EVENTS: Save the date for Taste of Waterville

/0 Comments/in , /by

Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce’s 32nd Annual Taste of Waterville is planned for Wednesday, July 31, from noon to 10 p.m., at the Head of Falls off Front Street, in downtown Waterville.

Taste of Waterville is an adult-focused, day-long event with a variety of food options from area food trucks and bite booths, vendors, live music, brew sampling and beer/wine gardens. There is no admission fee for this event, and complimentary golf cart transports will offer pickups from area parking lots.

Gather your team and sign up to win multiple cash prizes in the return of our popular cornhole tournament. Pre-registration for cornhole and the brew tasting is available at TasteofWaterville.com.

New this year is a celebrity dunk tank and several performances by aerialist Emily Green – sure to please.

This year’s evening concert opener is the popular band, The Fossils, with our headliner Stolen Mojo continuing to rock the night away. Downeast Brass will be a featured band, with additional entertainment and timelines currently under development.

Applications are still being accepted for food-related vendor participants. Taste of Waterville encourages participation from both Mid-Maine Chamber members and non-members throughout the region. To reserve a spot for this year’s event, please contact Cindy@midmainechamber.com.

For more information as it is determined, visit www.tasteofwaterville.com.

R. B. Hall Memorial Band to honor Selma Pulcifur at concert

/0 Comments/in , /by

The late Selma Pulcifur

by Jane Brogan

The R.B. Hall Memorial Band will present an outdoor concert at Waterfront Park, in Oakland, on Tuesday, August 13, at 6 p.m., to honor Selma Pulcifur, who passed away in December.

Selma was an institution, both in her community and among the countless musicians who were privileged to have known her over the years. She was the last surviving charter member of the R. B. Hall Memorial Band, where she played trombone for 55 years and served in various offices, including president.

In 2019, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the band, Sel­ma recounted in an interview that she began playing in 1944 when a friend told her the school band director needed a trombone. Selma laughed, “And I said, “What’s a trombone?” Selma fondly recalled, “I tried this old trombone, and, oh, it had the most beautiful tone, and I just fell in love with it.”

Selma played trombone for over 75 years, last performing with the R.B. Hall Band in the summer of 2022 at the Clinton Fair, a long-standing tradition and her favorite.

“I have to admit I’m getting older, but get me in a chair and I can play. I still have lots of wind. It’s natural.”

Sadly, the hot weather prevented her from performing at the fair in 2023, as she had hoped to do.

Selma’s final words in the interview were “I just hope I never have to give up the band. It’s been a very important part of my life.”

In gratitude for her contribution to keeping the community band tradition alive in Maine, the annual R.B. Hall Day festival, held in Bridgton this year, was dedicated to Selma.

The August 13 concert is free of charge. Audience members are asked to bring a lawn chair.

(The 2019 interview by Central Maine Newspapers is available on YouTube: “Selma Pulsifer plays on…”)

EVENTS: “No Spring Chickens” & prizes at Democratic lobster bake

/0 Comments/in , , /by

New Harbor watercolorist Peggy Farrell’s Chickadee in Bean Boots will be one of many raffle prizes at the annual LCDC Family Fun Day Lobster Bake. (contributed photo)

“No Spring Chickens” – Two chicks with guitars, dynamic vocals, and lush harmonies” – will provide music during the Lincoln County Democratic Committee (LCDC) Family Fun Day Lobster Bake on Sunday, Aug. 4, in Waldoboro.

Linda (Blaze) Picceri and Michelle Tanguay, of Waldoboro, make up No Spring Chickens. From heartfelt originals to high energy covers, these two have entertained throughout New England for longer than they care to remember. Recently relocated to midcoast Maine, they are looking forward to connecting with new audiences.

The event will also feature three separate raffle opportunities through which guests can support LCDC.

Raffle tickets to win a “Treat for Two” dinner at the historic Turner Barn, on North Haven Island, will be available. The winning ticket will provide a pair of lucky guests with a boat ride to and from the island, complimentary cocktails, and a five-course, locavore family-style meal. Past winners have raved about every aspect of the evening.

Tricky Tray Raffle opportunities will also be available with prizes as varied as an original watercolor by New Harbor artist Peggy Farrell, a gift box of honey products from Barter’s Island Bees, French wines sourced by Walpole’s Chemins des Vins, a signed copy of Heather Cox Richardson’s Democracy Awakening, and other prize opportunities.

Mike Pander will be roving the site selling 50/50 tickets, always a favorite.

The Family Fun Day Lobster Bake is open to the public. The afternoon begins with a social hour followed by dinner at 1 p.m. Short speeches by candidates, representatives in government and special guests follow.

Online reservations can be made at https://lincolncountydemocrats.com/lobster by Wednesday, July 31. For those who would like to provide additional support for the event, host committee sponsorship opportunities are also available. For more information, contact Bates at 207-644-8776.

The LCDC uses the money it raises through this and other fundraising initiatives to support its local efforts in Lincoln County.

EVENTS: Oakfest scheduled for July 26-28, 2024

/0 Comments/in , /by

Gerry Butler rides a chicken during the 2023 Oakfest parade. (contributed photo)

Come experience a weekend of family fun Friday through Sunday, July 26 – July 28, and see why Oakfest is rated among the “10 Best Outdoor Festivals in Maine” this summer!

This year’s Oakfest theme is “Christmas in July” with three days of family entertainment beginning Friday evening with food, music, and a parade on Main Street, in Oakland. The day starts at 4 p.m., with a children’s Lions Club Safari “Bowling with Coconuts “at the Camden National Bank parking lot and tours at Memorial Hall, on Church Street. Food trucks are available from 5 – 11 p.m., and the American Legion Beer Tent will be open for over 21 years old until 11 p.m. The evening events kick off with a performance by the Highland Bag Pipes at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Christmas in July Parade at 6 p.m. Enjoy music by “RJ the DJ” Richard Jandreau, and come out for a street dance to live music by the Roy Hudson Band from 8 to 11 p.m., sponsored by the American Legion.

Saturday’s ShineOn Oakland festivities start at 9 a.m. behind Williams Elementary School, at 55 Pleasant Street, in Oakland, with an expansive, 75-booth ShineOn Oakland Open Air Market. The day-long event features Maine-made artisans and crafters, an extensive variety of food vendors, dozens of fun children’s activities, including bounce houses, water activities, a climbing wall, and carnival games, sponsored by Kingdom Life Church. Have your children choose a free book, as part of the ShineOnCass Literacy Project. Plus there will be a Cruise-In Classic Car Show from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Enjoy live music until 3 p.m., at the ShineOn Oakland Stage, plus much more.

Claire Slevinsky shows the free book she received at the 2023 Oakfest. (contributed photo)

At dusk, bring the kids to an Outdoor Movie Night presentation of Migration presented by Kingdom Life Church. Please bring lawn chairs and blankets to watch the movie. In case of inclement weather, Movie Night will be held at Kingdom Life Church, 191 High Street, in Oakland.

Rise and Shine on Sunday at 10 a.m., at the Oakland Gazebo, 22 Old Belgrade Road, in Oakland, to watch the Oakfest Christmas in July Boat Parade, led by Eric Seekins. Then enjoy live music from 1 to 3 p.m., by Ryan Michaud, grab lunch at Hero’s On Wheels Food Truck from 2:30 to 5 p.m., and stay for a free Elvis In Concert with Don Boudreau from 3 to 5 p.m., all overlooking beautiful Messalonskee Lake.

Oakfest is proudly sponsored by the Town of Oakland, Oakland American Legion, Oakland Lions Club, Kingdom Life Church, First Park, Kennebec Valley Federal Credit Union, Hometown Auto, Bri By Designs, Valley Beverage, Oakland Waterfront Park Summer Concert Series and the ShineOnCass Foundation.

Oakfest is pleased to partner with the ShineOnCass Foundation to provide an annual community support project to the summer festival. This year Oakfest will “Shine a Light on Literacy” by providing free books to children who attend ShineOn Oakland Day on Saturday. For more information about the project, visit shineoncass.org.

“We are excited to welcome back hundreds of attendees to Oakfest 2024, offering food, music and family-friendly activities for all ages. Oakfest is the place to be this summer in Maine,” says Oakfest Committee Chairman Kathy Paradis, who along with a committee of volunteers, coordinates the annual community festival.

For more information about Oakfest 2024, call Kathy Paradis at 207-465-7357, visit the Town of Oakland Facebook Page or oaklandmaine.us.

EVENTS: Food, Fun, and Friends meet at the community cookout in Palermo

/0 Comments/in , /by

Palermo Community Garden. (contributed photo)

The fun begins at 4 p.m., on Saturday, August 3, at 26 Veterans Way, in Palermo, as people gather for a celebration of summer in the Palermo Community Garden behind the gray mobile home. There is plenty of parking. The scent of fruitwood barbeque emanates from the Grape Arbor, where the tents and tables welcome guests with cooling beverages and home-cooked pulled pork, turkey, cornbread, cowboy beans, tempting desserts, and more. Tickets are only $10 for adults and $5 for youth 6-12. Little kids are free. Grace O’Brien will have tickets available at the gate. This will happen rain or shine, and takeouts are available. At 6 p.m., the firepit will be lit and folks can gather around it to hear Anthony Semenovich play his guitar and sing.

Meanwhile, Ann Bako and Nancy Thomas will be selling raffle tickets to those who have not already purchased them. Thanks to numerous sponsors and donors, there are dozens of prizes, including an Echo string trimmer donated by The Home Depot. Gardening tools, gift certificates, fishing rods, and more will be given away, and winners do not need to be present. Just put your name and phone number on the blue tickets and you’re in it to win it. Tickets are 6 for $5.

This cookout is a fundraiser for the Palermo Community Center, which hosts the Palermo Food Pantry, sponsors the Community Garden, and the Great ThunderChicken Teaching Drum. Drum practices are held at 7 p.m., on Tuesday evenings at the Community Center and all are welcome to join in the experience. The Community Garden helps to provide free, organic fruits, vegetables, and herbs to the Food Pantry and others in need. If you run out of dill for your pickling projects, be sure to grab some from the garden. Fresh garlic and berries are also in season. Call Connie Bellet at 993-2294 for information, volunteer opportunities, and cookout or raffle tickets. We are looking forward to seeing you!

EVENTS: Maine Open Farm Day set for Sunday, July 28, 2024

/0 Comments/in , /by

Experience farm life and learn about the origins of your food on Maine Open Farm Day, held this year on Sunday, July 28. This annual event is a fantastic opportunity for families, educators, and anyone curious about agriculture to connect with farmers and explore Maine’s vitally important agricultural community.

Maine Open Farm Day offers a unique chance to:

– Experience Farm Life: Discover the daily operations of a working farm, meet the animals, and learn about crop production.
– Educational Opportunities: Gain insights into sustainable farming practices, the importance of local agriculture, and the food journey from farm to table.
– Good Fun: Enjoy a day in rural communities across each of Maine’s 16 counties, with activities for all ages, from farm tours and demonstrations to hands-on experiences and local food tastings.

Event Details:

Maine Farm Day will take place on Sunday, July 28, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., at various participating farms across Maine. Admission is free. Learn more at RealMaine.com.

To ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all, please keep the following guidelines in mind:

– Don’t Ignore Farm Rules: Follow all guidelines provided by farm staff to ensure safety and avoid disruptions.
– Don’t Wander Off: Stay within designated areas, follow marked paths to prevent accidents, and ensure you don’t get lost.
– Don’t Feed the Animals Without Permission: Always ask the farmer to ensure it’s safe and appropriate before feeding any animals.
– Don’t Startle the Animals: Approach animals calmly and quietly to avoid causing them stress or defensive behavior.
– Don’t Bring Pets: Leave your pets at home to prevent the introduction of diseases to farm animals and avoid stress or aggressive encounters.
– Don’t Touch Equipment: Farm machinery can be dangerous; only handle equipment with explicit permission and supervision.
– Don’t Leave Gates Open: Always close gates behind you to prevent animals from escaping and creating additional work for farmers.
– Don’t Litter: Dispose of trash properly to protect animals and the environment.
– Don’t Wear Inappropriate Clothing: To ensure a safe and comfortable visit, dress in sturdy, comfortable clothing and closed-toe shoes.
– Don’t Ignore Safety Signs: Follow all posted signs and warnings to keep yourself and others safe.
– Do check the local listings before you head out: Life on the farm can be unpredictable, and schedule adjustments may happen for any reason. Plus, you may find spots open on both days!
– Do plan to shop: There are plenty of options from home goods to farm-fresh food. Enjoy the best quality of perishables; use an insulated tote or cooler and keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot!

Join Maine Open Farm Day for a fun, learning, and community-minded day! For more information and a list of participating farms, please visit RealMaine.com.

Mr. Drew and His Animals, Too come to Albert Church Brown Memorial Library

/0 Comments/in , /by

Saturday, July 13, snakes, spiders, and a crowd of 125 children and adults descended on Albert Church Brown Memorial Library, in China. Mr. Drew started small with how insects fill important roles in pollination and cleaning up. The fun especially started as he pulled many large snakes, turtles and large spiders from his many boxes. He emphasized responsible ownership and offered to serve as technical support before buying animals. For example, a family bought their child a “fairy frog.” Turns out they grow to six pounds and require a diet of rats. Now he showed that frog, as he has it. At four pounds it’s not full grown. Beware of what you buy. Everyone very much enjoyed interacting with the animals at the end of the show. China Village library is very busy this summer. Come check out the monthly art exhibits. https://www.chinalibrary.org, reading program, and booksale at China Days.

Contributed photos

EVENTS: China Historical Society going back to school

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

Members of the China Historical Society (2023). (photo by Roberta Barnes)

photo source: JMG.org

by Bob Bennett

The China Historical Society will be hosting a remembrance and tour of the 75-year-old China (Middle) School following the annual meeting on Thursday, July 18. It is intended these activities will begin in the gym of the building, on Lakeview Drive, at about 6 p.m. Head Custodian Tim Roddy has offered to be the tour guide and though there is some on-going work, he is confident there will be plenty of access. The memories of the attendees will be voiced in the gym and it is hoped that many students, teachers and other China residents of all ages will be on hand to share their experiences. From previous messages and postings, it appears this event is generating quite a bit of interest and enthusiasm, and the CHS is looking forward to a fun and reflective evening; please put it on your calendar!

EVENTS: China Village Fire Dept. annual chicken BBQ July 6

/0 Comments/in , /by
The annual chicken barbecue sponsored by the China Village Fire Department will take place on Saturday, July 6, 2024, at 11 a.m.
The cost is $15 and will include a half chicken, baked beans, potato chips, roll and can of soda or bottled water. They plan to offer a drive-thru service again this year. Tables and chairs will be available for seating inside the station, or meals may be packaged to go. They also accept donations, made payable to the China Village Fire Dept., P.O. Box 6035, China Village, ME 04926.

EVENTS: Chadwick Cemetery Association annual meeting (2024)

/0 Comments/in , /by

The Chadwick Hill Cemetery Association will hold its annual meeting on Thurssday, July 11, 2024, at 4 p.m., at the South China Community Church, 246 Village St., South China. New members are welcome. All interested parties are invited to attend. For additional information contact Jiff Zimmerman at 445-4000.