October 12, 2024

Foliage Report for October 9, 2024

The Colors of Autumn are Appearing Throughout Maine for the Long Holiday Weekend

AUGUSTA, Maine - The Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry's (DACF) Foliage Report for October 9 to October 14 indicates moderate to high color change (50 to 70 percent) throughout most of the state. Maine Forest Rangers in northern Maine have reported past peak conditions, with moderate leaf drop. The colors have progressed from north to south. Coastal and southern Maine will reach peak conditions mid-October.

This Week's Foliage Outlook

"It's the perfect time to experience the colors of autumn this long holiday weekend, not only in the trees and forest canopies but also in the blueberry barrens in Downeast Maine, which are ablaze with color. Maine has more than 60,000 acres of wild blueberry fields; thats a lot of beautiful, breathtaking colors to behold! While were enjoying the beautiful fall weather, lets hope for the best for all those affected by hurricanes," said Gale Ross, fall foliage spokesperson.

Fall Foliage Trip Ideas

There are several fall events and trip ideas to consider for the Indigenous Peoples Day long weekend:

• Experience a fall festival. With a lineup of family-fun fall festivals and celebrations over the holiday weekend in different regions of the state, there is something everyone will enjoy:
• Sunday Rivers Fall Festival takes place this Saturday and Sunday with the fun-to-watch North American Wife Carrying Championship, scenic chairlift rides and more.
• For all things maple, including tours, tastings and treats, find participating sugar houses and producers taking part in Maine Maple Fall Fest.
• The Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta is being held throughout the long weekend with the pumpkin parade, pumpkin drop, a pumpkin dessert contest, and the Regatta itself.
• On Monday, enjoy the long weekend with a visit to the Shaker Village Harvest Festival. Expect live music, harvest items for sale, traditional craft demonstrations, tours, lawn games, exhibits, food, and more.
• Take a leaf-peeping road trip. With autumn colors now vibrant along the coast, head Downeast to witness the foliage throughout the varied landscape of Acadia National Park. Adventurers, consider renting bikes to explore the Carriage Roads or take on one of the park's many hikes. For the more relaxed leaf peepers, ride to the top of Cadillac Mountain for views from the highest point in the park or pack a picnic for scenic views from Sand Beach.

Foliage season enthusiasts can visit the states official foliage website to receive weekly reports by email. Everyone is invited to share color progression photos from throughout Maine. The Maine Fall Foliage Facebook and Instagram accounts feature gorgeous images and special activities statewide. To make the most of your Maine fall adventure, explore more seasonal events and travel tips at www.visitmaine.com. The colors are calling come experience the magic of Maine this autumn.

Not too soon to start planning for the Holidays!

Early Bird is happening on

November 2, from 6-9 am!

Deep discounts are made available

to customers during this time.

Wear your funkiest PJs and slippers for:

• Extra discounts from some retailers!
• A Funky PJ Contest with 3 Debra Beckwith Winship prints to the best dressed Early Bird Shoppers awarded by the Chamber of Commerce.

There will be a raffle!

Bring your receipts to the Chamber table in front of Sherman's Bookstore to enter a raffle for a great gift basket or other prizes.. For every $100.00 in receipts from participating businesses, you will receive 1 raffle ticket.

There will be some businesses which will offer discounts all day.

If you would like to register your business as a participating Early Bird location, please contact us at 207-563-8340 or email us at info@damariscottaregion.com

Chamber Chats are back! Our newest episode highlights Coastal Locker Room and it's owners Bob and Lynne Plourde in an interview with former Damariscotta Region Chamber Director, Lisa Hagen. Our thanks to the staff of Lincoln County Television for their support of our Chamber and Community!

Huge thanks to Maine Health Lincoln Hospital for hosting our most recent Business After Hours on Wednesday, October 9.

Parking is a bit more challenging right now in Damariscotta due to the repair of the Waterfront Lot You can find all the information you may need regarding parking at the following links. Click the images or buttons to be redirected to the Town of Damariscotta web page for parking information.

Photo by Reny's

The parking lot will be open intermittently during construction. Please check the Town of Damariscotta Website for up to date information

Click here or scan the CivicReady QR Code to the right to sign up for emergency and other informational text alerts from the Town of Damariscotta

• A limited number of spaces will be available at the First National Bank in their parking lot behind Water and Cross St. There are 22 spaces available for employees/residents of downtown displaced from their usual parking spaces. These spaces will require a permit and you can sign up for one here. 
• The boat launch will remain accessible except for the period of time the construction crews need to work in front of it primarily on 9/4. There will be 2 trailer spaces open along Misery Gulch except when minimally impacted by work.
• Please only park in the Chamber lot while conducting business in the building.

We need your help at Pumpkinfest!

Last weekend Pumpinfest Organizers hosted The annual Volunteer and GPC Professional weigh-offs. They had over 100 fruit weighed during the 2 days. Charlie Lopresti broke the Maine State record giant pumpkin by over 200 pounds, weighting in at 2356.5 pounds! Sarah Whitty set a personal best Giant Pumpkin at 1593.5 pounds and also set a State record with a 118 pound Bushel Gourd. A big thank you to all our growers, volunteers and sponsors. We are looking forward to a great festival this weekend.

The Lincoln Home is also offering paid parking for the Pumpkinfest festivities! The twenty-dollar fee collected directly benefits The Lincoln Home Resident Assistance fund. Located at 22 River Road, Newcastle, The Lincoln Home is a non-profit assisted living community that supports a vibrant lifestyle for seniors, and our Lincoln County community. Pumpkinfest activities are an easy walk from the field. Parking will be available, cash only, from Friday, October 11 - Monday the 14th. All cars must be out by 7:00 p.m. each day, no overnight parking or pets in cars allowed. 

Skidompha Library events and such.

Be sure to visit the Library website for all the fun stuff happening there!

Events and Adventures happening at Hearty Roots this fall!

Macaron Class at Maine Tasting Center

What could possibly be better than supporting Veggies to Table's work while simultaneously making and eating delectable French Macaron ? Alain Ollier, co-founder of Veggies to Table and French baker extraordinaire, will be teaching a macaron-making class on October 19th. Join us to learn how to perfectly make this famous French delicacy and taste along the way—bien sûr. Classes are from 9:30-11:30 AM or 12:30-2:30 PM at the Maine Tasting Center in Wiscasset. Tickets are going fast and space is limited—reserve now!

Buy macaron tickets here!

Camden National Bank Collects More Than 8,000 School Supplies through Employee Donation Drive

Portland, Maine October 9, 2024 – Camden National Bank is proud to announce a significant donation of school supplies collected by employees and customers from all 57 banking centers to Ruth’s Reusable Resources, a local nonprofit dedicated to bridging the gap between business and education by transferring unwanted supplies to children and their teachers. This initiative highlights Camden National Bank employees' unwavering commitment to giving back to the communities they serve.

On Tuesday, September 24, employees gathered for Camden National Bank’s annual employee appreciation event, bringing notebooks, pencils, crayons, backpacks, and more to be donated to schools across Maine. The annual event is a time for Camden National Bank’s employees to unite, recognize, and honor their important work supporting consumers, businesses, and local communities throughout the year.

“We believe in the importance of investing in our communities, and that starts with our next generations,” said Renée Smyth, chief executive and marketing officer. “Investing in our children's education supports our communities' growth and prosperity. Our employees have shown incredible dedication in this initiative, demonstrating that together, we can make a meaningful impact in the lives of local students.”

“We are thankful to Camden National Bank’s employees for collecting school supplies and donating them to our organization,” said Lisa Thomas-Willey, operations manager of Ruth’s Reusable Resources. “Having the tools they need in the classroom allows teachers and students throughout Maine to focus their attention on learning and maximizing each student's potential.”

With locations across Maine and New Hampshire, Camden National Bank is dedicated to making a difference in the communities where its employees live and work. Employees are passionate about providing financial expertise to customers and volunteering locally in their communities. In 2023, employees dedicated over 7,500 hours volunteering to nearly 240 different organizations. For more information about Camden National Bank’s community initiatives, please visit CamdenNational.bank.

As we get closer to the election, tensions can rise. This event may help some of us find ways to defuse and minimize those tense moments and help us find some common ground. The event will take place at the CLC YMCA

Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust

Veggies To Table

Hearty Roots

Healthy Lincoln County

The Carpenter's Boat Shop

Bill Anthony Returns as Featured Author for October’s Sounding Board

The Sounding Board marks its first anniversary with the return of Farnsy author Bill Anthony, on Thursday, October 10, at the Merry Barn. Anthony, the catalyst for The Sounding Board, was the first author to share new unpublished work in October 2023.  

Farnsy is a tribute to Damariscotta and Midcoast Maine, loved by audiences far and wide. Anthony studied at Colby College and earned his PhD in German literature at Johns Hopkins University. He taught German language and literature at Northwestern University, during which time he co-produced several oral history documentary films for the German classroom. His interviews with Turkish migrants in Hamburg are now in two museums in Germany. He was awarded Northwestern’s highest teaching award. 

The Sounding Board is a monthly forum for Midcoast writers of all abilities to share brief pieces, receive supportive feedback, and hear new work from a published author. Writers wishing to read on October 10, should submit a piece of up to 750 words for approval to merrybarnwritersretreat@gmail.com by Monday, October 7.

Don't fight the crowds - Enjoy the Regatta in the comfort of the Lincoln Theater, streaming live to the big screen by LCTV. If you’ve never seen the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest Regatta, you are in for a treat! Pumpkinboats (400-700 pound, hollowed out pumpkins) are paddled or motor powered in this famous regatta on the Damariscotta River.

Live Stream courtesy of LCTV

MON OCT 14 @ 9 AM

October 14

1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

Free Screening!

Come celebrate Pumpkinfest with the entire family at The Lincoln!

In the heart of the 1970s, amid a flurry of feathered hair and flared jeans, Gru (Oscar® nominee Steve Carell) is growing up in the suburbs. A fanboy of a supervillain supergroup known as the Vicious 6, Gru hatches a plan to become evil enough to join them. Luckily, he gets some mayhem-making backup from his loyal followers, the Minions. Together, Kevin, Stuart, Bob, and Otto–a new Minion sporting braces and a desperate need to please–deploy their skills as they and Gru build their first lair, experiment with their first weapons and pull off their first missions. When the Vicious 6 oust their leader, legendary fighter Wild Knuckles (Oscar® winner Alan Arkin), Gru interviews to become their newest member. It doesn’t go well (to say the least), and only gets worse after Gru outsmarts them and suddenly finds himself the mortal enemy of the apex of evil. On the run, Gru will turn to an unlikely source for guidance, Wild Knuckles himself, and discover that even bad guys need a little help from their friends.

Running Time: 1 hour, 27 minutes

This event is free and open to all. No tickets or reservations are required to attend.

Waldo Theatre Art Gallery presents “Views of the Midcoast - Watercolors by Julian Sacks” as its Fall Art Exhibition.

WALDOBORO, Maine – The Waldo Theatre, located at 916 Main Street, continues the Fall season with an October - November art gallery show featuring watercolors by the late artist Julian Sacks.

JULIAN SACKS had been drawing and painting most of his life. When he retired from the practice of psychiatry, art became his primary occupation. Through the years he studied art in New York,

California, Boston and Maine. His work has been exhibited in galleries in Maine, Massachusetts and Germany.

Although he worked predominantly in watercolor, his interest extended to oil painting, pastel drawing and printmaking. His paintings emphasize movement and color. His subjects included landscapes, seascapes and cityscapes in Maine, Alaska, New York, Italy, France and Germany.

Julian died on May 18, 2015. 100% of the proceeds of Julian’s painting sales will be donated to the Waldo Theater to continue Julian’s love and support of the arts.

Viewing hours for this Waldo Gallery exhibition will also be open before scheduled theatre events from October 15th - November 25th, as well as during the Waldoboro ArtWalk on October 25th. Other

viewing times can be arranged by appointment by emailing info@thewaldotheatre.org.

There will be a reception in the Waldo Gallery on October 25th from 5-7pm, with the artists’ wife and

daughter present. Light refreshments will be served.

Classic Rock at The Waldo!

Come rock out with celebrated Lynyrd Skynyrd act, VyntgeSkynrd

 on October 26 at 7:30pm

General admission tickets are available for $20 in advance, $25 the day of the event.

Doors open at 6:30pm, and concessions will be available for purchase.

Concessions, including beer and wine will be available at the show. Visit www.waldotheatre.org for more information about tickets, upcoming events, and parking.

Keep the Halloween spookiness going with a unique showing of the classic silent horror film, Nosferatu at The Waldo on November 3 at 7:30pm.

Paul Bielatowicz’s Nosferatu ‘Undead’ Live is a multimedia musical experience that breathes new life into the iconic 1922 silent horror film. Bielatowicz, an accomplished English composer and musician, has recorded and toured with some of the biggest names in progressive rock, including Carl Palmer, Dream Theater, Yes, and more.

Describing himself as ‘a classical pianist trapped in a rock guitarist’s body’, Paul pours his passion for music into the dizzying array of instruments he plays on stage. The live event will exhilarate audiences as he is joined on stage by Michael Dutko (Gary Hoey) on bass and Leah Bluestein (Eagles of Death Metal) on drums. The mesmerizing

multimedia production is further enhanced with virtual all-star guest appearances on three video screens, including: Jordan Rudess (Dream Theater); Arthur Brown (Crazy World of Arthur Brown); Dave Bainbridge (Strawbs, Iona); Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (Guns ‘n Roses, Sons of Apollo, Asia); Peter Zay (New Bedford Symphony Orchestra); and

Simon Fitzpatrick (ELP Legacy, Jennifer Batten).



Intentionally embracing the Halloween season, the all-ages audience is encouraged to dress in Halloween costumes.

General admission tickets are available for $25 in

advance, $30 the day of the event. A limited amount of Front Row tickets will be available for $40. If this show is not sold out, tickets are available at the box office starting at 6:30pm. Doors open at 6:30pm, and concessions will be available for purchase.

Visit www.waldotheatre.org for more information about tickets, upcoming events, and

parking.

Members with Positions available

Levesque Law in Damariscotta is hiring a Litigation Paralegal and a Litigation Associate Attorney and a Transactional Associate Attorney. More about these positions and how to apply can be found at their website here:News and Announcements - David Levesque Law Office

Veggies to Table is hiring a part-time Administrative Assistant to join our team 2.5-3 days a week. The ideal candidate will have experience working with nonprofits and in administrative roles. This is a hybrid position, with a flexible combination of remote work and time spent at our Newcastle location.

Veggies to Table is a nonprofit grow-to-donate farm in Newcastle. Everything we grow we donate to those in need of food and joy in our community.

We serve 35+ pantries, schools, and summer lunch programs in the Lincoln County, Maine area. We are committed to restoring dignity to individuals and families who have lost control over that most basic of choices and decisions—what to eat. The goal? Universal access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food for everyone. 

We are also hiring for our Farm Crew! Full job descriptions here. Join our team and become part of the solution. 

To Apply:

· Please send resume and cover letter to: erica@veggiestotable.org

· We are actively hiring for all open positions; applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

· Veggies to Table is an equal opportunity employer and never discriminates based on race, gender, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. Everyone is always welcome and all applications will be considered equally."

Veggies to Table is hiring a part-time Administrative Assistant to join our team 2.5-3 days a week. The ideal candidate will have experience working with nonprofits and in administrative roles. This is a hybrid position, with a flexible combination of remote work and time spent at our Newcastle location.

Veggies to Table is a nonprofit grow-to-donate farm in Newcastle. Everything we grow we donate to those in need of food and joy in our community.

We serve 35+ pantries, schools, and summer lunch programs in the Lincoln County, Maine area. We are committed to restoring dignity to individuals and families who have lost control over that most basic of choices and decisions—what to eat. The goal? Universal access to nutritious and culturally appropriate food for everyone. 

We are also hiring for our Farm Crew! Full job descriptions here. Join our team and become part of the solution. 

To Apply:

· Please send resume and cover letter to: erica@veggiestotable.org

· We are actively hiring for all open positions; applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

· Veggies to Table is an equal opportunity employer and never discriminates based on race, gender, religion, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. Everyone is always welcome and all applications will be considered equally."