 31 to June 24, at Constellation Gallery, 511 Congress St. in Portland. Gallery hours are Monday to Saturday, noon to 4 p.m. A reception is planned for First Friday, June 7 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.” about.me/ann.tracy
‘Guys and Dolls Jr.’  in Standish
7:30 p.m. “Schoolhouse Arts Center will present ‘Guys and Dolls Jr.’ from May 31-June 2.  Guys and Dolls Jr. is based on a story and characters by Damon Runyon, music and lyrics by Frank Loesser, and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. Come to Damon Runyan’s mythical New York City and be re-introduced  to the colorful characters who have become legends of musical theater: the upright, uptight mission doll Sara Brown; Sky Masterton, the slick high-rolling gambler who woos Sara on a bet; Adelaide, the nightclub performer whose chronic flu is brought on by waiting 14 years for a proposal from Nathan Detroit, her devoted, but commitment-phobic fiancé. ‘Guys and Dolls Jr.’ is directed by Bruce Avery. Performances of ‘Guys and Dolls Jr.’ will be held May 31 at 7:30 p.m., June 1 at 4 p.m. and 7:30 p.m and June 2 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 for adults $8 for students and seniors and $5 for children under 5.  Schoolhouse Arts Center is located at 16 Richville Road (Route 114) in Standish, just north of the intersection of Route 114 and Route 35.  Call 642-3743 for reservations or buy tickets on-line at www.schoolhousearts.org.”
Film: ‘The Source Family’
7:30 p.m. “The Source Family was a radical experiment in ‘70s utopian living. Their outlandish style, popular health food restaurant, rock band and beautiful women made them the darlings of Hollywood’s Sunset Strip; but their outsider ideals and the unconventional behavior of their spiritual leader, Father Yod, caused controversy with local authorities. They fled to Hawaii, leading to their dramatic demise. Years later, former family members surface and the rock band reforms, revealing how their time with Father Yod shaped their lives in the most unexpected ways. ‘The Source Family’ provides an intimate, insider’s view of this incredible group of people through their own archival photos, home movies and audio recordings, and through contemporary interviews with members of the family. Serving as a highly personal guide to the counter-culture movement of the early ‘70s, the film is inspired by the cult-classic book ‘The Source: The Story of Father Yod, Ya Ho Wa 13, and The Source Family’ (Process Media) which was written by Isis Aquarian and Electricity Aquarian and edited by director Jodi Wille.” SPACE Gallery, 538 Congress St., Portland. 828.5600. Doors open at 7 p.m., film begins at 7:30 p.m. Admission $8, $6 for SPACE members and students w/ ID.

Sunday, June 2

Girl Scout Daisy & Friends Party
2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. “Please register by May 27. Girls entering kindergarten or first grade in the fall are invited to join us for a flower-themed event which will introduce them to the Girl Scout program and prepare them to start their Girl Scout Journey.  Enjoy activities and meet new friends!  The program is free and will be held at the Girl Scouts of Maine office at 138 Gannett Drive in South Portland. Please call Heather or Kirstin for more information: 772-1177.”
Chaplaincy Institute of Maine event
3 p.m. “The Chaplaincy Institute of Maine (ChIME) is pleased to announce that on Sunday, June 2 they will be ordaining 14 Interfaith Ministers. The ceremony will take place at the First Parish Church in Saco and begins at 3 p.m. All are welcome. Those being ordained have completed two years of study and 300 hours of service in 20 organizations throughout Maine and New Hampshire. ... ChIME, an interfaith wisdom school, offers an intensive two-year chaplaincy program for those seeking to deepen their spiritual growth or ordination as interfaith ministers. Rev. Jacob Watson, D. Min., founded ChIME in 2002 to train and support individuals to meet the community’s need for interfaith chaplains.  Rev. Watson will retire in this 10th Anniversary year, having established ChIME as the only post-modern Interfaith school offering its students weekly and weekend classes for two academic years. For more information, contact ChIME at 347-6740 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or visit ChIME’s website at www.chimeofmaine.org.”
Maine Women’s Ride
7:30 a.m. “The Twelfth Annual Maine Women’s Ride, produced by the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, will take place on June 2 at L.L. Bean’s Casco Conference Center on Casco Street in Freeport.  Staggered start times begin at 7:30 a.m. The Maine Women’s Ride is a celebration of women and bicycling.  The all-female event offers a friendly, supportive atmosphere geared toward girls and women of all ages and abilities. The routes (ten, 25, 50 or 75-mile options) follow quiet roads, offering beautiful views of the Maine coast and countryside. All routes will be fully supported with rest stops, mechanical support and SAG wagons.  At the ride’s conclusion, participants will have the opportunity to receive free massages and participate in yoga. A post ride party will feature free food, discounted beer, music, and door prize drawings. Registration costs $35 (members) and $45 (public rate, including a six-month trial membership in the Bicycle Coalition of Maine), with a $10 discount for girls 12 to 17 years old and seniors (over 65).  Girls 11 and under ride free.  All proceeds benefit the Coalition’s work to make Maine better for bicycling.”

Saturday, June 8



Approaches to Self-Publishing
10 a.m. to noon. Approaches to Self-Publishing: Local Author Forum will feature local authors and Maine Author’s Publishing & Cooperative who will share experiences of the publishing process as well as answer questions. At Falmouth Memorial Library, 5 Lunt Road, Falmouth. FMI: Jeannie at 781-2351.
Hall School Fundraiser
5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Hall School Fundraiser, Ocean Gateway Terminal on the Portland Waterfront, 14 Ocean Gateway Pier, Portland. “Join us for our annual silent auction the evening will include live music, appetizers. There will be plenty of items to bid on such as restaurant gift certificates, summer day camp certificates, splashtown tickets and much much more. There will be classroom projects created by the students from all the classrooms. Proceeds will go towards our integrated arts program that allows local artists to work with our students. This also helps us to support field trips as well as helping to purchase much needed educational supplies.”
Cancer Community Center’s Summertime Social
6 p.m.  to 11 p.m. “It’s a great night out for a great cause! More than 200 people are expected to attend the annual Cancer Community Center’s Summertime Social. There will be a lobster bake, dancing to the Don Campbell Band, live auction, raffle, and so much more. Please join us on Saturday, June 8, from 6 p.m.  to 11 p.m. The party is happening at East Coast Yacht Sales, just off Route 88 in Yarmouth. All proceeds will benefit the Cancer Community Center of South Portland. The Cancer Community Center is a comfortable and friendly place where adults living with cancer (and their families and friends) gather to build social and emotional support as a complement to their regular medical care. There are support groups, exercise classes, social events, and hundreds of other programs offered free of charge. The Cancer Community Center is a nonprofit organization located at 778 Main Street in South Portland. www.cancercommunitycenter.org/SummerSocial.htm
‘Urban Renewal’ at Slainte
8 p.m. Slainte Wine Bar, 24 Preble St., Portland. “The culmination of over a year of filming in the Portland, Maine area, ‘Urban Renewal’ documents the skateboard scene in Southern Maine. Featuring many local talented individuals. For more information contact Ben Cironi This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .”

Friday, June 14

‘The End of the American Century’
6:30 p.m. Peace Action Maine presents: “The End of the American Century,” a talk by Andrew Bacevich. The Woodfords Club, 179 Woodford St., Portland. “Peace Action Maine is delighted to announce that the speaker for our annual Peace Gathering will be Boston University Professor Andrew Bacevich. An outspoken critic of U.S. foreign policy, Professor Bacevich served in Vietnam, lost a son to the war in Iraq, and has continually warned about the misuse of military power. He is the author of ‘Washington Rules: America’s Path to Permanent War,’ ‘The Limits of Power,’ and other important books on American history and foreign policy.” More info: peaceactionme.com. Cost: $10 suggested donation. Peace Action Maine members and volunteers free. Tickets: At the door.

Friday, June 21

Kotzschmar Kause Book & Yard Sale
5 p.m. until 8 p.m. June 21 through June 23. “Sponsored by the Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ, FOKO will be selling Books, Decorative Items, Children’s Toys, Antiques, Furniture, Cooking Items, Craft Items, Garden Supplies, Tools, Lamps, Jewelry and much, much more! Come to Preview night for wine and Hors d’oeuvres  while you preview all sale items AND have first pick with 10 percent off purchases of $100 or more. Proceeds benefit Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ educational programs and outreach.” Merrill Auditorium Rehearsal Hall, 20 Myrtle St., Portland. Preview Night, Friday, June 21 from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m.; Saturday, June 22, 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.; Sunday, June 23 from 9 a.m. until noon Cost:  $10 in advance, $15 at the door.