THINGS TO DO ON MDI (INCLUDING FOURTH OF JULY!)
Events this week and in the near future.
It’s our weekly round-up, and I may have missed some things, so apologies! If you have something you’d like in here, please let me know.
We hope you have some great adventures this week!
To check out our news stories from the past week. Click on the archive section and you’ll see them in chronological order.
COME HELP!
THIS WEEK:
MONDAY, JULY 1
2024 Summer Concert Series
Band concerts on the Green: A Bar Harbor tradition since 1898. All concerts begin at 7:30 PM and are one hour in length, taking place on the Bar Harbor Village Green. Free and fun for all ages! Concerts will be held rain or shine! In the event of inclement weather, concerts will be held at the neighboring Bar Harbor Congregational Church.
Divine Play Yoga at the Neighborhood House
Mon/Wed; 9:00-10:00am
Cost: $15/class
with Mike Bouscaren
Dear Yogis,
You’ll recall that our flow yoga classes progressively tease out more body aliveness and mental acuity in you. And they’re fun!
For one hour you alone as do others around you, return to the grounded center that is the unburdened original self. Freer in every way.
You’ll walk away feeling more open, calmer, and sharp. And mightily prepared for whatever the day throws at you.
Divine Play yoga invites you to shine, to be your best, to transform into a Beacon of Joy. It works!
Two Hands Together,
Mike Bouscaren
Register: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=19801383
Monday events via the Bar Harbor Chamber:
TUESDAY, JULY 2
Making Democracy Work Series
The Jesup Memorial Library, Acadia Senior College, and the League of Women Voters - Downeast are pleased to announce a short series of programs under the theme "Making Democracy Work." This series will feature prominent speakers addressing the challenges facing modern governance and proposing ways to enhance the democratic process.
Tuesday, July 2nd, 7:00 p.m.
Dr. Rachel Kleinfeld
Senior Fellow in the Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
INTRO TO BIRD CARVING - MORNING CLASSES AND AFTERNOON CLASSES
Learn the basics of bird carving at the Gilley!
This 1.5-hour class, suitable for beginners, comes with a kit that includes a bird blank and paints. Tools are available to borrow. You'll have fun and leave with something you create. Students must be at least 11 years old; those 12 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. Cost: $35 for non-members or $28 for members (a 20% discount off the regular price). To become a member, visit our membership page here: https://www.wendellgilleymuseum.org/become-a-member Class size limited to 4. Registration is required.
10:30 AM - 12:00 PM OR 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Wendell Gilley Museum, 4 Herrick Road, Southwest Harbor
04679
MORE DETAILS
Book Sale at Northeast Harbor Library
Northeast Harbor Library. Proceeds benefit the library. 276-3333.
Come discover the Northeast Harbor Library’s Book Sale Down Under, which is open year 'round. Well organized, there is something for everyone, including books, DVDs, audios, a children’s section and a collector’s shelf with all sorts of interesting offerings. The cost is by donation. The hours for the sale are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-5 p.m. For more information, call the library at 276-3333.
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Northeast Harbor Library, 1 Joy Road, Mount Desert
Live Reading of "Rivers of Ink: Literary Reflections of the Penobscot"
Join us for a live reading from "Rivers of Ink: Literary Reflections on the Penobscot."
Curated with care and profound insight, this anthology opens with an introduction by Sherri Mitchell Weh’na Ha’mu Kwasset, a respected Indigenous attorney, activist, and author from the Penobscot Nation. Through its pages, Rivers of Ink offers a mosaic of voices from 61 Maine writers, each weaving a tale of the river’s indelible mark on the region’s history, culture, and daily life. From evocative essays and compelling fiction to soul-stirring poetry, Rivers of Ink captures the essence of the Penobscot—its sights, sounds, and spirit—while addressing today’s environmental and climate challenges with hope and resilience.
5:30 PM - 6:30 PM
OPEN TABLE MDI!
For more information, click here.
Get Your Knowledge On!
ASC Racial Justice Book Group
Are you interested in joining us? We are open to new members who want to share in the reading and the hard work that ensues as we examine the underpinnings of systemic racism and its effects on society and on each of us individually, in the ultimate hope that our studies can work toward change.
We have been meeting once a month on the second Tuesday of the month from 10:30- 12:15.
We started with the basic readings of How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi and The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee. We then spent many months delving deeply into The 1619 Project edited by Nikole Hannah-Jones.
Since then, we’ve read some James Baldwin, Colon Whitehead, Zora Neale Hurston, Eddie S. Glaude, Jr., Clint Smith and many others. We look forward in the next few months to reading some James McBride and Bryan Stevenson. We also share articles of interest that deal with the issues we’re facing.
If the truly hard, but most meaningful, work we are doing to examine our society, culture and ourselves sounds like something that interests you, please contact me at rjbg2021@gmail.com or 207-664-9954.
Read more about the book group
Mat Pilates at the Neighborhood House
Cost: $15/class
Tue/Thu/Sat at 9:15am; starts June 29
with Hillary Kennedy
Mat Pilates is perfect for anyone looking to build a strong and balanced body while improving flexibility and energy levels. All experience levels are welcomed and encouraged to participate in Hillary's classes. In addition to group classes, Hillary also is available for individual instruction including use of the reformer and other apparatuses in our lower level studio. For information on booking an individual session, please contact Hillary or our main office.
Tuesday events via the Chamber:
WEDNESDAY, JULY 3
Divine Play Yoga at the Neighborhood House
Mon/Wed; 9:00-10:00am
Cost: $15/class
with Mike Bouscaren
Dear Yogis,
You’ll recall that our flow yoga classes progressively tease out more body aliveness and mental acuity in you. And they’re fun!
For one hour you alone as do others around you, return to the grounded center that is the unburdened original self. Freer in every way.
You’ll walk away feeling more open, calmer, and sharp. And mightily prepared for whatever the day throws at you.
Divine Play yoga invites you to shine, to be your best, to transform into a Beacon of Joy. It works!
Two Hands Together,
Mike Bouscaren
Register: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=19801383
Registration Now Open for Weekly Save Our Summits Hikes
Do you want to be a #SoilHero by hiking up a mountain AND helping Acadia’s efforts to restore summit vegetation? Friends of Acadia is partnering with the park and Schoodic Institute to host a weekly Save Our Summits Volunteer Program, every Wednesday from June through September. This program invites tenacious hikers to bring bags of soil to the summits of Penobscot and Sargent Mountains to help with restoration efforts. Hikes run from 8:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., weather permitting. Advanced registration is required.
Register and learn more about how to prepare for the event her
Wednesday events via the Chamber:
THURSDAY, JULY 4
BAR HARBOR’S FOURTH OF JULY!
SOUTHWEST HARBOR FOURTH!
The eleventh annual fireworks display in Southwest Harbor will be at 9 p.m. on July 4. Fireworks on the Quietside of the island is also a group effort. It’s led by the Southwest Harbor & Tremont Chamber of Commerce.
Fireworks are launched from John Goodwin Construction’s barges, which will be in the harbor off Clark Point.
The rain date is July 6.
For more information, call 244-9264 or email office@acadiachamber.com.
Book Sale at Northeast Harbor Library
Book Sale, 3:30-5 p.m.,
Northeast Harbor Library. Proceeds benefit the library. 276-3333.
Come discover the Northeast Harbor Library’s Book Sale Down Under, which is open year 'round. Well organized, there is something for everyone, including books, DVDs, audios, a children’s section and a collector’s shelf with all sorts of interesting offerings. The cost is by donation. The hours for the sale are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-5 p.m. For more information, call the library at 276-3333.
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Northeast Harbor Library, 1 Joy Road, Mount Desert
FISH HOUSE GRILL
ROB REID LIVE
Mat Pilates at the Neighborhood House
Cost: $15/class
Tue/Thu/Sat at 9:15am; starts June 29
with Hillary Kennedy
Mat Pilates is perfect for anyone looking to build a strong and balanced body while improving flexibility and energy levels. All experience levels are welcomed and encouraged to participate in Hillary's classes. In addition to group classes, Hillary also is available for individual instruction including use of the reformer and other apparatuses in our lower level studio. For information on booking an individual session, please contact Hillary or our main office.
Thursday events via the Chamber:
FRIDAY, JULY 5
Whoopie Mile World Championships
Run Hard, Get Whooped!
Bar Harbor, Maine | Wabanaki Land
07/05/2024 @ 6 p.m.
The Rules Are Simple:
We supply the whoopies, and every 0.25 mile lap, you eat one. The entire whoopie must be finished before each lap starts. Run one lap with friends in the relay, four laps solo for the mile, or as many as you can until you're the last person standing. Run for fun, run for speed, or run for endurance. And run for the whoopies, of course. Oh, and if you puke, you are disqualified. So save that part for afterward!
Divisions:
Solo Mile Division: 4 loops (1 mile) & 4 whoopies (winner is the fastest time)
Relay Division: 4 loops (1 mile), 4 whoopies, & 2 to 4 team members (winner is the fastest team time)
Solo Endurance Division: 1 lap & 1 whoopie x infinity! (winner is the most number of laps (each lap must be completed in under ten minutes to keep people from stalling!))
Participants can partake in both the Solo Mile Division and the Solo Endurance Division of the Whoopie Mile. They will run their first mile (and eat their first four whoopies) as fast as they can, and then continue on to see how many more laps they can do after that.
Prizes:
The bragging rights of Move Free Whoopie Mile World Champion until next year's event!
Prizes will also be given for top team names, costumes, and more!
Records:
Solo Mile Division: Francis Meisenbach 13 minutes 16 seconds (2023 Championships)
Relay Division: Boston Cream Pies 13 minutes 39 seconds (2023 Championships)
Solo Endurance Division: Devon O'Connor 5 laps (2023 Championships)
Registration Details:
Want to run/eat/laugh/suffer?
Register here before race day.
Location:
College of the Atlantic Whale Skull (105 Eden Street, Bar Harbor, Maine, 04609)
The 0.25 mile loop for the Move Free Whoopie Mile will be on the College of the Atlantic campus and Eden Street sidewalk. Approximately half the loop's surface is pavement and the other half gravel. The loop has minimal elevation to optimize speed. The transition zone where participants eat their Whoopie every loop will be located near the Whale Skull at the campus's main entrance.
Parking spots available on campus or easy to access by walking from town.
Trenton Community Pot Luck Dinner
This is a monthly year round community Pot Luck Dinner
We hold this the first Friday of every month and everyone is welcome. Come on out and enjoy some good food and good conversation. We love being able to do this for our community, no matter where you are coming from you will always be welcome.
Jul 5 at 5:00PM - 7:00PM
1134 Bar Harbor Road, Trenton
“Al Fresco” Tai Chi
Fridays; 10:15am; held outdoors on the lawn
Cost: $10/class
with Andrea Lepcio
We will explore Tai Chi moves for strength, balance and flexibility. Andrea will introduce a number of forms to build your knowledge and repertoire. Class can be done standing and in a chair. Classes will be held OUTSIDE on the lawn, so please wear flat shoes.
Online registration not required.
Friday events via the Chamber:
SATURDAY, JULY 6
ACADIA WILDLIFE CENTER
Open House & Silent Auction!
ACADIA WILDLIFE CENTER IS CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF REHABILITATING INJURED NATIVE WILDLIFE!
Join us for our ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE and SILENT AUCTION
When: Saturday July 6th
Time: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Where: Town Hill Community Hall 1328 ME-102, Bar Harbor, ME 04609
Directions: Please park at Town Hill's Community Hall which has plenty of free parking. Our Silent Auction, Bake Sale and much more will be outside the community hall. We will be providing shuttle rides from the Town Hill's Community Hall, 5 minutes down the road to our Nature Center, and then back to the hall throughout the day.
Activities:
Town Hill's Community Center: Silent auction, raffle, baked goods, local restaurant participants, playground, and more! We have many gift items and gift certificates donated by local businesses and every dollar will support the ongoing work of Acadia Wildlife Center. We will be drawing 2 RAFFLE TICKETS at the end of the day, each winner + 3 of their guests will be invited to a release of wild animal that has been rehabilitated and is ready to go back to the wild!
Nature Center: (via shuttle back and forth from Town Hill's Community Hall) Explore our Nature Center, meet our Animal Ambassadors, learn about Wildlife Rehabilitation & Environmental Conservation! You will learn about each species and observe wildlife you only ever see from a distance. The Ambassador Non-Releasable Education Animals currently in the Center are: A Red Fox, Bald Eagle, Porcupine, Skunk, Vulture, Great Horned Owl, Bats, Red-Tailed Hawk, and others.
BAR HARBOR FOURTH OF JULY PARADE
Acadia Wildlife will be marching in the Bar Harbor July 4th Parade/
OPEN HOUSE CELEBRATION FOR ITS 30th YEAR ON JULY 6!
To celebrate tits 30th year on July 6th, Acadia Wildlife will be having a silent auction, raffle, merchandise, bake sale, and possibly an ice cream truck at the Town Hill Community Hall.
The organization will be having people park at the ball field and transporting them down the road to visit the center. More details to come, but save the date!
Mat Pilates at the Neighborhood House
Cost: $15/class
Tue/Thu/Sat at 9:15am; starts June 29
with Hillary Kennedy
Mat Pilates is perfect for anyone looking to build a strong and balanced body while improving flexibility and energy levels. All experience levels are welcomed and encouraged to participate in Hillary's classes. In addition to group classes, Hillary also is available for individual instruction including use of the reformer and other apparatuses in our lower level studio. For information on booking an individual session, please contact Hillary or our main office.
INTERNATIONAL FOLK DANCES
Years ago Bar Harbor had monthly international folk dances with live music in the Municipal Building "ballroom". The live band that played was The Bar Harbor Folk Orchestra with Tom Crikelair, Jon Archer, Carl Karush and Joe Niemczura. But in the 1990s, the dances were discontinued. International folk dances in Ellsworth were suspended in 2020 as a result of the pandemic. But now an enthusiastic group of dancers and musicians from both on and off the Island, have assembled to relaunch this community activity. "We want to share our love for other cultures and the joy of dancing to live ethnic music" noted one of the group members of the newly-formed Downeast Folk Dancers. "We hope everyone will come to join in the fun!"
International Folk Dancing with the Kotwica Band, featuring dances from the Baltic, to the Black Sea, and beyond, will be held on the first Saturday of the month this summer: July 6, August 3, 7:00-9:00pm, at the MDI-YWCA, 36 Mount Desert Street, Bar Harbor. Dances will be taught by Carolyn Rapkievian - no experience and no partner is needed. This new series is sponsored by the Downeast Folk Dancers. Admission is $10 at the door. For more information: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559917761571
MDI COMMUNITY MARKET!
Come see us at Mother’s Kitchen from 9 to 1 and find plenty of fresh food from your local farmers & harvesters
We’ll have veggies, mushrooms, seedlings, fish, mussels, vegan baked goods and art! Live music from 11 with Gus La Casse and Mathias Kamin! Community tent! You can purchase fresh food to donate to Common Good Soup Kitchen in Southwest Harbor! Mother’s Kitchen and Salsbury’s will both be open. Plenty to do and to see! And we’re still accepting vendors, so if you’re interested in joining come chat with us
FINBACK ALEHOUSE LIVE MUSIC!
There’s live music every Saturday night all summer long at the Finback Alehouse in Bar Harbor. Music starts at 9:30!
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.
Welcoming all knitters and would be knitters…and crocheters! The Welcome and Care Team at the Bar Harbor Congregational Church UCC is hosting a weekly Prayer Shawl Mission Group every Saturday from 10 a.m. until noon at the Bar Harbor Congregational Church UCC. The intention of the group is to create a sense of community and a flow of Prayer Shawls for distribution to those in need of comfort due to illness, loneliness, or loss. Supplies and instruction will be provided to those with skills for knitting and/or crocheting and for those with a desire to learn.
There are no costs to the participants.
For more information contact Pat by calling (203) 770-0063 or email: pgdizazzo@yahoo.com.
Saturday events Via the Chamber:
SUNDAY, JULY
FREE Young Audience Concert on Great Cranberry Island. Sponsor Ned Swain and Devenish Wines. Stories, Poems, and Music. Willie was Different by Norman Rockwell and Seymour Barab, Sail Away by Langston Hughes and Ashley Bryan, Portraits of Langston by Valerie Coleman. Allison Kiger, flute, Eric Thomas, clarinet, Christina Spurling, piano.
6 p.m. start
Bar Harbor's Eden Farmer's Market
Maine grown, raised and value added delights in Bar Harbor.
Sundays, 9 am -12 noon, rain or shine, Park and Main Streets.
Sunday events via the Chamber:
FUTURE EVENTS:
WINE AND WHISKERS
WINE AND WHISKERS
Sparking a Love of Science: Finding Stories in the Field at the MDI Biological Laboratory
July 8, 2024 I 5 PM I Hybrid: Maren Auditorium and Zoom
BAR HARBOR—Award winning children’s book creators, Hayley and John Rocco discuss their latest conservation focused picturebooks and show how they connect with conservationists and scientists in the field to bring stories back to young readers everywhere. Research for their latest projects has brought them to Costa Rica, South Africa, and even their local zoo.
More Details
Join us to hear how these authors and illustrators use their passion to inspire the next generation of young scientists.
Hayley Rocco is an award winning author of several books for children, including Wild Places: The Life of Naturalist David Attenborough which was a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard book. Before dedicating herself to writing for children full-time, she worked as a publicist for several major publishers. In addition to becoming an ambassador for Wild Tomorrow, she is also the co-founder of the Children’s Book Creators for Conservation group. She lives in Rhode Island with a menagerie of animals and her husband John Rocco.
John Rocco is a New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of many acclaimed books for children including Blackout, the recipient of the Caldecott Honor, and How We Got to the Moon, which received a Robert F. Sibert Honor and was long listed for the National Book Award. Rocco is also known for illustrating the cover art for Rick Riordan’s internationally bestselling series Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Before embarking on his career as an author and illustrator, Rocco was a creative director in the entertainment industry working for Dreamworks and Walt Disney Imagineering. Rocco is the co-founder of the Children’s Book Creators for Conservation group, as well as an ambassador for Wild Tomorrow.
BAR HARBOR MUSIC FESTIVAL!
2024 Tickets are on sale!! Concerts July 8- October 13. https://www.barharbormusicfestival.org/2024-season/
(Please call or text 212-222-1026 for subscriptions or orders by check)
New for 2024: lower priced rear section seating, Young Audience Concerts on Cranberry thanks to Ned Swain and Devenish Wines, a collab concert with Nimbus Dance, and FREE tickets for everyone 21 and under thanks to the Thirsty Whale in Bar Harbor!
Monday, July 8th at 7:30PM
FREE Isaac Bray with the Bar Harbor Town Band on the Village Green featuring Rossini’s most popular aria “Largo al factotum” from the Bar Harbor of Seville (and classic cartoons!)
Isaac Bray has performed numerous opera roles and other solo engagements with musical organizations around the United States including Florida Grand Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Central City Opera, Opera Grand Rapids, Opera San Antonio, Charlottesville Opera, the Bangor Symphony, and Opera in the Pines. Notable opera roles include Marcello in La Bohème, the title role in Don Giovanni, Guglielmo in Così fan tutte, John Proctor in The Crucible, Le DancaÏre in Carmen, and Sam in Trouble in Tahiti. Bray has performed solo engagements in New England with Bar Harbor Music Festival, Bagaduce Chorale, Acadia Choral Society, and Blue Hill Bach. Bray was a member of the Florida Grand Opera Young Artist Studio, the Bonfils-Stanton Apprentice Program with Central City Opera, and the apprentice artist program with Natchez Festival of Music. He is a graduate of the Boston University Opera Institute, The Boston Conservatory, and Abilene Christian University. Mr. Bray teaches on the voice faculty at the University of Maine and also serves on the board of the Maine chapter of NATS.
Veronica O’Brien
Wednesday, July 10 at 7:30PM
Pianist Veronica O’Brien (Festival debut) Music by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Gershwin, and Scriabin – at St. Saviour’s Episcopal Church.
Info and Purchase
Oceanview Tea Concert – Kelly Hill, mezzo-soprano and Steven Crawford, piano at the Bar Harbor Historical Society. With donated tea and pastries.
Friday, July 12 at 4PM
Info and Purchase
FRIENDS OF ACADIA SAVE THE DATES
Open Garden Day 2024
Saturday, July 27, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm
Seal Harbor, Maine
Six private gardens—details here.
$50 per guest. Stay as long as you like, just let us know if you plan to arrive morning or afternoon. Tickets are non-refundable. Event is held rain or shine.
Proceeds benefit dozens of local horticultural and conservation projects.
Note this is a shuttle-only tour, no private car access. Signs and volunteers will direct you to parking on east Cooksey Drive. Free bus access to Seal Harbor from Northeast Harbor and Bar Harbor via Island Explorer. Most gardens have uneven terrain, stairs or narrow paths so are not handicap or stroller accessible. Houses are NOT open. Restroom available at Seal Harbor Village Green. No video cameras, dogs, or smoking. Cell phone photography only.
GET YOUR ANNUAL BIRTHDAY PARTY ON!
To get tickets, click here.
CRITERION EVENTS
MEADOWS, WALSH & FRIENDS-CHICAGO STYLE IMPROV AT THE CRITERION
BAR HARBOR—Tim Meadows, Matt Walsh, Brad Morris and Joe Canale make up the fantastically funny improv show: Meadows, Walsh & Friends. Their fully improvised performances are inspired by a short chat at the top of the show with the audience. The chats launch them into a fast-moving act that features irreverent characters and heightened spins on recognizable situations, all the while building shape and theme. Each unique show is entertaining, funny, and thought provoking.
Meadows, a longtime Saturday Night Live cast member and has appeared in Mean Girls, and has guest starred on countless TV programs including: The Office, The Goldbergs and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Matt Walsh is best known for his role as Mike McLintock in HBO’s Veep and was a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade sketch comedy theater. Brad Morris is known for his roles in Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, Cougar Town, and Bajillion Dollar Propertie$. Joe Canale has been in Kay Valentine’s Day Commercial Parody, Life of Brad and Douchebag Assassins
All four improvisers have strong ties to The Second City. Matt Walsh toured with The Second City Touring Company based in Chicago, and Tim, Brad and Joe are Alums of The Second City resident stage in Chicago. Together, they have influenced generations of improvisers.
July 30th - 7:30pm
Howie Day - 20th Anniversary of "Stop All The World Now"
Saturday, July 20 | 7PM
https://criteriontheatre.fanlink.tv/072024
ARTWAVES CLASSES AND EVENTS
ArtWaves often has classes, a variety every week. For the updated selection, check out its website here
A FEW OF THE FUTURE JESUP EVENTS
For a full list of Jesup Memorial Library events, click through to its calendar here.
QUESTIONS OF DEMOCRACY
The 2024 College of the Atlantic Summer Institute will examine democracy in the United States during one of the most consequential years of our times.
Struggles for democracy traverse our lives and society, from ballot boxes to inboxes, from the corridors of congress to the halls of schools, from kitchen tables to city streets. Questions of democracy confront us in our debates over freedom of the press, voting rights, and artistic freedom, in struggles of authoritarianism, and in conversations about how to effectively engage with disagreement and conflict across a range of topics.
Join us from July 29 - August 2 as elected officials, authors, analysts, and community organizers discuss what democracy means to them, the threats it faces, and how our individual and collective efforts can fortify democracy now and for future generations.
We will announce speakers over the next weeks. Please check the Summer Institute page for more details as they are announced. Registration is free, and opens May 1 for Champlain Society members, June 1 for the general public.
Upcoming Events at the MDI BIO LAB
Please register for MDI Bio Lab events by clicking on the title.
July 11, 2024 4-6 PM: Family Science Night at MDI Bio Lab
Family Science Night is an annual summer tradition where scientists, students, and members of the community come together to encourage learners of all ages to engage in hands-on science activities. We'll have more than a dozen activities and exhibits organized by MDI Bio Lab Summer Undergraduate Research Fellows and several community partners. Bring your friends and family and have fun with science!
Fourth Annual Ashley Bryan Lecture with Samuel James
At its best, storytelling is an expression of authenticity, but in a culture reliant on layers of inequity, authenticity can be difficult to understand or even define. Samuel James explores these ideas and more during Jesup Memorial Library’s 2024 Ashley Bryan Honorary Lecture on Thursday, July 18th at 7pm.
The Annual Ashley Bryan Lecture
The Jesup Memorial Library hosts annual lecture celebrating the life and ideals of Ashley Bryan. A noted printmaker, author especially of children’s books, puppet maker, painter, story teller, illustrator, and maker of art from sea glass and other found materials, Bryan devoted his life in the arts to bringing people together. The Library invites a distinguished artist or critic whose work reflects similarly deep interest in racial equity to discuss that work with the Downeast Maine community each year for a mid-summer presentation.
To find out more about the Ashley Bryan Lecture as well as how to support this event in years to come, click here.
About Samuel James
Samuel James is a musician, journalist and storyteller. James has been featured on This American Life and The Moth Radio Hour. His other work with The Moth includes Mainstage storyteller, interviewer, Radio Hour host, and contributor to the NYT Bestselling books How to Tell a Story: The Essential Guide to Memorable Storytelling from The Moth and The Moth Presents: A Point of Beauty.
As a musician, James has been touring internationally for more than fifteen years, performing in the Black American Folk Tradition. He has released seven albums, scored film soundtracks and museum exhibits. James' award-winning songwriting has been compared to Leonard Cohen's and his guitar virtuosity to that of Jimi Hendrix.
James’ monthly column Racisms can be currently found in The Bollard and his weekly newsletter Banned Histories of Race in America can be found on Substack. He’s also the creator and host of the podcast 99 Years, exploring the deliberate creation of the whitest state in the nation.
Making Democracy Work Series at the Jesup.
The Jesup Memorial Library, Acadia Senior College, and the League of Women Voters - Downeast are pleased to announce a short series of programs under the theme "Making Democracy Work." This series will feature prominent speakers addressing the challenges facing modern governance and proposing ways to enhance the democratic process.
Tuesday, July 16th, 7:00 p.m.
Dr. Steven Levitsky
The David Rockefeller Professor of Latin American Studies and Professor of Government at Harvard University
ONGOING:
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.
La Rochelle Mansion + Museum
Join the Bar Harbor Historical Society at Bar Harbor's Summer Cottage, La Rochelle, this season! See the exhibits and artifacts that helped shaped this storied town!
May 28 at 10:00 A.M. - Oct 26 at 2:00 P.M.
Bar Harbor Historical Society, 127 West Street
$15.00
GET YOUR VOLTA ON!
Volta, in Trenton, has a ton of things always going on. You can check that out here.
GET YOUR MOVIE ON!
REEL PIZZA
Reel Pizza is open! To check out what’s playing go here.
Tickets are on sale via its website.
Please note that for a while this winter, it will be closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
CRITERION THEATRE
The theater’s website is here, and click for the latest updates.
GET YOUR FITNESS, DANCE AND WELLNESS ON!
THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE!
The Neighborhood House has a slew of classes to help you get your fitness on. Descriptions are at its website.
“Al Fresco” Tai Chi
Fridays; 10:15am; held outdoors on the lawn
Cost: $10/class
with Andrea Lepcio
We will explore Tai Chi moves for strength, balance and flexibility. Andrea will introduce a number of forms to build your knowledge and repertoire. Class can be done standing and in a chair. Classes will be held OUTSIDE on the lawn, so please wear flat shoes.
Online registration not required.
Mat Pilates
Cost: $15/class
Tue/Thu/Sat at 9:15am; starts June 29
with Hillary Kennedy
Mat Pilates is perfect for anyone looking to build a strong and balanced body while improving flexibility and energy levels. All experience levels are welcomed and encouraged to participate in Hillary's classes. In addition to group classes, Hillary also is available for individual instruction including use of the reformer and other apparatuses in our lower level studio. For information on booking an individual session, please contact Hillary or our main office.
Divine Play Yoga at the Neighborhood House
Mon/Wed; 9:00-10:00am
Cost: $15/class
with Mike Bouscaren
Dear Yogis,
You’ll recall that our flow yoga classes progressively tease out more body aliveness and mental acuity in you. And they’re fun!
For one hour you alone as do others around you, return to the grounded center that is the unburdened original self. Freer in every way.
You’ll walk away feeling more open, calmer, and sharp. And mightily prepared for whatever the day throws at you.
Divine Play yoga invites you to shine, to be your best, to transform into a Beacon of Joy. It works!
Two Hands Together,
Mike Bouscaren
Register: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=19801383
MDI YMCA!
The MDI YMCA’s program guide is here.
DOWNEAST COMMUNITY DANCE
Downeast Community Dance
Free form dance, conscious or ecstatic, not facilitated. Come drop into your own joyful movement.
This is now held the first, third, and fifth Sunday of the month at 10 a.m. at ArtWaves Dance StudioFor more information, contact Susan at 288-8103 or cloudnine@gwi.net.
Location
Dance Studio at ArtWaves, 1345A State Highway 102, Bar Harbor
GET YOUR MUSIC ON!
THE FINBACK ALEHOUSE
The Finback has entertainment most nights. The schedule is posted every Tuesday.
THE NOR’EASTER
The Nor’Easter has music every Saturday night from 8-10 in the summer and 7-9 in the winter.
ONE OFF PUB
The One Off Pub often has music and is often open until midnight. The location? 119 Main Street.
HAVANA
Every Saturday night its open, at 6:30 p.m, you can come hear the maestro Bob Lombardi. Maestro isn’t something we put out there for everyone. Havana is on lower Main Street.
IVY MANOR INN
Every day out on the lawn, weather permitting, the music begins at 2!
“Things To Do” 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 or Trenton or Ellsworth or even Bangor) that you’d like me to mention, please let me know, because I’m definitely always missing some events every week.
If you’d like to donate to help support us, you can, but no pressure! Just click here.