On The Agenda - Bar Harbor Town Meetings & Things to Do
ON THE AGENDA
Every week we document Bar Harbor town government, school, and other similar meetings that we know of. Please let us know if we’ve missed something. Also, sometimes things are on the town calendars and are cancelled or rescheduled, so make sure to double check before you head over!
All the meetings take place at the Bar Harbor Municipal Building at 93 Cottage Street unless otherwise noted. And they usually have a time for public comments. This is not true about executive sessions, which are closed to the public.
So, go! Be informed! Be part of the process. You deserve to be.
To see the town meeting calendar by month, click here.
To see the school board calendar by month, click here
MONDAY, August 21, 2023
Communications and Technology Committee
4:00 PM
@ 3rd Floor Meeting Room - Suite 301
Bar Harbor Municipal Building, Cottage Street
Marine Resources Committee (rescheduled from Aug. 16)
4:00 PM
Hadley Point Beach or, if weather doesn't allow, College of the Atlantic Center for Human Ecology Room 101
Parks and Recreation Committee Meeting
4:30 PM
@ Council Chambers
Bar Harbor Municipal Building, Cottage Street
TUESDAY, August 22, 2023
Comprehensive Plan Focus Group Meeting
Agenda currently not online
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
@ Council Chambers
Bar Harbor Municipal Building, Cottage Street
Things to Do In Bar Harbor
Week of August 21
It’s our weekly round-up, and I may have missed some things so apologies!
To check out our news stories from the past week. Click on the archive section and you’ll see them in chronological order.
GET YOUR HERO ON!
BAR HARBOR FIRE DEPARTMENT
To check if Bar Harbor Fire Department is currently hiring, please go to the town’s jobs page.
But even if it isn’t, you can become a call member
Becoming a call force firefighter requires extensive training, hard work, and dedication to the community. We rely on call force firefighters to respond quickly to emergencies, to perform firefighting duties, and to provide assistance and support to career firefighters. To be a fall force firefighter is to have a chance to aid and serve the community, which is an extremely rewarding experience.
Get Your Gala On!
Join the Criterion in your best cocktail attire for an evening of music and magic by the sea!
Ticket proceeds will benefit the operations of its year-round programs and events that it organizes for the MDI community and are available on its website or at the link below.
Get Your Wildlife On!
Open House & Auction at Acadia Wildlife Center
Come visit our Nature Center and see a Red Fox. Porcupine, Owls, Vulture, Red Tailed Wood Peckers, Bald Eagle, and more!
Nature Center open house, tours of our education animals, silent auction, all to benefit the Wildlife Center. All ages welcome, it will be a wonderful visit!!!
Saturday, August 26
11:00AM - 1:00PM
49 Black Dog Road
Get Your History On!
THE HISTORY OF PAINTERS ON MDI
The Bar Harbor Historical Society presents author Carl Little on the history of artists on MDI. Little will look at the influence of the Hudson Valley painters in the history of Acadia!
A $10 donation is appreciated for this lecture.
August 24 (Thursday)
4 p.m.
127 West Street, Bar Harbor
Get Your Book (And Author) On!
VIRTUAL WRITE ON! WRITING GROUP
Want support for your craft? The Write On! writer’s group has been meeting at the Jesup since 2014, and remotely during the pandemic. Each meeting, members may bring in up to 1200 words to read for feedback, and in turn offer feedback to others. Although each member doesn’t get to read work every time, the group shares the time fairly. The group meets on Zoom, and hold in confidence what is shared. This group welcomes adults 18 and up writing in many genres. There’s no homework–the only commitment is two hours on Saturday mornings.
Date and Time
SATURDAYS
9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Location
Zoom
How to Attend
Call the library, 207-288-4245, for more about us and how to join, or email info@jesuplibrary.org.
STORY TIMES AT THE JESUP!
Baby and Toddler Time
Join Abby for fingerplays, songs, and stories! Older siblings are welcome to join in.
TUESDAY, APRIL 4, 2023
10:30 AM 11:15 AM
JESUP MEMORIAL LIBRARY34 MT. DESERT STREET
Preschool Story Time
Preschoolers and their adults are invited to join us on Friday mornings for songs, stories, and a craft! Recommended for ages 3-5.
FRIDAY, MARCH 3, 2023
10:30 AM 11:15 AM
JESUP MEMORIAL LIBRARY, 34 MOUNT DESERT STREET
Elliot Rappaport
Please join us at the Jesup Memorial Library for an author talk with Elliot Rappaport who will be discussing his book Reading the Glass: A Captain’s View of Weather, Water, and Life on Ships on Thursday, August 24th at 7 p.m.
Set sail with professional captain Elliot Rappaport as he takes readers on a journey around the world, through the oceans, and into the atmosphere in Reading the Glass: A Captain’s View of Weather, Water, and Life on Ships. A 30-year veteran of the seas, Rappaport’s unique experiences allow him to offer a sailor’s-eye-view of our atmosphere in his debut book, unveiling larger patterns related to weather and the long arc of climate. What’s in a cloud? What distinguishes one type of storm from another? What exactly is El Niño? Rappaport answers these questions and more while also exploring historical moments of discovery and sharing captivating personal tales. He takes readers to places most would never dream of venturing, from the ice-filled seas near Greenland to the Roaring Forties of the South Pacific, where all four seasons can be experienced in an hour.
On other voyages, he transits the turbulent and crowded waters of the Strait of Gibraltar and encounters violent tropical squalls while crossing through the deceptively named equatorial doldrums. Featuring several diagrams and maps to illustrate some of the underlying principles of weather, the book brilliantly examines the complexity of our atmosphere and the challenges of life at sea. Written in stunning prose, brimming with wisdom, curiosity, and humor, Reading the Glass: A Captain’s View of Weather, Water, and Life on Ships effortlessly blends science and memoir to reveal how weather has shaped our oceans, our history, and ourselves.
Elliot Rappaport has sailed as a captain in the US maritime industry since 1992, involved primarily in the training of other mariners aboard a variety of traditional sailing ships. Presently a faculty member at Maine Maritime Academy, preparing cadets for professional careers at sea, he has also worked extensively at the SEA Education Association in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, an organization that offers shipboard programs in ocean science and leadership to college undergraduates. A graduate of Oberlin College and the University of Maine, Elliot lives in coastal Maine when not at sea.
This event is a hybrid program and registration is required to attend either in person or on Zoom. Register at jesuplibrary.org/events/rappaport or email eventsignup@jesuplibrary.org.
Les Simon
Please join us at the Jesup Memorial Library for an evening with local author Les Simon for his newest Sci-Fi release Beyond Orion: An Alien Alliance on Thursday, August 31th at 7 p.m.
In a region far beyond the Orion constellation, an Astrakhan ancestor envisioned an approaching threat. Through telepathy, the vision went viral to the region’s seventeen inhabited planets. A search honed in on an isolated planet opposite Orion making steady progress outside their own region, creating a universal breach. Concerned for their sovereignty, ancient knowledge, and general well-being, ETIs began to gather to debate defensive strategies. An Alliance formed, and a general plan hatched. Recruiting assistance from this unknown planet, now identified as Earth, became the priority. Individuals from Asoka began a search for likely candidates. The Bender son clan drew their attention. After monitoring this family for five generations, they attached their focus on first cousins Joseph Kelly Bender son and Darnel Kelly Bender son, the last in the Bender son line.
Les Simon is a published author and poet living in rural Downeast Maine. He writes in many genres - Science Fiction, Adult Fiction, Young Adult Fiction, Short Stories, and Poetry. Les will be reading of the first two chapters of, Beyond Orion: An Alien Alliance, followed by a time for questions and comments.
This event is a hybrid program and registration is required to attend either in person or on Zoom. Register at jesuplibrary.org/events/alien or email eventsignup@jesuplibrary.org.
JESUP EVENTS
For a full list of Jesup Memorial Library events, click through to its calendar here.
GET YOUR ART ON!
OPEN STUDIO – MEMBER MONDAYS
Members can reserve a table in our studio for an hour or the whole session and have access to our non-consumable tools or use some materials from our stock!$10 for reserved space – participant brings supplies. OR $25 for reserved space plus access to consumable materials; felting, glass, paint, printmaking.Participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Masking, vaccinated, and social distancing for staff and participant safety.
Date and Time
Mondays
2:30 p.m. – 6 p.m. EDT
Location
ArtWaves, 1345A State Highway 102, Bar Harbor
Fees/Admission
$42.00
Website
https://www.artwavesmdi.org/event
Contact Information207-266-0010
Send Email
MONDAY & THURSDAY NIGHT FIGURE DRAWING
Please register, space is limited.
Artists will have a few quick warm-up poses then be able to spend time refining a long pose. Registration necessary- ArtWaves maintains distances for safety.The model is the star, no instruction, but plenty of easels, boards, horses, paper, charcoal and fellow friendly artists. Feel free to bring your paints and brushes as well!18 and over, under 18 allowed with parental attendance or prior signature.
Date and Time
Mondays and Thursdays
6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Mondays 6-9 single pose and Thursdays multi poses
Location
ArtWaves Fine Arts Studio
Fees/Admission
$15 for 3-hour session
Members: $25 month fee
Contact Information
office @artwavesmdi.otrg
Send Email
KIDS CRAFTERNOONS
ArtWaves is devoting afternoons of studio (under the big tent) sessions for children to create. Most workshops use unique materials like fiber, ink, stained glass and wax. Weekly themes. Open to kids between 7-11. No skills required.Masks, vax’d (over 5), and distancing for staff and participant safety.
To Register:
Date and Time
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
3 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Location
ArtWaves, 1345A State Highway 102, Bar Harbor
Fees/Admission
$30 materials included or bring some of your own! ($20 for members)
Student membership is $36 a year!
Contact Informationoffice@artwavesmdi.org
Send Email
ARTWAVES CLASSES AND EVENTS
ArtWaves often has classes, a variety every week. For the updated selection, check out its website here.
GET YOUR COFFEE & CONVERSATION ON!
TUESDAY, AUGUST 22 at 9:30 AM CANCELLED
Coffee & Conversation: Can Indigenous Culture Save Our Planet? CANCELLED
TUESDAY, AUGUST 29 at 9:30 AM
Coffee & Conversation: Building Acadia
COA professor emeritus Anne Kozak speaks with COA Trustee Cookie Horner about her new book, the development of Acadia’s infrastructure and roads, and the often-untold stories of the women involved in the founding of the park.
College of the Atlantic
105 Eden Street
Free, registration required: coa.edu/summereventsART INSTALLATION AT COA ALL SUMMER LONG
GET YOUR MOVIE ON!
REEL PIZZA
Reel Pizza is here! Check below for movies running this week or for exact times and dates click here.
CRITERION THEATRE
The theater’s website is here, and click for the latest updates.
SEASIDE CINEMA
Seaside Cinema sponsored by the Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce begins Wednesday night and runs from mid-July through mid-August
Bring the whole family and a blanket to sit on to the chamber’s weekly outdoor movies under the stars. Movies are shown on a giant inflatable screen in Agamont Park, overlooking Frenchman Bay.
Free popcorn will be available! And watching the movies? Also free.
Movies will start at dusk each Wednesday once the sun has gone down enough to show on the screen. Dusk ranges from approximately 7:30 p.m. later in the season to 8:15 p.m. this week.
Agamont Park is located on the corner of West and Main Streets in Bar Harbor.
Wednesday August 23 - Silent Films with Musical Accompaniment
GET YOUR FITNESS ON!
THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE!
The Neighborhood House has a slew of classes to help you get your fitness on. Descriptions are at its website.
Yoga Flow- Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays at 9 a.m.
Tai Chi - Monday at 10:45 a.m.
Can Do Yoga - Mondays at 4:30 p.m.
Active Older Adults - Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:45 a.m.
Yoga Flow and Tai Chi are also on Zoom!
MDI YMCA!
The MDI YMCA’s program guide is here.
DESTINATION HEALTH!
All Levels Slow Flow Yoga
Date and Time
Tuesdays
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM EDT
Location
Destination Health
124 Cottage Street
Bar Harbor, Maine 04609
(207) 288-3121
Website
http://www.destinationhealthmdi.com
Pelvic Floor Workshop
Date and Time
Tuesdays
2:00 PM - 3:30 PM EDT
Yin Yoga
Date and Time
Tuesdays
4:30 PM - 5:30 PM EDT
Adult Ballet Barre Fitness with David Lamon
Date and Time
Thursdays
6:30 PM - 7:30 PM EDT
4 sessions Thursday April 6th to Thursday April 27 6:30pm to 7:30pm
Location
ArtWaves Dance Center 1345A Hwy 102 Town Hill Bar Harbor
Fees/Admission
$50.00 $40.00 ArtWaves Members SPRING SPECIAL: BUY ONE CLASS GET ONE CLASS AT 50% OFF
Website
https://artwavesmdi.org/event-5201808
Contact Information
2072660010
Send Email
GET YOUR VOLUNTEERISM ON!
GET YOUR DANCE AND WELLNESS ON!
ZUMBA!
It’s a dance party, no experience needed!
Come take care of yourself, shake, smile & sweat! Every class is different; the music, people and weather, and we always have a blast! Erin leads a workout that caters to all levels of fitness and ability. All you need is a love for music and movement (or come to class to fall in love with dancing), but no experience necessary. You can follow along and give it your own flair! Come join our classes throughout the week, in the gorgeous dance studio at ArtWaves! If you haven’t tried Zumba and want to talk with Erin, feel free to email anytime.
Date and Time
Thursdays
5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. EDT
Location
Dance Studio at ArtWaves, 1345A State Highway 102, Bar Harbor
Fees/Admission
$40-$50 per month ($10 per week paid monthly)
Website
DOWNEAST COMMUNITY DANCE
Downeast Community Dance meets every Sunday from 10-11:30 a.m. at the Moore Community Center in Ellsworth (first and third) and ArtWaves in Town Hill (second, fourth and fifth).
These free form dance gatherings are not facilitated, with music provided by volunteer DJs. Move to rhythms in your own way and have fun.
Admission is by donation.
For more information, contact Susan at 288-8103 or cloudnine@gwi.net.
Location
Dance Studio at ArtWaves, 1345A State Highway 102, Bar Harbor
STUDENT MASSAGE CLINIC
At Acadia School of Massage Student Massage Clinic, our students gain hands-on experience while our clients receive relaxation or therapeutic massage and bodywork treatments at discounted rates. Enjoy a soothing massage from one of our gifted student massage therapists. The Student Clinic is open to the public and we highly encourage anyone to try a massage!
Date and Time
Tuesdays and Wednesdays
1:30 PM – 6:30 PM EST
Tuesdays and Wednesdays through the end of April 2023 from 1:30 to 6:15pm.
Location
Hosted by Tree of Life Day Spa,
108 Cottage Street, Bar Harbor
Fees/Admission
$35 for 1 hour massage
Appointments highly recommended
Book online at
http://www.AcadiaSoM.com
Website
http://www.AcadiaSoM.com
Contact Information
Acadia School of Massage
Send Email
DANCE NIGHTS AT FOGTOWN BAR HARBOR WITH DJ POPTART
Come on out and dance away your cabin fever at Fogtown Bar Harbor! Every Friday from 8-10 p.m., DJ Poptart/Gary Allen will be spinning groovy tunes!
Date and Time
Fridays
8:00 PM - 10:00 PM EST
Location
33 Cottage St, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Fees/Admission
No cover
Website
http://www.fogtownbrewing.com
GET YOUR MUSIC ON!
DAN LOREY TRIO!
The Dan Lorey Trio plays a wide variety of rock, pop, country, blues and reggae. They play every Tuesday night at the Side Street Cafe in Bar Harbor from 8-10 p.m. Call 801-2591 for more information or directions.
THE BAR HARBOR TOWN BAND
The Bar Harbor Band performs Mondays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. on the Village Green. All of the band's concerts are one hour in length. Concerts will be held rain or shine. In the event of inclement weather, concerts will be held at the neighboring Bar Harbor Congregational Church. For more information, visit www.barharborband.org.
Derf McKeeton
Starting July 6, there will be live music every Thursday night at the Otter Creek Hall from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Derf McKeeton, a resident of Otter Creek, will play the guitar and sing a variety of 20th century American music. His songs include rock, country, show tunes, jazz, and many of his own compositions. A portion of the donations will benefit the Otter Creek Aid Society. Performances will be held through the end of August. The hall is located at 82 Otter Creek Drive, 4.9 miles from the Village Green in Bar Harbor, 3 miles from Seal Harbor. For more information, call Derf at (617) 851-0387.
The Annex
THE FINBACK ALEHOUSE
The Finback has entertainment most nights. The schedule is posted every Tuesday.
This week it’s
Tuesday - Karaoke 9:30 -12
Wednesday - open mic 9-12
Thursday - Rob Reid 9-11
THE LOMPOC
The Lompoc has DJ nights every other Friday and karaoke every Sunday night!!
(They will be taking next Sunday—August 27—off however, due to the karaoke host being out of town.)
Summer Organ Recital Series
The Friends of Music at St. Saviour’s is proud to announce the 16th annual Summer Organ Recital Series for 2023. The recitals take place on the four Fridays of the month of August in St. Saviour’s Episcopal Church in Bar Harbor, each program beginning at 12:15 pm and lasting about an hour. The recital-series was founded in 2007 by Julia Morris-Myers, who was then the Organist/Music-director for St. Saviour’s.
The impetus for founding the series came from the presence of one of the finest organs in Downeast Maine, and the Friends of Music was organized to support and promote musical performances at the church. Since then, a wide variety of performers have presented the great literature for the organ each summer. The range of performers encompasses those starting out their careers and others long-established, regional, nationwide, and international.
The series closes on August 25 with Dr. Daniel Pyle, music-director at St. Saviour’s and artistic-director of the Acadia Choral Society.
Admission to the concerts is free, although donations in support of the concert-series are welcome.
The church, located at 41 Mount Desert St. in Bar Harbor, is fully accessible.
For further information, one can call the church at 288-4215 or email to sspmusic@mdi-episcopal.org.
GET YOUR FOOD ON!
OPEN TABLE MDI!
For more information, click here.
EDEN’S FARMERS’ MARKET
Sundays
9-12
Bar Harbor YMCA parking lot off Park Street
AMBROSIA COOKING SCHOOL
The real Maine experience to relive at home. Learn all about lobster and take home the knowledge to be able to cook lobster at home. If you ever had concerns about the long process of making a pie crust, then you will rejoice at the ease of making this blueberry crumble pie. Enjoy the restaurants in Maine but after the class you will leave with the knowledge to create your own Maine experience at home.
Date and Time
Sundays
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM EDT
Location
Ambrosia Cooking School
19 Rodick Street, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
19 Rodick Street Bar Harbor ME 04609
Fees/Admission
$85.00
Website
http://www.ambrosiacookingschool.com/
Contact Information
Sharon Joyce (207)288-4523
Send Email
MDI Hospital Auxiliary Bake Sale
Bake sale to benefit MDI Hospital.
For more information, contact julie.hagle@mdihospital.org or 207-801-5046.
Thursday from 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
First National Bank, 102 Main Street, Bar Harbor
TOWN GOVERNMENT MEETINGS
SOUTHWEST HARBOR
Regular Meeting Schedule (meetings held at the Town Office unless otherwise noted). Calendar is here.
TREMONT:
BAR HARBOR:
According to the town’s website, “Meetings that are broadcast live can be viewed at home by watching Cable Access Channel 7 or 1303 (Spectrum Cable only) and online at Town Hall Streams.”
“Things We Do in Bar Harbor” and “On the Agenda” is mostly curated by me looking for things happening in the upcoming week, which takes a lot of time and I truly do not know all that is going on.
If there’s something in Bar Harbor (or MDI) that you’d like me to mention, please let me know, because I’m definitely always missing some events every week.