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A list of local events starting Aug. 16. Events can be submitted to news@villagesoup.com.

• Author Talk with Paul Doiron, 6:30 p.m., on the lawn at Thomaston Public Library. In the event of rain, it will move indoors to the gym. Cushing Public Library and Thomaston Public Library welcome the local, award-winning author who will read from Hatchet Island, his latest book in the best-selling crime series featuring game warden Mike Bowditch. This program is free and open to all ages. For more information, contact Thomaston Public Library at 354-2453 or library@thomastonmaine.gov or Cushing Public Library at 354-8860.

• Talk on Puffin “Camera Traps, 5 p.m. at Project Puffin Visitor Center, 311 Main Street, Rockland. The summer Wednesday Night Lecture series continues with a presentation by Arden Kelly and Maeve Cosgrove, Project Puffin’s outreach education and communication assistants, respectively, who will be discussing how cameras are an innovative, non-invasive tool in seabird research. Puffin researchers use “camera traps” to access burrows and gain valuable insight into feeding habits and behavior. Feeding habits are especially helpful in understanding the overall health of the marine ecosystem. Cameras can also act as a method of community engagement and help foster citizen science initiatives for puffin lovers all around the world. Call to reserve a seat, 596-5566.

• Science on the Half Shell: Oysters, Clams, Cancer, and SARS-CoV-2, with Dr. José Antonio Fernández Robledo, at 6:30 p.m. at Rockport Public Library. The senior research scientist at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences gives a talk about the diseases facing mollusks in Maine waters. From ‘Dermo’ disease in the Eastern oyster to a contagious cancer affecting soft-shell clams, he will discuss how they are being affected by these diseases as well as what is being done to prevent them and what we can learn from them. Free and open to all.

• Garden Gatherings with Tess Gerritsen, 4 p.m. Owls Head Village Library hosts the author, filmmaker and Camden resident in its summer series. This one was originally set for last week but was postponed due to weather.

• Author Barbara Walsh and The Lobster Lady, 6:30 p.m. at Rockland Public Library. Rockland Historical Society and the library will sponsor a program by author Barbara Walsh about her new children’s book, The Lobster Lady. The real Lobster Lady, Virginia Oliver – who is still lobstering at 102 years old – and her son, Max, will be at the talk and in the historical society museum after the program for cookies and lemonade and to sign copies of the book with the author. Walsh is a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist who has worked for newspapers in Florida, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and Ireland.

• Free Tours of Maine Coast Heritage Trust’s Aldermere Farm, in Rockport, at 10 a.m. Afternoon tours will be offered Wednesdays, September 7, 14, 21, and 28, starting at 3:30 p.m. Tours begin at the farmhouse, 20 Russell Avenue, and are led by volunteer docents who will share the history of the 200-year-old saltwater farm. Meet Aldermere’s iconic belted Galloway herd and the 4-H Club that works with them. Admission is free. Donations are accepted. Registration is required. Learn more at aldermere.org or by calling 236-2739.

• Discover Belfast History Walking Tours, 10 a.m. Fridays in August. Join Megan Pinette, Belfast historian, for a one-hour walk up Main Street with commentary about the history of Belfast, people and events and a look at historic architecture. It starts at the Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce at 14 Main Street. Cost is a $10 donation for support of the Belfast Historical Society, cash or check only.

• Free Historic Walking Tours of Camden, at 4 p.m. Fridays in summer. Meet in the Camden Public Library’s Children’s Garden for a stroll to explore several historic sites in downtown Camden, including the Camden Public Library grounds and Amphitheatre. Learn about the town’s people, places, and industries. The tour ends at the Village Green. Free. Donations accepted to benefit the library. For all ages.

• New England Auto Auction at Owls Head Transportation Museum, in Owls Head, this Friday and Saturday. The museum hosts the high-octane, record-breaking car auction that delivers 230-plus rare and sought-after vehicles to collectors and spectators from around the world. For the full schedule of events – including Opening Preview Day on Wednesday, August 24, Friday’s Automobilia+Collectibles Auction and Saturday’s 44th Annual New England Auto Auction, go to aution.owlshead.org, call 94-4418 or email bid@ohtm.org.

• Strand on the Air Winds up Summer with Carnival of Laughs, the “All’s Fair Special” can be heard at 5 p.m. by tuning in to WRFR at 93.3 in Rockland or by streaming at WRFR.org. Following their broadcasts, these radio variety shows are made available to stream on the Strand Theatre website at RocklandStrand.com, and as podcasts. Liz McLeod and the Strand Family Players will promenade down the midway with original comedy sketches, as Brittany Parker and Friends holding forth in the music tent along with selected highlights from the Midcoast Music Academy’s recent summer recital. All Things Rescinded explores the wonders of Beano, the perils of the “Back to Preschool” season, and “Every Reason to Love September,” while down in Abysmal Point, Mrs. Grunden, Gertie Crummet, Edith Menhaden, and Lilita wonder if they’ll ever get down from the top of a stalled Ferris wheel. This show is presented by recording by the Strand Theatre, which is located in downtown Rockland.

• Open House Birthday Party for Captain Jim Sharp, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Sail, Power & Steam Museum, 75 Mechanic Street in Rockland. The museum’s founder is feted as he turns 89 with a public party on a day the museum is normally closed. He will be on hand to regale visitors with stories, share a piece of birthday cake and smile when birthday wishes are shared on cards to sign at the museum. While admission will be free, visitors are welcome to offer a donation to the nonprofit museum in honor of Sharp. The Sail, Power & Steam Museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to celebrate, honor, experience, and share this area’s maritime heritage.

• Talk on “The Boston Boats,” at the Belfast Historical Society meeting at 7 p.m., in the Abbott Room at Belfast Free Library. Judith Frost Gillis, Orrington Historical Society president, will present a history of four of the steamships that plied the waters of Penobscot Bay and Penobscot River, providing rapid and safe transportation for both passengers and freight. The steamships Belfast, Camden, Rockland and Bangor will be featured. The SS Belfast, known locally as The Boston Boat, served the Belfast-to-Boston route from 1909 to 1935. The presenter is hoping those in attendance will share their knowledge or recollections about any of the four steamships. Visit BelfastMuseum.org or Facebook to learn more about the program schedule.

• Author Talk with Margie Patlak, on Wednesday, August 31, at 5 p.m. at Jackson Memorial Library, Tenants Harbor. She will be talking about her book More Than Meets the Eye: Exploring Nature and Loss on the Coast of Maine. She was a science writer eager to learn more about the environment of her new abode on the Schoodic peninsula, who set out to write a book about the nature of Maine ten years ago. But soon it also became a book about what the nature of Maine taught her about the nature of life. Her personal essays, including one nominated for a Pushcart Prize, have appeared in a number of literary journals and newspapers. She has degrees in botany and environmental studies and divides her time between Philadelphia and Corea, Maine.

• Jody Bachelder Reveals Why Samoset Was the First to Meet the Plymouth Colonists, via Zoom on Thursday, September 1, at 6:30 p.m. in a program from Cushing Public Library and Cushing Historical Society. The author’s research and conclusions are published in her new book, Here First: Samoset and the Wawenock of Pemaquid, Maine. To register, call Wendy Roberts at 691-0833 or email wrobertsmaine63@gmail.com. Free and open to the public.

• Live Performance of Edgar Allan, a two-person, dark musical-comedy adapted from the short story “William Wilson” by Edgar Allan Poe, performed by the Coldharts (Katie Hartman and Nick Ryan) on Thursday, September 1, at 7 p.m. As part of the Strand’s New Century Series, the show will take place at the Lincoln Street Center, 24 Lincoln Street, in Rockland. The story follows 11-year-old Edgar Allan in his first year at Manor House School, as he seeks to gain academic ascendancy over the student body. All goes to plan until another boy named Edgar Allan arrives in class. Edgar Allan premiered at the 2013 Twin Cities Horror Festival in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and has been performed over 100 times and toured festivals across the United States and Canada. The show is a six-time Best of the Fest winner, receiving awards in London, Orlando, Ithaca, Minneapolis, Cincinnati and Edmonton. Nick Ryan and Katie Hartman are theater artists based in Brooklyn, New York. Tickets are $20 general admission and available at rocklandstrand.com, by calling 594-0070, and at the door at the Lincoln Street Center.

• Siege at the State House Talk by Mac Smith, at Rockland Public Library on Thursday, September 1, at 6:30 p.m. This event is free and open to all. Siege at the State House tells the true story of a coup that was attempted between Maine’s governor and the leaders of a new political party, almost plunging the United States into a second civil war. Mac Smith lives in Stockton Springs, in the village of Sandy Point. He is also the author of Mainers on the Titanic and Peyton Place Comes Home to Maine.

• Anah Highlanders Pipes and Drums, from 6 to 7 p.m. in a free lawn concert at Rockport Masonic Center, 361 Main Street. Hat passed for the band. Bring a lawn chair or blanket. Burger and hot dog plates available for $10. Rain moves it indoors.

• Me & Martha at Belfast Free Library, 7 p.m. Belfast resident Martha Hills and her husband, Donald DePoy, perform a free concert in the Abbott Room, playing American roots music and bantering with the audience. The concert is free and open to the public. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

• Belfast Summer Nights: Tuba Skinny, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., in the free series on Thursdays at Steamboat Landing Park, Belfast. Free admission; hat passed for donations. No dogs in the lower concert area. Bring a picnic, chairs, and dancing shoes. Go to Facebook for details or call 322-7123.

• DaPonte String Quartet Concerts in August, featuring Thompson “Alleluia,” Beethoven Quartet in C minor, Op. 18, No. 4 & Schubert Quartet in A minor, “Rosamunde,” with guest Alexander Romanul, violin, this Thursday, August 25, at 7:30 p.m. at Union Church, South Bristol; Friday, August 26, at 7:30 p.m. at St. Paul’s Union Chapel, Waldoboro; and the season wrap-up on Saturday, August 27, at 7:30 p.m. at Meetinghouse Arts, Freeport. Tickets and other info at dapontequartet.org.

• Arts on the Hill: Mallett Brothers Trio, 6 p.m. at Beech Hill Preserve in Rockport, as part of Coastal Mountains Land Trust’s Arts on the Hill outdoor music series. Bring a picnic. All Arts on the Hill performances are free and open to all ages. No dogs allowed.

• Novel Jazz Returns to Skidompha Public Library, in Damariscotta, from 7 to 9:30 p.m., for an evening of hot swinging jazz out of the Great American Songbook. The band’s last performance at Skidompha was in November 2019, before the pandemic. It was while performing at Skidompha some 18 years ago that the band began its unique focus on jazz giants Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, and just prior to the pandemic, they released their fourth CD on these two jazz icons. The musicians of Novel Jazz are Herb Maine (bass), Mickey Felder (piano), David Clark (guitar), David Harris (alto), Bill Manning, Michael Mitchell (trumpet) and Barney Balch (trombone). Admission is free. The library encourages parents to bring their children.

• Summer’s End Open Mic Celebrating Music and Verse, 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the red barn at Inn Along the Way’s, Chapman Farm, 741 Main Street, Damariscotta. With a performance by the Rusty Hinges and inn tours and hayfield walks included in the by-donation fundraiser for Inn Along the Way, a community design in which older adults live interdependently in a neighborhood-style setting of small, environmentally friendly homes. Bring a picnic. Musicians and performing artists from all genres and generations are invited to perform. Performer registration begins at 1 p.m. Rusty Hinges, whose show will begin at 3 p.m., is a local midcoast band, playing a mix of acoustic music from folk to bluegrass to original tunes.  Members are Nancy Bridges, violin, guitar, vocals, penny whistle; John Couch, guitar, vocals, harmonica; John Monterisi, guitar, vocals; Dan Townsend, guitar, vocals; and Peter Saladino, electric bass, vocals. FMI, contact Sylvia Tavares: 766-8469 sylviatavares502@gmail.com.

• Searsmont Concert Series Finale with MoJO, at 4 p.m. on the lawn of the Community Center. Bring a camp chair or blanket. In the event of inclement weather, the concert will take place in the Community Center. Searsmont Town Library’s Live Outside the Library concert series comes to a close with the Mondaynite Jazz Orchestra, an 18-piece swing band from Camden. MoJO play modern and traditional big band music featuring guest singers and veteran and young players. This event is free and made possible by Friends of Searsmont Library and the fundraising efforts of the library’s board of trustees.

• Bluegrass Band Breakin’ Strings, 4 p.m. at Camden Snow Bowl, 20 Barnestown Road. Martin Gibson will open the show, last of the season in Camden Opera House’s free outdoor concert series, Camden Summer Sounds. No tickets are needed, just bring lawn seating and a picnic (water is sold on-site). Rain location, if forecast warrants it, will be the downtown Camden Opera House; that decision will be made by 5 p.m. the day before and announced on social media and camdenoperahouse.com.

• Jazz and Oysters in the Woods: A Benefit Concert for Midcoast Conservancy, 4 to 6 p.m. at Hidden Valley Nature Center, Jefferson, featuring the Jamie Saft Quartet with Saft on keyboards, Bill McHenry on tenor saxophone, Jim Lyden on acoustic bass and Gary Gemmiti on drums. The group will perform a concert of Saft’s original compositions as well as music drawn from the Great American Songbook including compositions by Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk and Jimi Hendrix. Midcoast Conservancy hosts four oyster aquaculture leases on the Sheepscot River. This summer marks the first harvest of the bivalves; Midcoast Conservancy will offer them for purchase at the concert. The fundraiser benefits Midcoast Conservancy, with three watersheds in its care that include over 14,000 conserved acres, 55 preserves and over 100 miles of trails, Tickets are $75 at midcoastconservancy.org.

• The Skatalites at Strand Theatre, in downtown Rockland, on Friday, September 9, at 7:30 p.m. This year marks the 57th anniversary of The Skatalites, whose original members played on hundreds of recording sessions before forming the band in 1964. Tickets are $30 in advance, $35 day of show. Beer and wine are available at concessions.  To buy tickets, or for more information, visit rocklandstrand.com or call 594-0070.

• Alan Magee: art is not a solace, 7 to 9 p.m. at Lincoln Theater in Damariscotta. The film’s director, David Berez, will be there to answer questions along with Monika and Alan Magee.

• Free Maine Outdoor Film Festival in Camden Amphitheatre, Thursday, September 1. The Town of Camden and Camden Public Library welcome the Maine Outdoor Film Festival back to the Amphitheatre. The event will be free and open to the public (donations accepted, with proceeds benefiting the library and Teens to Trails). Films will begin at 7:45 p.m. A selection of approximately seven short films will be shown, with themes exploring topics like: Indigenous Peoples’ connection to the land through sport; being a female athlete in the male-dominated world of extreme outdoor sports; and how the natural world inspires artistic innovation. Bring seating. More information and the complete list of short films can be found at librarycamden.org. Rain date is Wednesday, September 7.

• Call for Abstract Art at River Arts, in Damariscotta. The deadline for submission is Saturday, September 3, at 4 p.m. and work must be delivered in-person. The juror is Celeste Henriquez, who received her BFA in illustration from the Philadelphia College of Art and has worked nationally as a freelance illustrator in advertising, editorial, and children’s books. Exhibitions have included Portland Museum of Art, Maine Art Gallery, George Marshall Store Gallery, Stonewall Gallery, River Arts Gallery, Frank Brockman Gallery, Harlow Gallery and Zero Station. She lives and works in Portland and is a member of SEVEN Artists Collective. This show is open to all media including but not limited to painting, sculpture, fiber, photography and mixed media. The entry fee is $30 general public, $15 members. Go to RiverArtsME.org for the rules.

• Talk by Artists from SEVEN, 4 p.m. at Maine Art Gallery, 15 Warren Street, Wiscasset, where their show, Collective Imagination, hangs through September 17. The artists bonded during abstract painting classes at Maine College of Art and Design, developed a strong connection with their teacher, Michel Droge, and chose to repeat the class several times. When the class was discontinued, the artists searched for a way to continue to meet with Droge. The result was SEVEN, an artists’ collective that meets once a month. Group members will talk about what it’s like to be in a collective, discuss their work, and describe the sources of their inspiration.

• 2022 Maine Authors Book Festival, Maine Authors Publishing hosts its third annual book festival, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 12 High Street in Thomaston. Forty-nine authors will be in attendance to sign and sell their books. The event will also include a children’s area hosted by Coastal Children’s Museum, presentations, raffles, live music by Castlebay, sandwiches for sale from the Jersey Plate food truck, and ice cream from Stone Fox Farm Creamery. There will be two slideshows: Children’s author Laurence H. Leavitt will present “Join Ada Bea McC. on a Downeast Adventure!” at 11:30 a.m., featuring the voice of renowned Maine humorist Tim Sample and Kathleen Regan’s song “Coast of Maine.” At 1:30 p.m., wilderness paddler Laurie Apgar Chandler on “Writing the Experience and Spirit of Place.” Chandler will share photographs of her extensive Northwoods canoe trips, chronicled in her memoirs. Authors from all genres will be there, including fiction authors, memoir/biography authors, children’s book authors, and poets. Parking will be available at the nearby General Henry Knox Museum. The festival is open to the public, and admission is free. For more information, visit MaineBookFestival.com.

• Midcoast Conservancy Offers Nature-Based Writing Workshop, with author Linda Buckmaster, from 9 a.m. to noon at Hidden Valley Nature Center in Jefferson, entitled “Where Are We? Where Have We Been?” Through exploration, writing exercises, the work of other authors, and discussion, participants experiment with words to re-create a place that calls to them. No previous writing experience needed. Participants will write en plein air and under cover if necessary. For more information and to register, go to midcoastconservancy.org.

• K.E.A. Dance Center, 6 Virginia Ave., Camden holds an open house from noon to 5 p.m. that offers the Brother Shucker Food Truck, dance demonstrations, music and more. Visit kineticenergyalive.com for more information.

• Book Discussion of Humankind: A Hopeful History, Wednesday, August 31, at 3 p.m. at Rockland Public Library. Is human nature inherently good? Participants will consider this (along with other questions) in a discussion of Rutger Bregman’s 2020 book, facilitated by Deputy Library Director Patty King. Copies of the book can be requested through Minerva or MaineCat. For more information or with questions, contact Patty King at 594-0310 or pking@rocklandmaine.gov or stop by the library.

• Midcoast Conservancy to Hold “State of Damariscotta Lake” Event, 4 to 6 p.m. at Wavus Camp in Jefferson. Anyone interested in learning more about the health of Damariscotta Lake and what Midcoast Conservancy is doing to protect it is invited to join Damariscotta Lake Watershed Manager Patricia Nease and other Midcoast Conservancy staff for the first-ever State of Damariscotta Lake event. Topics to be addressed include cyanobacteria, invasive aquatic species, how the lake is changing, LakeSmart certification, how anyone can get involved through Midcoast Conservancy’s lake volunteer programs, and how everyone can do their part to protect the lake. The event is free and open to the public; registration is requested by going to midcoastconservancy.org/events-list/state-of-the-lake.

• Belfast Garden Club’s Open Garden Days Continue, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine. The spacious and whimsical bayside gardens of Brad and Kayleen Penniman at 120 Upper Bluff Road in Northport conclude the Belfast Garden Club’s 2022 Open Garden Days, a nine-week celebration of some of the area’s most scenic and creative gardens. Admission is $5.

• Midcoast Conservancy Offers Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Programs, 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Marsh River Preserve at the end of Eagle Point Road in Newcastle. Everyone is invited to join Midcoast Conservancy Stewardship Manager Isobel Curtis to learn about management options for the hemlock woolly adelgid, an invasive insect impacting the midcoast’s hemlock forests. The group will tour the release sites where the biocontrol beetle Sasajicymnus tsugae was released this spring and discuss integrated management with chemical and biocontrol. Curtis will also discuss how to identify the adelgid and how to prioritize management within hemlock stands. The hike of just over a mile has a moderate hill. Anyone with specific questions or accommodation needs is encouraged to reach out to Curtis at isobel@midcoastconservancy.org. Registration is requested at bit.ly/hemlockwoollyadelgid. Anyone wanting to get a head start on learning more should consider attending a webinar on Wednesday, August 24, at 5 p.m. with state entomologist Colleen Teerling. To sign up for the webinar, go to bit.ly/WebinaronHWA.

• Keeping the Perennial Garden Blooming, noon, at Merryspring Nature Center, on the Camden/Rockport line. Maine Master Gardener volunteer John Fromer will lead the outdoor presentation on keeping the perennial garden blooming during Maine’s entire growing season. He will address many common late-season gardening concerns, including how to inter-plant perennials with other plants and bulbs, how to care for a crowded garden, late-season maintenance, watering methods, and coordinating bloom times with different species of the same plant. This talk is part of Merryspring’s Outdoor Summer Talk series. The cost of this program is $5 for the public, with free admission for Merryspring members. No need to register.

• Free Walking Tour of Camden’s Forest Ecosystem, the Center for Wildlife Studies’ Wild Maine Series with the Camden Public Library continues on Wednesday, August 31, at 3 p.m. with a guided walk through Camden to the Mount Battie trailhead. The program will be led by landscape ecologist Dr. Kathleen Dunckel, who will talk about the evolving forest ecosystem, its hidden history, and possible futures. The program is free and open to all ages. The walk will be held rain or shine. Bring appropriate clothes and footwear. If there is interest, Dr. Dunckel is open to continuing the talk during a hike up the trail. Registration is necessary to participate in this program. Sign up by emailing info@centerforwildlifetudies.org. Participants should meet in the Children’s Garden at the Camden Public Library.

• Conservation Bus Tour of Knox and Waldo Counties, Friday, September 9. The Knox-Lincoln and Waldo Soil & Water conservation districts have teamed up to offer the tour, which will highlight five residential properties and a public park that earned Knox-Lincoln certification through its Conservation Landscape Certification Program. See landscapes enhanced with native plants, meadowscapes, perennial gardens, pollinator gardens and wildlife habitat features. The air-conditioned motor coach ride will be narrated, snacks served, and lunch will be served at The Hoot, a gourmet farm-to-table restaurant in Northport. Registration is required by August 30. These tours typically sell out. Cost is $50 per person (mail-in) and $52 online and includes all food and travel. To request more information or to register for the tour, contact Julie at 596-2040, julie@knox-lincoln.org, or register online at knox-lincoln.org/2022-conservation-bus-tour.

• Bluet’s Thursdays in the Field, 181 Appleton Ridge Road, Searsmont, Thursdays in August from 4 to 6 p.m. $10 per ticket, with sales donated to Georges River Land Trust. Guests are invited to check out the wild blueberries, hike the River to Ridge trail, and try samples of local oysters, cheese, veggies and crisps.

• Pulled Pork Takeout Supper in Union, at People’s United Methodist Church. The menu consists of pulled pork with barbecue sauce on a bun, potato chips, tortellini salad, and blueberry cobbler made with wild Maine blueberries and served with a portion of vanilla ice cream for $15. Meals can be ordered until Wednesday, August 24, by calling Joyce Grotton, 785-2651.

• Southern Fried Gospel Supper, at Searsport First Congregational Church, 8 Church Street, 5 to 6:30 p.m. (rain date August 27). A fried chicken box supper (chicken, potato salad, coleslaw, roll and butter, lemon square, and drinks) will be served at tables outside the church. A program of Southern Gospel music featuring local musicians will begin at 5:30. (Pre-ordered take-out will also be available from 4 to 5:30 p.m.) The suggested donation of $12 per meal will benefit Ukrainian relief efforts and support local needs. Only 120 meals are available, so pre-order by calling Nancy at 323-1242, or Jayne at 407-694-8733.

• Summer Pancake Breakfasts in South Thomaston, 7:30 to 9 a.m., at People’s United Methodist Church, 13 Chapel Street. Available to eat in or take away. Blueberry and plain pancakes, sausages, scrambled eggs, hash browns, juice and coffee. $10 for adults, $5 for children under 12. Proceeds support church and community outreach programs. This is the final breakfast this season.

• Rose Hip Bake Sales in South Thomaston, Rockland District Nursing Association introduces The Rose Hip, a weekly bake sale sustaining community nursing. Sales will be every Saturday through September 3, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Weskeag Village Green in South Thomaston. From-scratch blueberry pie, a second seasonal fruit pie, traditional British GF scones and Bakewell Cream biscuits, ideal for strawberry shortcake. Each week’s offerings will be posted on Facebook and Instagram @rosehipbakers, and pre-orders are accepted via email by Thursday noon: rosehipbakers@gmail.com. All proceeds benefit RDNA.

• Community Breakfasts at Chestnut Street Baptist Church, Camden, Mondays from 6:30 to 9 a.m.  All are welcome. The church is next to the Village Green.

• Storytime at Pope Memorial Humane Society, in Thomaston, at 10:30 a.m. In honor of National Dog Day, Miss Katie is visiting Pope Memorial Humane Society for a dog-themed storytime. All are invited for the free, outdoor storytime, with dog books and songs. Staff will welcome everyone into Pope Memorial Humane Society after storytime. Families can tour the shelter, see all the animals, and maybe even visit some special friends in the community room. For more information, call the Rockland Public Library at 594-0310.

• Family Night Ecology Walk in Camden, 8 p.m. at Merryspring Nature Center, Camden. On this guided walk, guests of all ages will learn about what happens at Merryspring after the sun goes down. Hooting owls, swooping bats, and twinkling constellations will all be on display in this free program. Guests should bring their own flashlight, wear weather-appropriate clothing, and be prepared to walk for one hour. In the event of rain, this event will be canceled. It is part of the Free Family Programs series at Merryspring. Space is limited, with registration required. Guests may sign up by contacting Merryspring at 236-2239 or info@merryspring.org.

• 15th Annual Children’s Book Fair by the Sea, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Camden Public Library. This celebratory event for children, families, and book lovers will feature authors and illustrators of children’s books. Readings and presentations of their work will take place, and books will be available to purchase. This is an opportunity for the public to meet and have books signed by Samara Cole Doyon, Lynn Plourde, Tamra Wight, Steve Costanza, Wendy Ulmer, Melanie Ellsworth, Jamie Hogan, Rebekah Lowell, Hazel Mitchell, Kate Egan, Margaret Aitken, and Melanie Conklin. For more information, call 236-3440.

• Bedtime Math at Camden Public Library, 5 to 6 p.m. in the library’s Picker Room. Children’s Librarian Miss Amy Hand invites families to the event that will get kids excited for back-to-school. The program will challenge kindergarten through fourth-grade children with math games and get their brains in gear for the new school year. Participants are encouraged to wear pajamas and bring friends. For more information, call Miss Amy at 236-3440.

• Blueberries for Sal: The Musical, Thursday, September 1, at 4 p.m. at Watts Hall Community Arts, 174 Main Street, Thomaston. Portland’s Maine Children’s Theater comes to the historic hall for one show only. Tickets are $15 for adults, $5 for children (12 and under). Available online at the Watts Hall Community Arts website, wattshallthomaston.com, at Flaura, 185 Main Street, Thomaston (cash only), and at the door. General admission. Doors open at 3:30 p.m.

• Puppy Raisers Wanted, by the Maine Region of Guiding Eyes for the Blind, which is looking for people in the midcoast willing to take in a puppy for 14 to 16 months to teach it basic skills and socialization. Puppy classes are held in Belfast. Raisers receive ongoing, local support every step of the way and free veterinary care. Email for details: maineregion@guidingeyes.net.

• New Hope Midcoast’s 10th Annual Boutique Clothing Sale, of new and gently used clothing for adults and children, Thursday to Saturday, August 25–27, at the Flanagan Center in Rockland. This year’s event will feature designer clothing and clothing from participating boutiques. New this year are children’s items, housewares, and gender-neutral clothing. Also new this year are two VIP events: 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday evening, August 25, and 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Friday morning, August 26. Both options include light snacks and beverages and require tickets available by donation at $150, $50 or $25. All ticket buyers will receive a reusable bag with samples of local products from businesses such as Bixby Chocolates, FIORE Artisan Olive Oils and Vinegars, and Sugar and Spice Farms. To better allow for social distancing, VIP event tickets are limited to 75 per event and are on a first-come, first-served basis. Community Shopping Days are free and open to the public on Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. A raffle table will include items from local businesses throughout the midcoast area. For more information and to purchase VIP tickets: newhopemidcoast.org, developmentdirector@newhopemidcoast.org or 691-5969.

• Antiques, Art and Crafts at Ocean View Grange, 435 Port Clyde Road (Route 131), Tenants Harbor, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Meet and Greet with Waldo County Republicans, 2 to 5 p.m. at Gesner Park in Monroe (Route 139). With candidates Todd Boisvert (Sheriff), Dave Thompson (Co. Commissioner), Maryanne Kinney (State Senate), Ben Hymes (House Dist. 38) and Reagan Paul (House Dist. 37). Games and food. All welcome.

• Annual Gathering of Remembrance & Gratitude, 4 p.m. in the garden at Merryspring Nature Center, in Camden. Coastal Family Hospice Volunteers and MaineHealth Care at Home invite the community to the quiet hour of music and readings, open to all who wish to remember and celebrate loved ones. Those attending will be invited to share a short reading or special memory if they wish. This interfaith gathering may be meaningful and healing for those grieving the loss of a loved one. In the event of rain, the service will be held Sunday, September 25. For more information, call 230-0042.

• Happy Wanderers Hike at Newman Preserve, in Northport, on Thursday, September 1, at 10 a.m. Join Coastal Mountains Land Trust, Pen Bay Medical Center and Waldo County General Hospital’s Journey to Health program for the moderate out-and-back hike of 2.2 miles. The trail descends into woodland rich in wildlife and brings participants to the bank of Pitcher Pond. The Happy Wanderers meet on the first Thursday of each month. Hikes range in location from Rockport to Stockton Springs. Each outing is led by a Coastal Mountains and Journey to Health staff member. For the full 2022 Happy Wanderers schedule and directions to each hike, visit coastalmountains.org. Go to journeytohealth.coursestorm.com to register.

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