Briefs: Law Enforcement Special Olympics Torch Run
Frost Farms Party Tomorrow, Pride Events, Dawnland Festival, Acadia Festival of Traditional Music and Dance, and a lot more
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A Quick Note From Us:
Each week, we compile briefs and press releases and event images and share them all in one (sometimes very long) story.
Our briefs article is mostly just press releases that we don’t write, or claim to write, but just share from the agencies, businesses, people, and organizations that send them in.
If things are not a press release, they are labelled “BRIEF” in their headlines. The press releases will not have that label.
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BRIEF: SPECIAL OLYMPICS TORCH RUN
The Law Enforcement Special Olympics Torch Run's final leg began today at the Town Hill Fire Station at 7 a.m. There may be traffic delays. The runners headed off island toward Ellsworth.
According to its website. "The Torch Run will be held June 3-6, 2025 with each Leg of the run will be assigned a specific date. The final leg will deliver the Torch at the Opening Ceremonies at the Special Olympics Maine 2025 State Summer Games on June 6."
Runners reached Ellsworth a couple hours later and then left for Bangor, stopping in Holden before heading up to Bangor and then the University of Maine (via Route 2).
The University of Maine will host the Special Olympics this weekend, June 7-8.
Twice a week trash collection starts June 9 in Mount Desert
MOUNT DESERT—Twice weekly refuse collection begins Monday June 9, 2025 and continues through to September 8, 2025. The year-round collection schedule is on the Town's website (and includes the twice-weekly pick up).
REMINDER: The complete holiday refuse schedule, can be found in the “yellow” section of the Town of Mount Desert 2018 Annual Report, and also on the Town website.
Welcome back, to our summer visitors! To alert the refuse collectors that you are here and need a pick-up, please leave a message at 276-5733.
PRIDE EVENTS SET
BAR HARBOR—The schedule is set for Bar Harbor Pride! You can follow the events and receive updates on the festival’s Facebook page or Instagram. The volunteer team has been working hard behind the scenes to make this weekend one to remember!
MINI GOLF TOURNAMENT FUNDRAISER FOR SOUTHWEST HARBOR-TREMONT AMBULANCE SERVICE
BRIEF: PANCAKES FOR FIREFIGHTERS IN TRENTON!
This summer, the Trenton Volunteer Fire Department will host several pancake breakfasts at the town office in the continuation of a tradition that began in the early 1990s.
Breakfasts are $12 for adults, $6 for children (5-12). They run from 6-10 a.m. on the following dates:
June 21
July 19
August 16
September 20
FROST FARMS SUMMER KICK-OFF PARTY!
Abbe Museum Announces Powerful Panel Lineup for 2025 Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas
Indigenous-led conversations highlight thought leadership across climate, art, technology, land, history, and food systems.
BAR HARBOR— The Abbe Museum’s Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas has announced its full lineup of Indigenous-led panel discussions, taking place July 12-13, 2025, on the campus of the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine. These four sessions represent a core part of this free summer event, bringing together Wabanaki and other Native thought leaders to explore some of the biggest questions of our time.
Featuring more than a dozen scholars, cultural leaders, artists, historians, technologists, land stewards, and food sovereignty advocates, these panels are part of a larger weekend that also includes live performances, a 50+ artisan marketplace, and family-friendly programming, all presented by Abbe Museum.
“Native arts and cultures cannot be separated from Native ways of knowing,” said Betsy Richards (Cherokee Nation), executive director and senior partner with Wabanaki Nations. “The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas continues to celebrate the Native creative economy on Wabanaki homelands while lifting up Indigenous thought leadership vital to the conversation on a healthy planet and society for us all.”
Saturday, July 12, 2025 - Panel Schedule
(All panels to take place on the campus of the College of the Atlantic)
2:30-3:20 p.m. EST - Panel #1 - Native Arts, Cultures, & Technology
This conversation explores the intersections of emerging technologies and Indigenous expressive cultures from performance and visual art to language preservation and digital platforms.
Panelists:
Ty Defoe (Ojibwe + Oneida Nations), Grammy Award-Winning Interdisciplinary Artist and Futurist
Emma Hassencahl-Perley (Wolastoqey), Curator, Writer, and Artist
Dwayne Tomah (Passamaquoddy Nation), Language Keeper and Co-Creator of Apple’s Passamaquoddy Language App
4-4:50 p.m. EST - Panel #2 - Wabanaki Forest Futures
This panel addresses future visions for forest management, Ash tree protection, and climate resilience through the lens of Wabanaki land stewardship and traditional ecological knowledge.
Panelists:
Tyler Everett (Mi’kmaq Nation), University of Maine Forestry Researcher
Chuck Loring (Penobscot Nation), Penobscot Nation Director of Cultural Resources
Richard Silliboy (Mi’kmaq Nation), Master Basketmaker and Former Vice Chief
Sunday, July 13, 2025 - Panel Schedule
(All panels to take place on the campus of the College of the Atlantic)
2:30-3:20 p.m. EST - Panel #3 - Centering Wabanaki Voices in America’s 250th
As the United States marks its semiquincentennial, this conversation highlights Wabanaki presence in the national narrative.
Panelists:
Zeke Crofton-MacDonald (Houlton Band of Maliseet), Tribal Ambassador, Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians
James Francis (Penobscot Nation), Penobscot Nation Director of Cultural and Historical Preservation and Artist.
Siera Hyte (Cherokee Nation), Curator of Indigenous American Art, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
4-4:50 p.m. EST - Panel #4 - Indigenous Farm to Table
This session explores farming, food systems, culinary excellence, and well-being through the lens of Indigenous food sovereignty.
Panelists:
Dawn Spears (Narragansett), Artist, Native Arts Consultant, and Co-Owner Ashawaug Farm
Cassius Spears (Narragansett), Agricultural Expert, Cultural Educator, and Co-Owner of Ashawaug Farm
Anthony Sutton (Passamaquoddy Nation), Assistant Professor of Native American Studies and Food Systems, University of Maine
Jasmine Thompson-Tintor (Penobscot Nation), Restaurateur and Food Sovereignty Advocate
All panels are free and open to the public. Seating is first-come, first-served, with priority given to pre-registered attendees.
Register at www.DawnlandFestival.org.
Assistance with registration is available by calling Abbe Museum at (207) 288-3519 or emailing info@abbemusuem.org.
A GROUP EXHIBITION IN SUPPORT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE
NORTHEAST HARBOR—Join Artemis Gallery for an opening reception of a group show featuring artists Maggie Hunt, Paul Kelly, Diana Roper McDowell, David Sears & Sherry Streeter on June 12th from 5-7pm. Enjoy drinks, small bites, music and fine art from 5-7 p.m. A portion of sales from the show will benefit The Neighborhood House.
The show is on display through July 1st.
Contact us:
207-276-3001
1 Old Firehouse Lane
Northeast Harbor, ME 04662
SWEET FERN MEETING THIS SUNDAY
BAR HARBOR—Sweet Fern - MDI will next meet on Sunday, June 8, 2025 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. at the YWCA of Mount Desert Island, 36 Mount Desert Street, Bar Harbor, Maine, 04609. Parking meters are FREE before noon on Sundays! We hope to see you at the meeting!
Junk Mail Reduction Workshop in Trenton, June 12, 7 p.m.
TRENTON—The Trenton Solid Waste Committee is offering a junk mail reduction workshop on Thurs. June 12th at 7pm @ the Trenton town office. It’s free. We’ll be setting folks up with Catalog Choice .org to reduce junk mail. We’ll also discuss ways to reduce political and other junk mail, and explain why junk mail reduction saves our town and taxpayers money. Bring a smartphone, tablet or laptop, and a catalog you’d like to unsubscribe from. It will probably be about 45 minutes long.
FMI: Contact Christina Heiniger at 207-460–1243 or TrentonSWC@yahoo.com any questions or to sign up so we have a sense of how many will be attending.
Amateur Radio “Field Day” - June 28 and 29 - Will Focus on Skill, Service, Science
TRENTON—Members of the Ellsworth Amateur Wireless Association (EAWA) (Website w1tu.org) will be participating in the national amateur radio Field Day exercise, June 28 and 29. Since 1933, ham radio operators across North America have established temporary ham radio stations in public locations during Field Day to showcase the science and skill of amateur radio. This event is open to the public and all are encouraged to attend.
WHEN: Saturday June 28 from 9 a.m. to Sunday June 29 2 p.m.
WHERE: Trenton Elementary School
WHY: Field Day is a showcase for how amateur radio works reliably under any conditions from almost any location to create an independent communications network.
Hams from across North America ordinarily participate in Field Day by establishing temporary ham radio stations in public locations to demonstrate their skill and service. Their use of radio signals, which reach beyond borders, bring people together while providing essential communication in the service of communities. Field Day highlights ham radio’s ability to work reliably under any conditions from almost any location and create an independent, wireless communications network.
“Ham radio functions completely independent of the Internet or cell phone infrastructure, can interface with laptops or smartphones, and can be set up almost anywhere in minutes. That’s the beauty of amateur radio during a communications outage,” said Sierra Harrop, W5DX, Public Relations and Outreach Manager for ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio®,
http://www.arrl.org, which represents amateur (or “ham”) radio operators across the country.
“In today’s connected world, ham radio remains one of the best ways for people to learn about electronics, physics, meteorology, and numerous other scientific disciplines, and is a huge asset to any community during disasters or emergencies if the standard communication infrastructure goes down. Ham radio is also a great sandbox for tomorrow’s technology leaders to get hands-on with STEM concepts,” Harrop added.
Anyone may become a licensed amateur radio operator. There are more than 750,000 licensed hams in the United States, as young as 9 and as old as 100, and an estimated 3 million worldwide.
JUNE 22-28 ACADIA FESTIVAL OF TRADITIONAL MUSIC AND DANCE
BAR HARBOR—The Acadia Festival of Traditional Music & Dance is a weeklong summer celebration of Acadian, Cape Breton, Irish, Québécois, Scottish and other Celtic-influenced traditions that contribute to the vibrant culture and authentic character of Downeast Maine.
This year’s festival takes place June 23-27 at College of the Atlantic. Registration for morning intensive classes is now closed, but tickets for afternoon programs and the evening concert series are still available online or in person, and everyone is welcome!
Drop in any or every afternoon to join the fun by taking part in a workshop, social dance, community singing, and more. Read about the afternoon offerings here: https://acadiatradfestival.org/workshops/
Monday through Thursday concerts will take you on a journey through Acadian, Cape Breton, Irish, Maritime, New England, Old Time, Passamaquoddy, Québecois, Scottish and other traditions! Friday night will showcase participants in Acadia Trad’s customary and well-loved Student Concert, followed by a community social dance! Tickets are on sale (individual or week-long pass) and are limited, so delay in purchasing yours: https://acadiatradfestival.org/concerts-2025/
FORUM FOR DISCOVERY
BAR HARBOR—Step into the future of scientific research at JAX’s annual Forum for Discovery on Wednesday, July 9 — join us in person or virtually as we showcase our commitment to tackling today’s biggest health challenges and shaping a healthier tomorrow.
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
The Jackson Laboratory | Auditorium
600 Main Street | Bar Harbor, ME
Virtual audience via ZoomProgram | 1:30 - 4:00 p.m. ET (10:30 - 1:00 p.m. PST)
In-person Networking Reception | 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. ET (1:00 - 2:00 p.m. PST)
Visit our website to see the full program. Pre-registration is required and space is limited. Reserve your spot today!
Healthy Acadia Announces Summer 2025 Tai Chi for Health Classes
ELLSWORTH—Healthy Acadia invites community members to experience the numerous health benefits of tai chi through its Summer 2025 Tai Chi for Health classes. These free, evidence-based courses are available both in-person and virtually, making them accessible to individuals of all ages and fitness levels.
Tai chi, often described as "meditation in motion," combines gentle, flowing movements with mindful breathing. Regular practice can enhance balance, flexibility, and cognitive function while reducing stress, lowering blood pressure, boosting immune health, and alleviating chronic pain and inflammation.
Healthy Acadia’s certified instructors, trained through the Tai Chi for Health Institute founded by Dr. Paul Lam, are dedicated to empowering individuals to improve their health through tai chi. The Tai Chi for Health program is internationally recognized and recommended by leading health organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Council on Aging for its effectiveness in promoting overall health and wellness.
Each class meets for one hour per week over an eight-week session. While all classes are free, donations are suggested and appreciated. Pre-registration is required.
Summer 2025 Tai Chi for Health Schedule:
In-person courses
Yang 24 Forms, Mondays, June 23 – August 4, 2025, 4 to 5 p.m., Healthy Acadia’s 77 Beechland Road Office, Ellsworth. Comprised of qigong and Yang style mind to body exercises, this course will introduce movements from the Yang 24 form, currently the most practiced tai chi set in the world. Course instructor: Nina Zeldin
Beginners Tai Chi for Arthritis & Fall Prevention, Tuesdays, June 24 – August 5, 2025, 10 to 11 a.m. Healthy Acadia’s 77 Beechland Road Office, Ellsworth. This program is recognized by the U.S. CDC as a top-tier, evidence-based approach to improving balance, strength, flexibility, and overall confidence. Originally designed for people with arthritis, it is beneficial for anyone looking to enhance their health and wellness. Course instructor: Nina Zeldin
Tai Chi for Bone Health, June 24 – August 5, 2025, 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., Healthy Acadia’s 77 Beechland Road Office, Ellsworth. This program is designed to slow the loss of bone density and to help improve relaxation, coordination, muscle strength, and balance. Course instructor: Nina Zeldin
Beginners Tai Chi for Arthritis & Fall Prevention, Mondays, June 22 – July 21, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., Women for Rural Healthy Living, Thankful Room, 87 Main Street, Milbridge. This program is recognized by the U.S. CDC as a top-tier, evidence-based approach to improving balance, strength, flexibility, and overall confidence. Originally designed for people with arthritis, it is beneficial for anyone looking to enhance their health and wellness. Course instructor: Lisa Schaefer
Live virtual courses (online via Zoom)
Intermediate Yang 24 & 40 forms, Mondays, June 23 – August 4, 2025, 10 to 11 a.m. This ongoing course is most suitable for individuals familiar with Yang Style Tai Chi. New participants are always welcome! Course instructor: Nina Zeldin
Intermediate Sun 73, Mondays, June 23 – August 4, 2025, 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. This ongoing course is most appropriate for people familiar with Sun Style tai chi. New participants are always welcome! Course instructor: Nina Zeldin
Beginners Tai Chi for Arthritis & Tai Chi for Arthritis 2, Tuesdays, June 24 - August 5, 2025, 2 to 3 p.m. This course is most appropriate for those familiar with the Tai Chi for Arthritis program and are looking for a new challenge. Course instructor: Nina Zeldin
Beginners Yang 24, Wednesdays, June 25 – August 6, 2025, 10 to 11 a.m. This course will introduce movements from the Yang 24 form, currently the most practiced tai chi form in the world. Course instructor: Nina Zeldin
Visit bit.ly/ha-tai-chi to register for any of Healthy Acadia’s Tai Chi for Health classes. Once your registration is complete, you will receive the login information (for online classes) via the email address you provided. For more information, please contact Nina Zeldin at (207) 479-1206 or nina@healthyacadia.org.
Fifth Annual Juneteenth Downeast 2025: Commemorating Solidarity and Wellness at Knowlton Park in Ellsworth
ELLSWORTH—The fifth annual Juneteenth Downeast Commemoration returns to Knowlton Park, 11 Shore Road, Ellsworth, Maine, on Thursday, June 19, from 4:00 - 7:00 pm. This free festival invites all Mainers and visitors to participate in Juneteenth for a day filled with Black and Indigenous music, culture, food, and activities for all ages.
Juneteenth, celebrated annually on June 19th, commemorates the day when Black Americans in Galveston, Texas, were first told that they were freed from slavery, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. This significant date was recognized as a federal holiday only in 2021. The Downeast community comes together to acknowledge the ongoing struggle for freedom endured by Black and Indigenous people for over half a millennium. This commemoration honors those who have paved the way and allows the community to express gratitude for the strength and replenishment found in fellowship.
This year’s theme is “Caring for Ourselves and Each Other,” to provide respite from shared challenges and celebrate the resilience and vibrancy of Black and Indigenous communities in Maine. United in solidarity to create a space of belonging, purpose, and, importantly, joy and ease!
Organized as a collaborative effort among community organizations and individuals, the day will be filled with hands-on activities for youth and adults, informational tables, and more. Black and Indigenous people will be central to all musical performances and speaker engagements, with appearances by Chief-Nze Oscar Mokeme, Cipelahq Ehpicik Thunderbird Women, and more. Complimentary food will be available from local vendors, including Pat’s Pizza Bar Harbor and Jamaican Temptations, providing Jamaican cuisine, and Honey and Lace, providing delectable baked goods.
Juneteenth Downeast extends their heartfelt thanks to everyone involved, including Healthy Acadia, Greater Bangor Area Branch NAACP, YWCA MDI, MDI Racial Equity Working Group, Mano en Mano, Exercise Design Lab, and with a special shout out to WERU Community Radio for their ongoing support.
Funded in part by Maine Initiatives, the Permanent Commission On The Status of Racial, Indigenous, and Tribal Populations, State of Maine, and the generosity of community individuals, businesses, and organizations. Juneteenth Downeast is fiscally sponsored by Healthy Acadia. For a list of event partners and supporters, or to make a donation in support of this event, visit www.juneteenthdowneast.org/giving.
The Commemoration will be live-streamed at https://vimeo.com/event/5153449
For more information about Juneteenth Downeast 2025, please visit www.juneteenthdowneast.org and follow @JuneteenthDowneast on Facebook for updates.
Paul Freedman on Mount Desert Dining
Thursday, June 26, 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
BAR HARBOR—Join the Jesup Memorial Library and MDI Historical Society for a fascinating journey through the culinary history of Mount Desert Island with Paul Freedman, author of the article 'Mount Desert Dining,' in the 2025 edition of the history journal 'Chebacco.' Learn how local seafood, seasonal ingredients, and social change shaped 175 years of dining culture on the island. From lavish feasts at the island's most exclusive hotels to humble church suppers, MDI's dining has been both sustenance and social expression.
This event will be offered in-person and online via Zoom and will be recorded for later viewing. Register online at www.jesuplibrary.org/events/mdidining
Paul Freedman has been a Professor of History at Yale University since 1997. Before that he taught at Vanderbilt University. He is a medievalist whose work has concentrated on Catalonia, the peasantry and church history. Freedman has also written on modern food and cuisine. His books include "Ten Restaurants That Changed America" and "Why Food Matters." In 2024, he co-authored a book for children entitled "Bite By Bite: American History Through Feasts, Food and Side Dishes."
Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers Kick-off Library’s Summer Reading Program
SOUTHWEST HARBOR—Friday, June 20, from 5:30-7:00 p.m. at The Safe Harbor Alano Club (formerly The American Legion Hall), the Southwest Harbor Public Library will celebrate the Summer Reading Kick-off and Sign-up Event with a puppet show by Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers. From 5:30-6:00 p.m., sign up your babies, kids, and teens for summer reading. Then enjoy a Wild-West themed puppet show from 6:00-7:00 p.m. Gear up for summer fun by reading and winning prizes. No registration needed for the event.
Little Chucky heads to the Wild West to outwit outlaws in this cowboy adventure! With a fistful of bananas, Chucky rides into town on his trusty goat for a showdown with Big Bad Bart and his gang of bandits. (*Please note that there are no depictions of guns in the show). "The Legend of the Banana Kid" features 20 of Frogtown’s hand-crafted glove, mouth and rod puppets, and a slew of flying and twirling Styrofoam bananas.
Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers is a puppetry troupe based in Bar Harbor, Maine, and comprises three siblings - brothers Erik and Brian Torbeck and sister Robin (Torbeck) Erlandsen. Founded in 2000, Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers has performed at festivals, schools, libraries and theaters in the United States and Canada. They write and create all the shows they perform and have received three Citations of Excellence from UNIMA-USA, the highest national award in puppetry.
The Summer Reading Program runs from Friday, June 20th to Saturday, August 16th. For babies, parents and guardians complete an activity bingo during the summer and get a prize upon completion. Kids and teens keep a reading journal with writings and/or drawings and check in weekly to receive prizes ranging from books, to passes, treats, and small gifts from local businesses.
Look for more great programs coming up this summer including Acadia Explorers, Summer S.T.E.A.M., Read to Argos the Therapy Dog, Storytime Special Guest Anne Sibley O’Brien, and the End-of-Summer Kids Concert with Jackson Gillman on August 15th. For summer program details and registration, visit https://tinyurl.com/5n7je664, email children@swhplibrary.org, or call 244-7065.
Maine Audubon Everything Ash Webinar Series
Theresa Secord—Honoring basketmakers, MIBA, and our shared cultural heritage.
June 12, 2025, 6:00 PM-7:30 PM; Online webinar via Zoom.
Founder of the Maine Indian Basketmakers Alliance (MIBA) and recent recipient of a $100,000 award from the Ruth Foundation for the Arts, Penobscot basketmaker Theresa Secord will offer a culminating presentation on the cultural and community implications of conserving Brown Ash. Theresa will share her craft and connections related to the tree at the center of Wabanaki origins.
REAL ESTATE EXCHANGES
BAR HARBOR
Bendigo M. Binns, Bar Harbor to Jennifer L. Morgan-Binns, Bar Harbor, land with improvements.
John P. Mullen and Brenda L. Mullen, Belfast to Mullen’s Ice Cream LLC, Belfast, land with buildings and improvements.
MOUNT DESERT
DIV HTR Somes Sound LLC to CCL Acadia LLC, Washington, D.C., land with improvements.
MC Property Works LLC, Weatogue, Conn., Rebecca Jarvis Living Trust, Mount Desert, Jennifer L. Brandt and Donald R. Brandt, Mount Desert, Gail Schoppmann and Kenneth Schoppmann, Willington, Conn., Todd Joseph Graham and Leisa Litvay Graham, Mount Desert, Heidi J. Munger and Steven C. Munger, Mount Desert, David James King and Julia Dawn King, Bar Harbor, Maegan H. Haney and Matthew K. Haney, Mount Desert, Christopher S. Cronan, Veazie, Robert J. Dowd and Lynn R. Dowd, Friendship, Md., Shannon L. Smith, Mount Desert, Harold H. Owen III and Erin F. Owen, Mount Desert to Town of Mount Desert, Northeast Harbor, land.
TRENTON
Barbara J. Hennigan and Janet I. Hennigan, Trenton to Barbara J. Hennigan, Trenton, land with buildings and improvements.
SOUTHWEST HARBOR
Bernard Mauger and Marie A. Mauger, Southwest Harbor to EB & FLO, Southwest Harbor, land with buildings and improvements.
Winter Cape LLC, Southwest Harbor to Howard Goldfine and Norah C. Goldfine, Haverford, Pa., and Cynthia Ann Kaiser, Suresnes, France, as joint tenants, undivided one-third interest, land.
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