Experience Maine Summer 2011

2 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

Experience Maine Table of Contents

Van Buren

Fort Kent 161 1 11

95 1A 163

Presque Isle

Houlton

11

2A 2

Millinocket 6

6

16

15

16 16

4

27

Lincoln

DoverFoxcroft

6

27

2

11

Greenville

201

16

Bangor

Farmington 2

Belfast 3

South Paris

5

Augusta

202 4

11

Aroostook

1

295

95

Bar Harbor

Camden

Rockland

27

Auburn 302

5

Piscataquis

Wiscasset

Bath

Somerset

Oxford

Old Orchard Beach Saco

Waldo Kennebec

Washington Hancock

Knox Lincoln York Sagadahoc Androscoggin Cumberland

Kennebunkport

4

Penobscot

Franklin

Portland

Sanford

1

Ellsworth

1

Lubec

Machias

179

1A

1A

26

Eastport

191

9

Newport

Skowhegan

Calais

95

Au gus ta Ba ngo r Ba rH arb or Be lfas t Ca lais Ca md en Do ver -Fo xcr Eas oft tpo rt Ells wo rth For tK ent Gre env ille Ho ult on Ma chi as Ne wp ort Po rtla nd Pre squ e Is Ro le ckp ort Van Bu ren

MAINE MILEAGE CHART

Augusta Bangor Bar Harbor Belfast Calais Camden Dover-Foxcroft Eastport Ellsworth Fort Kent Greenville Houlton Machias Newport Portland Presque Isle Rockport Van Buren

-

76

104

48

174

38

77

188

85

261

101

196

143

49

57

239 40

273

76

-

46

34

98

53

37

126

26

185

71

120

84

26

133

163

197

104 46

-

58

136

77

86

122

20

231

125

170

78

72

161

209 78

243

48

58

-

146

19

62

137

39

222

90

152

94

66

104

195

231

34

57 20

174 98

136

146

-

173

127

28

116

189

169

91

45

124

231

134

142

169

38

53

77

19

173

-

89

159

57

238

107

173

115

54

85

116

2

251

77

37

160

86

62

127

89

-

154

66

195

34

120

121

27

129

188 126

122

137

28

159

154

-

102

217

197

119

44

152

243 162

85

20

39

116

57

66

102

-

211

98

146

58

52

141

189

58

223

231

222 189

238

195 217

211

-

223 149

223 211

318

50

251

45

26

261 185 101

71

196 120

125

90

169

107

34

170

152

91

173

120 119

197

91

195

169

197

98

223

-

154

163

54

158

197

114

232

146

149

154

-

125

146

253 43

176

78

143 84

78

94

45

115

121

44

58

223

163

125

-

110

199

168

118

202

49

26

72

66

124

54

27

152

52

211

54

146

110

-

106

189

55

223

57

133

161

104

231

85

129 243 141

318

158

253

199

106

-

296 79

330

209 195

134

116

160 162

189

50

197

43

168

189

296

-

216

35

58

251

114

176

118

55

79

216

-

251

251

-

239 163 40

57

273 197

20

142

2

91

243 231

78

169

251

195 197

169

223 45

232 78

202 223 330 35

Aroostook County Colorful balloon festival brightens County skies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 Aroostook roads and trails await bicyclists . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 White Bengal tigers will “wow” crowds at Presque Isle fair . . . . . . . . . .5 Country stars to perform in Caribou this August . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Community band strikes up the music in Houlton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Historic sites are open throughout the St. John Valley . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Franklin County Relax amidst natural beauty in the Rangeley Lakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Hancock County All aboard an Ellsworth excursion train . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Enjoy Down East cuisine and busy musical scene in Bar Harbor . .44-46 Cadillac South Ridge Trail takes hikers high to see the Acadia sky . . .46 Visitors enjoy modern amenities & access to nature in Ellsworth . . . .47 Check out the things to do in Trenton this summer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48 Explore the Blue Hill Peninsula from the mountain to the sea . . . . . .49 14th Annual Bucksport Bay Festival slated for late July . . . . . . . . . . . .50 Knox County Ride the train from Rockland to Brunswick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Midcoast recalls artist Andrew Wyeth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59 Lincoln County Listen to history at Musical Wonder House in Wiscasset . . . . . . . . . . .34 Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens lures visitors to Boothbay . . . . . . . .55 Tour boats sail daily from Boothbay Harbor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56-58 Experience sealife “close up & personal” at Maine State Aquarium . . .58 Penobscot County Celebrate wooden canoes and the trail’s end in Katahdin Region . . . . .8 American Folk Festival brings top performers to Bangor . . . . . . . . . . .11 Catch a concert in Bangor this summer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12-16 Stay & play in Bangor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Recreational programs, live theater will take place in Brewer . . . . . . . .19 Go biking & paddling in the scenic Sebasticook Valley . . . . . . . . . .23, 62 Festivals headline the Sebasticook Valley calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Piscataquis County Hike to remote Little Wilson Falls in Elliottsville Township . . . . . . . .10 Whoopie Pie & Piscataquis River festivals take place this summer . . .21 Greenville celebrates 175th anniversary with long list of activities . . .22 Recreationists enjoy great outdoors in Moosehead Lake Region . . . . .22 Somerset County Feel the deck move while crossing the Wire Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Explore local shops and attend a concert or fair in Skowhegan . . .30-31 Southern Maine Visit three coastal state parks in Portland area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .60 Statewide Learn about Maine agriculture during Open Farm Day . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Antiquers never know what hidden treasures they might find . . . .11, 20 Stroll scenic boardwalks in Bangor, Corinna, and Lubec . . . . . . . . . . .14 Kayakers can paddle almost anywhere in Maine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Sample the taste of Maine at a local winery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Go camping in Maine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24-25 Meet lions, bears, and moose, oh, my! at the Maine Wildlife Park . . . .26 Quilting is a popular Maine pastime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Maine museums focus on different themes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40-43 Discover nature & wildlife along the Down East Sunrise Trail . . . . . . .51 No matter how it’s cooked, a Maine lobster tastes delicious . . . . . . . . .59 State fair calendar runs from July to October . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Waldo County Pencil Belfast concerts, festivals, & gardens onto the calendar . . . .52-53 Washington County Step 400 years into history at St. Croix Island in Calais . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Join the fun as Lubec celebrates its 200th birthday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Explore a rare Arctic peat bog at West Quoddy Head . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Washington County communities schedule summer festivities . . .38-39

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 3

Aroostook County

Crown of Maine Balloon Fest brightens the central Aroostook skies

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

An unheralded festival held every August in Presque Isle lets some visitors float high above central Aroostook County.

The Crown of Maine Balloon Fest brings balloonists to the Star City for a fun-filled weekend featuring “balloon glows,” exciting balloon chases across hill and dale, a citywide yard sale, and other events commemorating Presque Isle’s role as the launch site for the first successful transatlantic balloon flight.

Held at the Northern Maine Fairgrounds (accessible from the main entrance on Mechanic Street and a rear gate on State Street), the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest represents a laid-back version of

BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ

Two balloons float high above Presque Isle during the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest, held in late August.

Lewiston-Auburn’s Great Falls Balloon Festival, held to packed crowds a week earlier. Some balloonists and their equipment travel from Lewiston to Presque Isle, arriving on Thursday to “ignite”

the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest with the first “balloon glow.”

Each dusk, weather and winds permitting, balloonists inflate their balloons with propane-ignited flames that illuminate the bal-

loons’ interiors. Although still ground-tethered, the balloons rise against the starry Aroostook sky; a flame illuminates a balloon here, another balloon there, and sometimes the announcer asks two or three particular balloonists to “flame on” simultaneously.

The result? Beautiful imagery and vibrant colors glowing in the night sky.

Earlier each evening, the balloons launch individually from the Northern Maine Fairgrounds and drift away into the dwindling daylight. One perfect Friday evening, a few thousand people watched enthralled as the colorful balloons ascended and drifted directly overhead before slipping eastward.

From the fairgrounds, onlookers could see balloons descending a short distance away to hover above

Bicyclists will enjoy pedaling on County roads & trails

Although narrower than Route 1, these paved country lanes feature less traffic and wind over hill and dale. The road network widens geoSPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR graphically between Caribou and Mars Hill; by consulting good maps (I recommend The Maine Atlas and Gazetteer), bicyclists can ride 10, 20, To enjoy long, languid rides across beautiful terrain, cyclists should even 40 to 50 miles without crossing their own tracks. target The County.

• The scenery constantly changes, yet always blends small towns, farms Why? At least five factors make Aroostook a bicycling heaven: and fields, distant hills, and forest and stream. I cannot imagine describ• An extensive multiple-use trail system stretches from Houlton to ing any Aroostook ride as “boring”; yes, broccoli and potato fields all Presque Isle, then radiates from there to Caribou, Fort Fairfield, Maple- look alike, but their surroundings — farm buildings, streams, wooded ton, and Washburn. From Caribou and Washburn, the trail system edges — shift with the undulating terrain. extends to New Sweden, Stockholm, and • Aroostook in high summer is Van Buren. absolutely gorgeous. Yes, natural beauty The 18-mile St. John Valley Trail conabounds across Maine, but in The County nects Fort Kent, St. John, and St. Francis (as on Mount Desert Island), bicyclists along the St. John River in northern experience that beauty every time they Aroostook County. crest a hill.

Aligned along the Aroostook Valley Views extend east into New Brunswick Railroad and Bangor & Aroostook Railand west into The County’s commercial road corridors, the multiple-use trails forest. cross farm fields, brush against County • Unlike in car-crazy Bangor and Porttowns, plunge through thick forests, and land, fewer vehicles buzz along the Aroosspan beautiful rivers and streams. Bicytook highways and byways. Except in clists will share the trails with ATVers, downtown Presque Isle — avoidable via horse riders, and a few joggers, but for the Presque Isle Bike/Walkway — bicylong-distance off-road rides far from the clists won’t hop from traffic light to traffic maddening crowd, only the Down East light while pedaling between Houlton and Pedaling west on Route 2 in Smyrna, a bicyclist Caribou.

Sunrise Trail between Hancock and Pempasses an Amish farmer using horses to tow broke matches The County’s off-road trail Bicyclists seeking additional informaharvesting equipment. tion about County rides should consult system.

Adequate signage sends bicyclists in the right direction at trail inter- “Explore Maine By Bike,” published by the Maine Department of Transsections. portation.

• Route 1 features wide shoulders from Houlton to Caribou. With their This full-color guide details 33 loop rides, including Tour 1: The concentration not limited to white-line riding, bicyclists can enjoy the County, Tour 2: Potato Country, Tour 4: St. John Valley, and Tour 5: roadside scenery, from curious dairy cows to the Maine Solar System Katahdin Views. (wave “hi” to Jupiter and Saturn) to blossoming potato fields and an Each tour lists detailed information, including highway incredible sunflower patch north of the Aroostook River. numbers/street names, specific distances, and road conditions. “Explore • Along the Route 1 corridor, myriad country roads lure bicyclists to Maine By Bike” also describes the multiple-use trails found in Aroostook explore the bucolic scenery away from the highway.

County.

By Brian Swartz

the placid Presque Isle Stream — where hundreds of people gathered to take photos.

Each morning — and again weather- and wind-permitting — balloonists inflate and launch their balloons at dawn. Floating directionally with the air currents, balloons drift east along the Presque Isle Stream and across downtown Presque Isle or northeast across the Aroostook River to move quietly above potato and broccoli fields.

Balloon chasers love such mornings. Equipped with cameras and road maps (the Maine Atlas & Gazetteer provides the bestdetailed County maps), folks pile into cars, trucks, and vans and pursue the drifting balloons. Last year, the Sunday morning launch saw several balloons cross the Aroostook River parallel to the Route 1 bridge — and one balloonist briefly hovered above the river’s summer-diminished flow while balloon chasers lined the bridge to take incredible photographs.

Then the balloon chasers followed the balloons across the high ridges accessed by Higgins Road and Parkhurst Road. The rising sun cast the balloons in perfect light against a cloudless blue sky; escorted by powered hang gliders, individual balloons gradually descended to thump against fertile Aroostook soil. Each balloonist’s chase team arrived to “bag” their balloon and transport it to the Northern Maine Fairgrounds.

See BALLOONS, Page 7

A burner flame illuminates the balloon “Sinbad” during a “balloon glow” held at the Crown of Maine Balloon Fest.

4 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

Ride Aroostook introduces participants to County’s natural beauty

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

Grab a fishing pole, pack a hearty appetite and a bicycle, and figure on learning about history before heading to Aroostook County and experiencing summer

in the Crown of Maine this year.

Fort Kent invites visitors to sample the delicious ploye (an Acadian culinary delight) and battle the mighty muskie, Caribou plans a big-time country concert, Madawaska hosts the popular Acadia Festival, and Houlton offers a busy agricultural fair and weekly

concerts at Monument Square: There’s a lot to see and do in Aroostook from June to September.

Caribou Located where several major highways intersect near the Aroos-

took River, Caribou offers visitors access to an extensive recreational trail system connecting ATVers and bicyclists with the St. John Valley and central Aroostook County.

While staying at a Caribou motel and dining at local restaurants, recreationists can explore the fields and woods surrounding this scenic

city.

The trails follow the Aroostook Valley Railroad and Bangor & Aroostook Railroad corridors abandoned years ago and acquired by the Maine Department of Conservation. Trail heads exist at various locations; the Caribou Parks & See CARIBOU, Page 6

BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ

The Caribou Historical Center & Museum on the Presque Isle Road in Caribou features a museum (above), a Conestoga wagon (right), and a rural schoolhouse.

Sunflowers greet the morning sun near Caribou.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 5

Northern Maine Fair features music, freestyle MX, & white tigers

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

The region’s overnight accommodations and restaurants cater to visitors, who will appreciate the renowned hospitality offered by County residents.

Folks seeking solitude and tranPresque Isle quility should visit central Aroostook County this summer and expeThe 156th Northern Maine Fair will take rience life amidst the rolling hills, place July 30-Aug. 7 at the Northern Maine blossom-sprinkled potato fields, Fairgrounds, 84 Mechanic St., Presque Isle. and freshwater rivers and streams.

Highlighting County agriculture with 4-H As the roads rise across the slopcompetitions, harness racing, an Antique ing hills, beautiful views extend in Farm Equipment Pavilion, and an Aug. 3 every direction. Quiet country roads pig scramble at the grandstand, the fair will lead bicyclists and motorists past farms and fields and through small feature: towns often accessed by the region’s • Vicenta Pages and her Royal White excellent multi-use recreational sysBengal Tigers, appearing daily during the tem. Visitors can camp at such Vicenta Pages and her Royal White fair. A circus performer who started workBengal Tigers will perform daily places as Aroostook State Park in ing solo with tigers when she was 18, Pages during the 156th Northern Maine Presque Isle, search for wildlife at will bring six white Bengal tigers to Presque Fair in Presque Isle.

Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge Isle to perform such stunts as rotating on a in Limestone, or play golf at courses in Fort Fairfield and mirrored ball, trading “high fives,” and jumping while standPresque Isle. ing on their hind legs.

Enjoy the slower pace of life that is an Aroostook summer.

• Michael Trautman’s Physical Comedy Theater, appear-

ing twice each daily from Aug. 2-5. Based in Portland, Trautman performs illusions, magic, slapstick comedy, and “preposterous ping-pond imponderables.”

• The Boost Mobile Freestyle MX Show, performing at 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Aug. 3-4.

The 4x4 Modified Mud Drags will start at 6 p.m., Aug. 1, and NMFAATV Drag Racing will start at 12 noon, Aug. 7. A demolition derby will begin in BDN PHOTO BY BRIAN SWARTZ front of the grandstand A balloon hovers above the at 6:30 p.m., Aug. 7.

Aroostook River in Presque Musicians perform Isle. during the Northern See PRESQUE ISLE, Page 7

6 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

Caribou Continued from Page 4 Recreation Department maintains the trails into adjacent municipalities.

To learn more about local agriculture and history, visit the Caribou Historical Center & Museum at 1033 Presque Isle Road, Caribou. Home to the Caribou Historical Society, the museum features such buildings as the Whittier Memorial and the Lyndon Center School Museum; displays include a Conestoga wagon and more than 10,000 items ranging from farm tools to home furnishings.

The museum is open 12 noon-4 p.m., Saturdays during summer.

The 4,700-acre Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge preserves various habitat used by many animal and bird species. Visitors can venture into the refuge to look for black bears and moose.

Among the events taking place in the Caribou area are: • July 9, 11 a.m.-8 p.m.: The Arootsakoostik Music Festival will take place at Thomas Park in New Sweden. Various bands and musicians will perform to help raise funds for local charities.

• July 16-17, 7 a.m. daily: Ride Aroostook will offer two bicycle rides daily, originating from the University of Maine at Presque Isle and encompassing different routes and terrain in central Aroostook County. Ride Aroostook is a fundraising event for the Cary Medical Center’s Camp Adventure, a summer camp for children with Type 1 diabetes.

Ride Aroostook will offer riders a dinner at 7 p.m., July 16 at UMPI and breakfast 5-8 a.m., July 16-17, at UMPI. For more information about Ride Aroostook, log onto

BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ

From North Peak of Quaggy Jo Mountain in Aroostook State Park (above), hikers can sit on a bench and relish the central Aroostook County views. An artist paints alongside the Aroostook River in Presque Isle (right) on a summer Saturday.

www.ridearoostook.org.

• July 16-17: Land Speed Trials will take place at the Loring Development Center, Limestone; • Aug. 6: “Turn and Burn” Mountain Bike Event takes place on the Cary Medical Center trail system, with registration starting at 8 a.m. and racing starting at 10 a.m. For more information, call (207) 498-1618.

• Aug. 20: Gretchen Wilson, Big & Rich, and Cowboy Troy will perform in concert at Spud Speedway in Caribou. This exciting “Feed the County Summerfest” benefit concert will be a fund raiser for Catholic Charities Maine.

Fort Kent The Ploye Festival and Eighth Annual Fort Kent International Muskie Derby will take place Aug. 12-14 in Fort Kent.

The Ploye Festival celebrates the ploye, a traditional Acadian buckwheat pancake cooked on one side and then buttered and covered

with brown sugar, maple molasses, molasses, or another tasty topping.

Concessions will be open in downtown Fort Kent all weekend.

Ploye Festival events will include a craft fair, the Ploye Eating Contest, a parade, and a street dance.

The Eighth Annual Fort Kent International Muskie Derby will see several hundred anglers venturing onto the St. John River and its tributaries to pursue the muskie.

Madawaska Celebrating the 226th landing of Acadians on the St. John River shore in northern Maine, the Aca dian Festival will take place Aug. 11-15 at various locations in Madawaska. The festival will coincide with the Cyr Family Reunion.

On Aug. 13, the Founding Ceremony and Historic Landing will take place at the Acadian Cross Landing Site on Route 1.

On Aug. 14, events include the Acadian Festival Parade, a chicken

Headling the Aug. 20 “Feed the County Summerfest” concert in Caribou are country entertainers Gretchen Wilson (left) and Big & Rich.

barbeque, an arm-wrestling contest, and a fireworks display. The Acadian Festival concludes on Aug. 15 with an International Tintammarre.

Houlton The 2011 Houlton Agricultural Fair will run July 1-4. The fair will feature a midway, 4-H shows, a lumberjack show, a pig scramble, and ATV drag racing.

Events scheduled for July 2 include the North Country Cruisers Show N Shine Car Show (10 a.m.), laser tag (12 noon-9 p.m.), lawnmower racing (1 p.m.), and a demolition derby (4 p.m.).

Events scheduled for July 3 include a gymkhana/pleasure horse show (9 a.m.), a scavenger hunt (1 p.m.), and truck pulling (4 p.m.).

Events scheduled for July 4 include the Independence Day Parade (10 a.m.), antique tractor pulls (12 noon-5 p.m.), and fireworks launched at 9:25 p.m.

Appearing daily at the Little League Field are: • Marriage by Knives, featuring married entertainers who specialize in knife-throwing accuracy; • The Indian River Old Towne Lumberjack Show, with lumberjacks demonstrating their logrolling, cross-cut sawing, and logchopping skills.

Dan Grady & His Marionettes will perform three times daily in the entertainment tent. From July 2-4, Alexandria the Great — Escape Artist will appear in the entertainment tent.

Music venues include Fireman

Fred, Doubletap, and Kirbside Prophet.

For a complete schedule and additional information about the fair, log onto www. houltonfair.com.

Founded more than 20 years ago by David McGillicuddy, McGill’s Community Band performs free concerts weekly in Monument Park under the leadership of Director Joe Fagnant. The band has 60-70 members.

The band’s concerts start at 7 p.m., Thursdays; the 2011 dates are June 23, June 30, July 7, July 14, July 21, July 28, Aug. 4, Aug. 11, and Aug. 18. All concerts but the Aug. 18 performance have no rain dates; if rain falls on Aug. 18, the season’s finale will relocate to the Houlton High School Auditorium.

McGill’s Community Band will host R.B. Hall Day on June 25.

Along with four other bands, McGill’s will honor Hall by playing marches that he composed; the music starts at 10 a.m. in Monument Park.

Other events taking place in Houlton this summer are: • Aug. 13, 10-11:30 a.m.: The Third Annual Community Block Party and Backpack Giveaway will take place in Monument Park; • Aug. 19, 5:30 p.m.: The Doll and Wagon Wrangler Parade will see children parading their favorite dolls or stuffed animals along Main Street and around Monument Square; • Aug. 20-21: Houlton Potato Feast Days will feature an arts and crafts fair in Monument Park and the Friends and Needles Quilt Show at the Houlton Elks Lodge.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 7

Museums, blockhouse, wooden church recall St. John Valley history

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

A blockhouse built in Fort Kent during the late 1830s recalls a shooting war that never occurred. And today the blockhouse lies in a historical region that more Mainers should explore.

Fort Kent State Historic Site preserves the Fort Kent Blockhouse, a two-story military post built with thick, squared cedar logs. In the 1830s, America (specifically Maine) and Britain claimed the St. John Valley and disputed the Maine-New Brunswick boundary.

Loggers poached timber along the St. John and its tributaries, a Maine land agent wound up in a New Brunswick jail, and hotheads in London and Washington hollered for war.

Congress appropriated $10 million to send 50,000 soldiers to Aroostook County; not all had arrived as cooler heads prevailed after General Winfield Scott arrived in Maine. The “Bloodless Aroostook War” ended with England and the United States divvying up the disputed territory — and federal funds created a road, now Route 2A, connecting the Penobscot Valley with south-

Presque Isle Continued from Page 5 Maine Fair, and the 2011 entertainers include the Good Olde Boys at 7 p.m., July 30; Les Chanteurs Acadiens at 2 p.m., Aug. 1; Celtic Weave at 7 p.m., Aug. 2; Mike LaJoie & Friends at 6 p.m., Aug. 3; the Katahdin Valley Boys at 7 p.m., Aug. 5; and the Nadeau Family at 7 p.m., Aug. 7.

For more information about the fair, log onto www.northernmainefair.com.

The 2011 Crown of Maine Balloon Fest will take place Aug. 25-28 at the Northern Maine Fairgrounds in Presque Isle. Depending on weather and winds, balloonists launch their balloons in early morning and early evening.

Scheduled launch times are: • Thursday, Aug. 25: 5:30 p.m.;

Balloon Continued from Page 3

For a set price, intrepid adventurers can accompany commercial balloon pilots on specific launches, morning or evening and occasionally during the day. During each

for Maine Governor Edward Kent. He was inaugurated on Jan. 19, 1838.

Now partially surrounded by tall evergreens, the Fort Kent Blockhouse contains a museum and opens to visitors from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., daily, from Memorial Daily to Labor Day. Other historical sites open summers in the St. John Valley include the: • Acadian Landing and Tante Blanche Museum in Madawaska. Home to the Madawaska Historical Society, the Tante Blanche Museum is a log building BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ constructed in the 1970s.

The Fort Kent State Historic Site preserves the Fort Kent Other on-site buildings Blockhouse, built to protect American interests in the St. are the Fred Albert House John Valley in the 1830s. and Madawaska School ern Aroostook.

District No. 1, a one-room schoolhouse conFederal funds also constructed a stout structed about 1870. blockhouse overlooking the Fish River-St. Acadian Landing displays a marble cross John River confluence in Fort Kent, named marking the site of the initial Acadian land-

• Friday, Aug. 26: 5:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., with a balloon glow at dusk; • Saturday, Aug. 27: 5:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., with a balloon glow at dusk; • Sunday, Aug. 28: 5:30 a.m.

Other activities being held during the balloon fest include: • Aug. 25, 5-9 p.m.: Street fair at the Presque Isle Elks Lodge; • Aug. 26, 4-8 p.m.: Craft fair; • Aug. 27, 8 a.m.: Citywide yard sale; 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Kiwanis/Keybank Youth Day at The Forum.

For more information about the balloon fest, log onto www.crownofmaineballoonfest.org.

Among the other events taking place in the Presque Isle area this summer are: • June 24-26: Mapleton Daze; • June 25-26: Maple Meadow Farm Festival, held at Maple Meadow Farm, 830 Mapleton Road, Mapleton. Activities focus “balloon glow,” one designated balloon may offer tethered rides for a nominal fee.

The 2011 Crown of Maine Balloon Fest will take place Aug. 25-28 at the Northern Maine Fairgrounds in Presque Isle. For more information, log onto www.crownofmaineballoonfest.org.

ing on the south shore of the St. John River.

Acadian Landing and Tante Blanche Museum are open 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday, from mid-June to early September.

• Acadian Village on Route 1 in Van Buren. Open 12 noon-5 p.m. daily from June 15-Sept. 15, this museum preserves historical buildings dating to the Acadian settlement of the St. John Valley. Buildings include a blacksmith shop, the replica log Our Lady of Assumption Chapel, the 1880 Hamlin Schoolhouse, and the Roy House.

• Fort Kent Railroad Station, constructed in 1902.

• Frenchville Caboose and Water Tower, located in Frenchville.

• Musée Culturel du Mont-Carmel, a restored early 20th-century wooden Catholic church (Our Lady of Mount Carmel) located on Route 1 in Grand Isle.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this museum displays many Acadian artifacts. Hours are 12 noon-4 p.m., SundayFriday, mid-June to mid-September.

• St. Agathe Museum House, located in the Pelletier-Marquis House on Route 162 in St. Agathe. Hours are 1-4 p.m., TuesdaySunday, mid-June to Labor Day.

on agriculture, such as doing field work with antique tractors and demonstrating farming techniques used by draft teams.

• July 22: Rotary Tractor Pull, Washburn; • Aug. 6-7: Mars Hill Summer Festival Days, Mars Hill.

Fort Fairfield The 63rd Annual Maine Potato Blossom Festival will take place July 9-17 in Fort Fairfield.

The festival’s 2011 schedule includes: • July 9: The County Gospel Festival takes place 9 a.m.-6 p.m. at FARM Park. Donna Nelson and Friends perform “The Legends” karaoke-style at 7 p.m.

• July 10: Appearing at the Community Bandstand are The LeClaires (4 p.m.), the Kinney Trio (6 p.m.), and Open Mic Night (7:30 p.m.).

• July 11: Fireman Fred performs at the Community Bandstand at 7 p.m.

• July 12: Hymn singing starts at the Friends Church at 4 p.m. The Psychedelicates perform at the Community Bandstand at 7 p.m.

• July 13: Fiddlers Night starts at the Community Bandstand at 7 p.m. and features an appearance

Visitors touring the Maine Solar System in Aroostook County will find Mercury (inset) located on Main Street in Presque Isle.

by cowboy poet Del Shield.

• July 14: Antique tractor display, horseshoe tournament, wagon rides, and Brian Mosher at the bandstand at 7 p.m.

• July 15: Owls of Maine presentation at Fort Fairfield Public Library, and Christian music (5

p.m.) and Barbed Wire country rock band (6:30 p.m.) at the Community Bandstand.

• July 16: Pancake breakfast from 6-10 a.m., railroad motor-car rides from 8 a.m.-12 noon and the Maine Potato Blossom Festival Parade starts at 1 p.m.

8 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

Penobscot County

Katahdin Region celebrates summer, wooden canoes, & trail’s end

The forests surrounding the TriTown Region (East Millinocket, Medway, and Millinocket) lure visitors to the upper Penobscot Valley each summer to photograph wildlife, go white-water rafting on the West Branch, camp and hike at Baxter State Park, and ride ATVs on the region’s expanding recreational trail network.

Millinocket is the gateway to Mount Katahdin (Maine’s highest peak) and Baxter State Park, maintained as a wilderness park where bears and moose have the right of way on any road and any trail.

Rugged mountains dominate the

Baxter horizon; few peaks offer “easy” hikes, and many mountain hikes require visitors to camp in Baxter the previous night.

Anglers fish the region’s lakes and streams, and boaters access the lakes at several boat ramps.

Independence Day festivities in Millinocket will feature a parade starting at 10 a.m., July 4, and winding through the downtown.

The parade’s 2011 theme is “Celebrating the Katahdin Region.”

Food vendors and musicians will converge on Veterans Memorial Park. Fireworks will be launched from the Stearns High School ath-

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letic fields at 9:15 p.m.

Festivities actually kick off with am 8 p.m.-1 p.m., July 1 dance at the Elks Club. Activities taking place on July 2 include: • 9 a.m.-3 p.m.: Jerry Pond Kids’ Day; • 10 a.m.-6 p.m.: Open house at North Light Gallery; • 11 a.m.-1 p.m.: Chicken barbeque at Knights of Columbus Hall; • 7-11 p.m.: Street dance at the Millinocket Bandstand.

Events scheduled for July 4 include: • 10 a.m.: The Independence Day Parade starts at the Northern Plaza Shopping Center and winds along Central Street; • Live music at the Millinocket Bandstand; • Children’s activities in Veterans Memorial Park; • 9:15 p.m.: Fireworks launched from the Stearns High School athletic fields.

East Millinocket Summerfest will take place July 7-10 at Opal Myrick Park, East Millimocket.

Featuring a disco theme, Summerfest already includes such activities as: • July 7: Teen concerts from 1-3 p.m.; a public spaghetti supper at 4 p.m.; and a children’s parade at 6 p.m.

• July 8: Firemen’s Hose Down at 9 a.m.; pony rides at 10 a.m.; Katie Bryant in concert at 2 p.m.; 195th See KATAHDIN, Page 9

BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ

At Baxter State Park, a cow moose feeds on succulent water plants at Sandy Stream Pond (above), hikers cross a bridge near Tracy Pond (below, left), and Elbow Pond reflects the midsummer sky (below).

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 9

BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ

After hiking the 100-Mile Wilderness along the Appalachian Trail (below), two hikers reach the Abol Bridge on the West Branch of the Penobscot River (above).

Katahdin Continued from Page 8 Army Band in concert at 6 p.m.; fireworks at 9 p.m.

• July 9: Summerfest Parade starts at Medway Public Works Garage on Church Street at 10 a.m.; Step In Time Cloggers performing at 11 a.m.; concerts featuring Jesse Hannington (12 noon), Mark “Guitar” Miller (1:30 p.m.), RFD Band (4 p.m.), Driftwood (7 p.m.); street dance at 9 p.m.

• July 10: Public breakfast at 7 a.m. at First Congregational Church; barbeque at 12 noon at Opal Myrick Park; Sing-spiration at 1 p.m.

For more information, log onto www.eastmillinocket.org.

The 15th Annual Katahdin Area Wooden Canoe/Arts Festival will take place Aug. 13 at the Medway Recreation Complex, Medway.

Katahdin Region residents will celebrate the Trails End Festival Sept. 16-18 at Veterans Memorial Park, Millinocket.

10 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

Piscataquis County

Hikers can follow official & unofficial trails to Little Wilson Falls

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

ELLIOTSVILLE TOWNSHIP – For an adventurous hike to a beautiful waterfall, check out Little Wilson Falls in Piscataquis County.

Rising east of Route 15 in Shirley, Little Wilson Stream flows east to meet Big Wilson Stream near Borestone Mountain in Elliotsville Township. Downstream from Moose Pond, Little Wilson Falls tumbles 39 feet through a dark slate gorge rimmed by thick woods.

Sunlight penetrates the gorge, and during low water, ledges along the stream’s southern shore provide good vantage points. High water pushes hikers back; no matter the flow, hikers should tread carefully.

Unlike some Maine waterfalls, a trail immediately accesses Little Wilson Falls. In fact, it’s the Appalachian Trail, the trail of trails (and tears) for many Maine hikers.

However, AT access does not easy access make. The Appalachian Trail literally abuts Little Wilson Falls, but here the AT meanders through the 100-Mile Wilderness, the legendary Maine forest stretching from a Route 15 trail head in

BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ

Deep in the woods of Elliotsville Township, Little Wilson Falls slips over a sheer drop (above) and tumbles 39 feet through a slate gorge (left). The falls are accessed by the Appalachian Trail.

Monson to the Abol Bridge on the West Branch in Township 2, Range 10.

The official route to Little Wilson Falls Guidebooks typically recommend accessing Little Wilson Falls via the AT. This is the truth: hikers follow the root-bound, terrainhugging AT to and from the falls.

No other route exists.

The guidebooks also almost uniformly recommend one particular route to the falls: 1. In Monson, turn from Route 15 north onto the Elliotsville Road at the village’s western edge. A Piscataquis County chickadee sign identifies the turn from both directions.

2. Drive about 8 miles to where a bridge carries the Elliotsville Road across Big Wilson Stream.

Explore Maine farms on Open Farm Day

On Sunday, July 24, about 100 privately owned Maine farms will be open to the public as part of the statewide Open Farm Day. Maine farms have an incredibly broad range, from dairy to beef, from wool to alpaca hair, from maple syrup to blueberries, from vegetables to flowers, and many more.

Many will offer refreshments, open their farm stores, and feature great activities for the kids such as petting zoos and fun educational events.

Maine agriculture is a long and rich heritage, with some farms in the same families for several generations. Still others are new ventures, with Mainers choosing to embrace Maine’s farming tradition. The Maine Department of Agriculture’s purpose with Open Farm Day is to ensure Mainers young and Learn about Maine-based agriculture by visiting a farm old will be exposed to this proud tradiparticipating in Open Fram Day on July 24. tion and understand the ongoing importance of farming in Maine.

The BDN will publish the MDA’s Maine Food & over the July Fourth weekend. Check there for comFarms guide in all seven Maine daily newspapers on plete listings of all farms that are participating in July 22; it will be available in Hannaford stores for free Open Farm Day.

Just before the bridge (and slightly uphill from the stream), turn left (west) onto a gravel road at a Y intersection.

3. This gravel road accesses tentonly Maine Forest Service camp sites nestled alongside Little Wilson Stream. Drive carefully about a half mile to another Y intersection, bear right, and cross the stream on a bridge.

4. The Appalachian Mountain Club recommends that after crossing the bridge, hikers should “follow the gravel road to the left for about 1 mile,” then park and hike 1.5 miles west (left) on the Appalachian Trail to Little Wilson Falls. The AT crosses Little Wilson Stream at 1.2 miles and abruptly climbs the stream’s steep south bank.

The 3.0-mile round trip should take 2½-3 hours, minimum.

Allow time for photography at the falls. This route also provides access to Big Wilson Cliffs west of Borestone Mountain.

The unofficial route to Little Wilson Falls For adventurous hikers, another Little Wilson Falls access point exists. Overlooked by the guidebooks, a rudimentary and unnamed trail reduces actual AT hiking to 0.3 miles and provides intimate contact with Little Wilson Stream. We’re talking “one slip and you’re in the drink” contact, especially during high flows.

Looking for an adventure? Let’s find this trail! And then the waterfalls!

5. Follow steps 1 and 2 mentioned earlier.

6. At the Y intersection mentioned in step 3, drive straight rather than bear right across the bridge.

7. Stay on the gravel road another 0.2-0.3 miles to a large parking lot next to Little Wilson Stream.

The road ends here.

8. Walk to the parking lot’s western edge (next to the stream) and notice the unmarked trails heading into the woods. Bear right on the trail nearest Little Wilson Stream.

Sometimes an orange flag identifies this trailhead. The last time I hiked to the waterfalls, the trailhead flag was missing, but the streamside trail does connect to the AT. 9. Marked by the occasional orange flag, the trail meanders along the stream, hugs the stream, climbs its hilly bank, twists around roots and beneath fallen trees, and ascends the steep bank deeper in the forest while shifting away from the water. Abutting brush and trees confine hikers to the trail.

10. Somewhere 0.9-1.0 miles west of the parking lot, the unnamed trail abruptly meets the Appalachian Trail at a flagged T intersection.

11. Identified by white blazes, the AT rolls right and left. Turn left (south), start hiking, and listen for the falls (think “Niagara” at lower decibels).

12. About 0.3 miles from the flagged intersection, the AT suddenly passes Little Wilson Falls.

Hikers can access the falls and gorge at several points; adventurous hikers often cross the flat water upstream, literally feet above the falls, to peer into the gorge from its north rim.

13. Return to the parking lot via the AT and the unofficial trail.

Caution: Just north past the trails’ flagged intersection, the AT descends steeply over stone steps to Little Wilson Stream. If we climb downhill to the stream, we’ve passed the intersection.

The 2.5.-mile round trip should take 2-2½ hours, including photography time at Little Wilson Falls.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 11

American Folk Festival brings top performers to Bangor Aug. 26-28

By David M. Fitzpatrick SPECIAL SECTIONS WRITER

Get ready for the 10th year of a folk festival in Bangor as the American Folk Festival returns to the Bangor Waterfront August 2628. After a banner year in 2010 which saw record-breaking donations from festivalgoers, the AFF is geared up for an exciting three days full of great performers.

From close to home, we’ll enjoy the fiddle-based Quebecois music of RéVeillons! And Seamus Connolly, along with Damien Connolly and Felix Dolan, will bring traditional Irish music. (That might not sound like “close to home,” but Seamus lives in southern Maine.)

We’ll welcome the Native American performances of Chuna McIntyre, a Yup’ik Eskimo, who will give us the dances, songs, and stories from his heritage. We’ll hear the Stooges Brass Band,

which will bring its unique, hiphop-influenced, New Orleans parade-band sound to Bangor.

And the Brotherhood Singers will offer African American a cappella gospel, patriotic music, and feelgood R&B. Leroy Thomas & The Zydeco Roadrunners will inject the crowds with their fast-paced, accordionled zydeco sounds. Then get ready for master bluesman and guitar maker Super Chikan, a favorite of Morgan Freeman at Freeman’s blues club. If that weren’t enough, there’s the boogie-woogie piano of Eden Brent, whose jazz/blues/soul/pop fusion ranges from light and melancholy to a full-blown juke-joint explosion.

Don’t be fooled by the amusingly named group Hot Club of Cowtown; this Austin-based trio’s hard-swinging Western sound is purported to be the best of its kind anywhere. And the group Rich in Tradition will match that trio with

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE AMERICAN FOLK FESTIVAL

Among the performers appearing during the 2011 American Folk Festival are Chinese guzheng player Bing Xia (above), master bluesman Super Chikan (right), and the Western swing band Hot Club of Cowtown (below, right).

its roaring instrumental mix of traditional bluegrass.

As usual, traditional music and dance from around the world will transport festivalgoers to other

Antiquers flock to diverse shops in Maine

By Richard R. Shaw Every summer, antique collectors visit Maine in search of that certain book, oil painting, or gold necklace. Antique shops of all descriptions blanket the state from Kittery to Fort Kent. Reputable dealers and a cornucopia of items have put Maine on the map and kept enthusiasts returning year after year.

Some coastal towns along Route 1, stretching from York County into the Midcoast and points east, offer enough antiquing to keep shoppers busy for days.

Inland rural regions, stretching into Bangor and north to the Canadian border, take more digging on the collector’s part.

I like to pack a map and an antiques guide and head off in search of my favorite collectibles, which include vintage postcards and magazines.

Many tourist information stations hand out free guides to regional antique shops. Two monthly publications help orient visitors and locals to antiquing.

The “Maine Journal of Antiques & Collectibles” and the “Maine Antique Digest” showcase ads and features to whet every appetite.

Identify your collectible passion upon entering a shop. If you collect pictures of the Gettysburg battlefield or calendars of the Dionne quintuplets, speak up and see what happens.

Antique dealers are usually helpful once they know what you’re shopping for. Many visitors aren’t looking for anything in particular, but after an hour of browsing, pick up a Charlie McCarthy dummy or Maine wall map they couldn’t live without.

Here are some tips for visiting antique collectors: • Do your homework. Know what you’re shopping

for before embarking on an antiques excursion.

Make a list of what you’d like to find, then target the shops and malls that are likeliest to stock your favorite Depression glass or sardine can labels. Call ahead or go online for store hours.

• Believe in miracles. Patience is a virtue in antique collecting. Collectors must believe that somewhere in Maine is an item waiting to be acquired.

Some of my choicest finds have been in shops I’ve visited on a whim, never expecting to find that souvenir plate or felt pennant.

• Check open-house sales. Antique shop owners love to attract customers with holiday and anniversary sales. My favorite is at a central Maine antiques mall that features dealer discounts and a free snack table.

• Don’t be afraid to dicker. Some dealers will negotiate prices on items above $10. You never know until you ask if they’ll take $15 for that $20 West Quoddy Head Light plate.

Group shops, or malls, offer less latitude since individual dealers are off site, but it still pays to inquire.

• Beware of reproductions. Some antiques look old, but aren’t. Check for the word “repro” on the price tag to see if it’s a copy. A dealer recently showed me a yellowed Lincoln assassination newspaper that was old, but only dated to the late 19th century, not April 1865.

• Never judge a book by its cover. That modest store in need of paint and a paved parking lot might contain just the treasure you’ve been looking for.

They often have lower operating costs, which translate to cheaper prices on the music box or silver jewelry you’ve waited years to acquire.

lands. Congolese sensation Samba Ngo will bring his likembe beats and guitar rhythms, while Rhythm of Rajasthan will introduce us to Indian Rajasthani music and dance.

Los Tres Reyes will challenge lovers to resist the romantic Mexican sounds that stoke sensuality with musical energy, and the Pedrito Martinez Group will bring AfroCuban percussion rhythms to the waterfront.

Bing Xia will play her Chinese guzheng, a horizontal instrument with 21strings and wide range of sounds, feelings, and moods. And,

finally, Zikrayat will introduce audiences to the wonders of classical music and dance from Egypt and the greater Arab world.

With 16 diverse acts, there’s something for everyone on tap at the American Folk Festival. Don’t miss it!

PHOTO BY JESSE SCHWARCZ

A Maine-based band performs during a Cool Sounds Concert at Pickering Square in downtown Bangor. These free concerts are held every Thursday night through late July.

12 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

Penobscot County

Music abounds throughout the summer in Bangor, the “Queen City”

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

A pleasant summer evening may find music wafting through Bangor, known as the Queen City and home to the popular American Folk Festival and Bangor Waterfront Concerts. Eclectic shops and restaurants lure residents and visitors alike to the resurgent downtown, where several monuments recall the city’s historic past.

Visit Bangor Waterfront Park to experience Bangor’s immediate proximity to the Penobscot River. Take a harbor cruise to explore the river. Ask the locals for directions to Stephen King’s home, an unofficial landmark at least as well photographed as the Paul Bunyan Statue at Bass Park.

Walk the downtown streets and check out the locally owned restaurants featuring Chinese, Indian, Irish, Italian, Pakistani, and American cuisines. Visit the University of Maine Museum of Art or the Bangor Museum and Center for History.

Explore the outlying shopping centers, which blend national and local stores and

PHOTOS BY JESSE SCHWARCZ

Downtown Bangor comes alive during the summer as the Bangor Band performs (left) in concert at Bangor Public Library and shoppers flock (above) to the Outdoor Market held each Thursday in conjunction with a Cool Sounds Concert.

restaurants. Visit the Bangor City Forest on Stillwater Avenue and encounter birds and unusual plants on the Orono Bog Walk.

And check out Bangor’s busy summer calendar.

The Cool Sounds Concert Series coin-

cides with the Sixth Annual Outdoor Market, located on Broad Street and West Market Square and held from 5-8 p.m., Thursdays, until Aug. 11.

The free concerts take place in Pickering Square adjacent to the municipal parking garage; brink a blanket or lawn chair and listen to exciting Maine groups performing various types of music. This summer’s Cool Sounds are: • June 30, 6-7:30 p.m.: Sam & Yuri, actually a five-piece band specializing in folk-rock fusion.

• July 7, 6-7:30 p.m.: Evergreen, perform-

ing bluegrass, the blues, folk, country, and other music.

• July 14, 6-7:30 p.m.: Kayla Wass Band, a five-piece country-music band that adds country rock to its concert repertoire.

• July 21, 6-7:30 p.m.: Teen Jamboree.

• July 28, 6-7:30 p.m.: RetroRockerz, a band performing music from the 1950s to the 1970s.

• Aug. 4, 6-7:30 p.m.: Flash in the Pans, a steel drum band from the Blue Hill Peninsula.

The Downtown Bangor Artwalk will start See BANGOR, Page 15

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 13

14 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

Take a pleasant and educational stroll on three Maine boardwalks

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

The 1964 Drifters’ hit “Under the Boardwalk” refers to a romantic rendezvous beneath the Coney Island Boardwalk in New York, not a boardwalk in Maine. However, many boardwalks do exist in the Pine Tree State, including three placed far from the maddening crowd.

Orono Bog Boardwalk

Reached via Stillwater Avenue and Tripp Drive in Bangor, the 4,200-foot Orono Bog Boardwalk accesses the 616-acre Orono Bog, a raised bog where peat extends 25 feet deep in places, according to the informative Web site www.oronobogwalk.org.

The boardwalk’s entrance gate stands a quarter mile from the Bangor City Forest parking lot off Tripp Drive. Designed to float atop the bog and its adjacent wetlands, the 4-foot-wide boardwalk crosses a mixed wooded fen and a conifer wooded fen (both identified by interpretive signs) while passing the marked Bangor-Orono town line.

At this boundary cleared through the thick woods, the handicap-accessible boardwalk forms a 3,400-foot, one-way loop extending onto the bog. Benches placed approximately 200 feet apart provide places for visitors to relax and enjoy nature, and more interpretive signs detail the bog’s flora and fauna. Visible in the bog near the boardwalk’s northernmost corner is a hydrological station that monitors water levels.

Bird watchers find the Orono Bog a great place to ply their trade.

Bring binoculars, because smaller songbirds flit among the dwarf conifers and, except when singing, challenge identification efforts.

Birds spotted in the bog include eagles, finches, hawks, jays, vireos, warblers, and woodpeckers.

Among the mammals seen along or near the boardwalk are black bears, deer, and moose, as well as the ubiquitous chipmunks and red squirrels.

For many visitors, the bog’s greatest treasure lies in its plant diversity. Their roots planted in acidic soil, black spruce and tamaracks reach only dwarf height, yet

A white-throated sparrow peers from the stunted evergreens growing alongside the Orono Bog Walk.

BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ

Grass pinks grow near the Orono Bog Walk in Bangor.

November. For more information, log onto www.oronobogwalk.org.

Quoddy Head State Park

The boardwalk accessing the peat bog at Quoddy Head State Park in Lubec forms a loop across this rare example of Arctic tundra.

In Corinna, a boardwalk winds through the woods near Corundel Pond before crossing the East Branch of the Sebasticook River.

live for decades in the bog. Bog laurel and sheep laurel, Labrador tea and pitcher plants, starflower and tussock cotton grass: These species and many others thrive within the bog and its outer environs, the mixed wooded fen.

Visitors are encouraged to take photos, but do so only from the

boardwalk. Do not step onto the ecologically sensitive bog, where a footprint can collect water and alter the micro-environment. Collecting plants or flowers is prohibited, as are bicycles, skateboards, and smoking.

The Orono Bog Boardwalk is open daily from May 1 to late

The 1.5-mile Bog Trail at 532acre Quoddy Head State Park in Lubec accesses West Quoddy Head Bog, a delightful natural landmark located atop West Quoddy Head in Lubec. Located at the headland’s isthmus is Carrying Place Cove Bog, a National Natural Landmark affected by Bay of Fundy waves.

To reach Quoddy Head State Park, take Route 189 east from Whiting and, at Lubec Neck, turn right (south) on South Lubec Road. At the intersection with Boot Cove Road, bear left (east) and watch for the parking lot sign just as West Quoddy Head Lighthouse becomes visible.

Several trails extend along the headland’s wave-scoured cliffs or inland through its thick white spruce-balsam fir forest. The Coastal Trail rises and falls past Gulliver’s Hole, High Ledge, and Green Point before reaching Carrying Place Cove and the South Lubec Road. The inland Thompson Trail connects the Bog Trail and the Coastal Trail.

From the gravel parking lot, follow the Inland Trail about threeeighths mile west to its intersection with the Bog Trail. This trail turns north to the boardwalk, which like its Orono Bog counterpart forms a loop across a spectacular peat bog.

Considered a rare geological feature because it “sits” atop a headland rather than at its lowest point, West Quoddy Head Bog actually represents a patch of Arctic tundra deposited on the Maine coast.

Formed by glacial melt more than 10 millennia ago, the bog supports many plant species found at nearby Carrying Place Cove Bog and some 120 miles west at Orono Bog. Interpretive signs identify different micro-environments within the bog, as well as some plants, and visitors often photograph the laurels and carnivorous pitcher plants — especially when the latter contain hapless insects. Other plants include Labrador tea, rhodora, and the carnivorous sundew.

Stay on the boardwalk and do not step onto the bog. Take lots of photos, not only in the bog, but along the shore.

Corinna Boardwalk

Straddling a major crossroads in central Maine, the Town of Corinna seems the last place a boardwalk would exist - but a scenic one does.

Not very long, it offers a place for people to enjoy nature in peace — and some quiet from the traffic on busy Route 7.

The Corinna Boardwalk connects pedestrians with the Central Maine Adventure Trail and reedbordered Corundel Pond, formed by a dam spanning the East Branch of the Sebasticook River. Running from Newport to Dover-Foxcroft, the CMAT crosses Route 7 in downtown Corinna; a veterans’ memorial stands near the marked intersection.

The boardwalk’s entrance lies at forest edge about 50 yards from the memorial. Paralleling the river, the boardwalk opens onto a benched overlook before ending near Corundel Pond; a foot path then crosses the dam to the Sebasticook’s western shore.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 15

Bangor

2.

Continued from Page 12

at 5 p.m., June 24 and Aug. 12.

Local studios will open for tours on both days.

The Bangor Museum and Center for History several historical tours each summer. The Mount Hope Cemetery Tour starts at the Cemetery Superintendent’s Office at 1048 State St., Bangor and takes participants on a tour of America’s second-oldest garden cemetery.

Tours start at 10 a.m. on July 16, Aug. 20, and Sept. 17 and at 5 p.m. on July 1, Aug. 5, and Sept. 2.

The Ghost Lamp Tour starts near the Bangor Harbormaster’s Office at Bangor Waterfront Park and introduces participants to the famous and infamous people — and perhaps several spooks — during a tour along Bangor’s historic waterfront.

Tours start at 5 p.m. on July 5 and at 7 p.m. on July 19, Aug. 9, Aug. 23, Sept. 6, and Sept. 20.

The Devil’s Half Acre Tour starts near the Bangor Harbormaster’s Office and introduces participants to Bangor’s “wicked side.”

Tours start at 7 p.m. on July 29 and Sept. 30..

The Fourth Annual Bangor Waterfront Arts & Crafts Show will take place July 8-10 along Railroad Street and at Bangor Waterfront Park. More than 40 artisans will participate in this show, which is free to the public. Hours are: • July 8, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; • July 9, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; • July 10, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Located at 145 Harlow St., the Bangor Public Library has scheduled its 2011 Summer Music Series: • June 29, 7 p.m.: Shades of Blue; • July 6, 7 p.m.: The Lidral Jazz Duo; • July 13, 7 p.m.: Sam and Yuri; • July 20, 7 p.m.: Mainely Country Band; • July 27, 7 p.m.: Jose Ayerve; • Aug. 3, 6:30 p.m.: Smells Like the Nineties; • Aug. 10, 7 p.m.: Amanda Gervasi; • Aug. 17, 7 p.m.: Jonee Earthquake; • Aug. 24, 7 p.m.: Heart of Maine Chorus; • Aug. 31, 7 p.m.: Gilbert and Sullivan Society.

Organized in January 1859, the Bangor Band is among the few

BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ

Young people take a spin on a midway ride at the Bangor State Fair, scheduled to take place July 29-Aug. 7 at Bass Park in Bangor.

Exciting stock car racing takes place Wednesdays and Saturdays at Speedway 95 in Hermon, just a short distance from Bangor.

community bands that have performed continuously for more than 150. Each summer the band offers free concerts at various locations in Bangor. The 2011 concert schedule includes these appearances: • June 28, 7 p.m.: Fairmount Park; • July 4, 7 p.m.: Bass Park Bandstand; • July 5, 7 p.m.: Bass Park Bandstand. Join the Bangor Band for this historic concert, the last to be performed at Bass Park before construction begins on the new Bangor Arena; • July 12, 7 p.m.: Waterfront Stage on Railroad Street; • July 19, 7 p.m.: Waterfront Stage on Railroad Street; • July 26, 6:45 p.m.: Chapin Park; • Aug. 2, 7 p.m.: Cascade Park; • Aug. 9, 7 p.m.: Waterfront Stage on Railroad Street.

Join Stephen King fans on a Tommyknockers and More Bus Tour, which takes in the local places and sounds made famous in King lore. Tour dates are July 4, Aug. 21, and Sept. 18. This event is sponsored by the Greater Bangor Convention & Visitors Bureau; for more information about the tours, call (207) 947-5205.

Located at the Bangor Opera House at 131 Main St., Bangor, the Penobscot Theatre will present “The Northern Writes: New Play

Festival” this summer. The festival will feature the productions of submitted scripts, with performances at 7 p.m., June 24-25, June 27-30, July 1, and July 3; 2 p.m., June 26-26; and 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., June 26.

For more information, log onto www.penobscottheatre.org.

The Bangor State Fair will take place July 29-Aug. 7 at Bass Park.

Featured daily activities include: • Backyard Circus, where children become the act and entertain the crowd.

• Buffalo and Brandy, who perform magic, music, and drumming to entertain fair-goers of all ages.

• Dino Digs, where children participate in a dinosaur dig.

• Embra Rabbit Show, featuring different rabbit breeds — and rabbits ranging in size from teeny to big!

• Michael Griffin, America’s Escape Hero who specializes in escaping from such “tight” situations as police restraints, sealed and water-filled drums, and the “Cloth Coffin.”

• Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show, with loggers demonstrating ax handling and tossing, log rolling, and working with a dragster chainsaw.

• Sea Lion Splash, featuring sea lions that perform various stunts and tricks.

• West Texas Rattlesnake Show,

with snake handler David Richardson using live rattlesnakes to educate fair-goers about the venomous reptiles.

Fiesta Shows will operate the popular midway. Admission will be $10 per person daily; that price includes unlimited rides on the midway. Seniors age 60 and older can enter the fair for free on Aug.

For more information, log onto www.bangorstatefair.com.

After a successful inaugural season in 2010, Bangor Waterfront Concerts has scheduled several well-known entertainers to appear at the Waterfront Pavilion on Railroad Street in 2011. Concerts already scheduled are: • July 9, Toby Keith and Eric Church. The gates will open at 5 p.m.

• July 23, Melissa Etheridge. The gates will open at 5 p.m.

• July 31, Oxxfest 2011 with Stone Temple Pilots, Sick Puppies, and other local and national bands. The gates will open at 10 a.m.

• Aug. 5, J. Geils Band with opening act Chris Robinson Brotherhood. The gates will open at 5 p.m.

• Aug. 7, Jeff Dunham in “Identity Crisis.” The gates will open at 5 p.m.

• Aug. 20, Bob Dylan with opening act Leon Russell.

• Sept. 3, B.B. King and Greg Allman. The gates will open at 5 p.m.

• Sept. 4, Carnival of Madness Tour featuring Theory of a Deadman. The gates will open at 5 p.m.

• Sept. 5, Lady Antebellum with Sunny Sweeney. The gates will open at 5 p.m.

See FOLK, Page 16

16 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

Folk Continued from Page 15

• Sept. 17, Reba McEntire. The gates will open at 5 p.m.

• Sept. 23, George Thorogood & The Destroyers. The gates will open at 5 p.m.

For more information, log onto www.waterfrontconcerts.com.

The KahBang Music, Art & Film Festival will take place Aug. 5-13 at Bangor Waterfront Park and in downtown Bangor. Scheduled performers include My Morning Jacket, Chromeo, Surfer Blood, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, The Gay Blades, Dom, and Atomic Tom. For more information, log onto

BDN PHOTO BY BRIAN SWARTZ

The Bangor waterfront attracts vessels of all sizes during the summer.

www.kahbang.com.

The Senior League Baseball World Series will take place Aug. 13-20 at Mansfield Stadium, located near the Fairmount School on Thirteeth Street in Bangor. For

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The American Folk Festival will take place Aug. 26-28 at various locations on the Bangor Waterfront. Performers already scheduled to appear are: • Blues artist Super Chikan; • Bing Xia, a masterful guzheng

player from China; • Eden Brent, a blues pianist and vocal stylist from the Mississippi Delta; • Brotherhood Singers, a Kentucky group specializing in fourparty “jubilee-style” harmony; • Leroy Thomas, the “Jewel of the Bayou” who plays Cajun, R&B,

and Zydeco; • Hot Club of Cowtown, a Western Swing trio from Austin, Texas; • Rich in Tradition, a five-man bluegrass band; • Pedrito Martinez, a Cuban conga player and singer who will perform with the Pedrito Martinez Group; • RéVeillons!, a Quebecois quartet that will bring dance, harmonies, and percussion from Quebec; • Samba Ngo, a guitar-player and singer from the Congo.

For more information, log onto www.americanfolkfestival.com.

Located on Webster Avenue in Bangor, the Bangor Municipal Golf Course offers 27 holes that golfers can play in 9- or 18-hole increments.

Tournaments taking place at Bangor Muni this year include: • July 9-10: Club Championship; • July 14: Maine Forest Products; • July 20-23: Greater Bangor Open Pro Am; • Aug. 20-21: Bangor Golf Classic; • Aug. 30: WMSGA. The Bangor Car Show: Wheels on the Waterfront will be held Sept. 10 at Bangor Waterfront Park.

Leonard’s Mills off Route 178 in Bradley replicates a late 18th-century colonial village established where a dam provides water for an operational sawmill. Located here is the Maine Forest and Logging Museum.

Leonard’s Mills is open daily year-round, and on specific weekends, re-enactors bring the village to life. For more information, log onto www.leonardsmills.com.

At Speedway 95 on the Odlin Road in Hermon (less than a mile from the Bangor line), visitors can watch exciting racing on the onethird mile track. For a full race schedule, log onto www.speedway95racing.com.

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Abundant waterways make Maine a dream destination for kayakers

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

With a 3,000-mile indented coastline and 2,500 ponds and lakes (not to mention rivers and flat-water flowages), Maine offers kayakers the ideal location to explore nature’s beauty by water.

Kayaking’s a popular summer pastime in Maine. Viewed from the air, Maine seems awash in water; countless kayaking opportunities exist along quiet streams and bogs, the latter often frequented by waterbirds and moose. Even on lakes abuzz with outboards and

personal watercraft (routinely called “jet skis,” no matter the manufacturer), kayakers nose into tributary streams and venture into shallows that would ground larger boats.

For tourists lacking their own kayaks — and rooftop-mounted kayaks roll everywhere in Maine from April to October — outfitters often rent kayaks, paddles, and PFDs (personal flotation devices) and, for a nominal fee, deliver and retrieve this gear at the appropriate location. Ask the outfitter about the better kayaking destinations, what to expect on the local salt or fresh water, and what to avoid.

No kayaker ever wants to match wits with Eastport’s swirling Old Sow whirlpool, that’s for sure.

For novice kayakers, outfitters offer lessons and trips at popular tourist destinations like Bar Harbor and Camden. Outfitters also organize specific “destination” trips; I’ve seen outfitters trailer kayaks and bus (or “van”) kayakers to Eastport, Pemaquid, and other ports not associated with frequent kayaking.

Outfitters based at less “touristy” destinations, such as Castine or New Harbor, guide trips into coastal waters as pretty as those found around tourist-

Step 400 years into the past at St. Croix Island Dugua ordered the two French ships returned to France prior to the North Atlantic’s treacherous winSPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR ter storms, and the colonists hunkered down for the winter. For men accustomed to France’s temperate While visiting Washington County this summer, climate, the St. Croix winter proved deep, cold, and step 400-plus years into history at St. Croix Island killing, with scurvy taking 35 French lives. Food tradInternational Historic Site in Calais. ing with the Passamaquoddys helped the survivors In the early 17th century, England, France, Hol- live until French supply ships returned in June 1605. land, and Spain vied for supremacy in North AmeriBelieving that St. Croix Island represented a poor can waters, then largely unexplored by European place for a permanent colony, Dugua abandoned the sailors. Three years before English colonists estab- site and relocated his men and some buildings to lished a colony — Britain’s first permanent colonial Port Royal. St. Croix Island fell into disuse until the settlement — at Jamestown in Vir1800s. ginia, French King Henry IV In 1949, the United States authorized an erstwhile nobleman, declared St. Croix Island a national Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons, to monument; the Canada and the develop a French colony in L’AUnited States named the island an cadie, later anglicized to Acadia. international historic site in 1984, Outfitting two ships and recruitand the U.S. developed an overlook ing some 80 colonists, Dugua just off Route 1 in Red Beach, a vildeparted France in April 1604 and lage in Calais. The Canadian govreached eastern Maine coastal ernment made an interpretive trail waters in June. The ships’ crews and in New Brunswick. passengers explored PassamaquodPrior to the 400th anniversary of dy Bay and the St. Croix River after its founding, St. Croix Island discovering a potentially useful National Historic Site underwent anchorage (Port Royal) on Nova an extensive transformation. Today, Scotia’s Fundy coast. bronze statues depict French BDN PHOTO BY BRIAN SWARTZ colonists and Passamaquoddy IndiSamuel de Champlain, who later A statue of Sieur de Monts ans, and a bronze replica of the helped found Quebec City, chroniwelcomes visitors to St. Croix colony depicts its buildings and cled the expedition, which put Island International Historic layout. Interpretive signs explain ashore on a St. Croix River island Site in Calais. the colony’s brief history and the located about halfway between Passamaquoddy Bay and head of tide (at today’s Calais). French-Passamaquoddy interaction that helped Working with Champlain’s blueprints, colonists con- maintain French influence in eastern Maine for structed different buildings, including a fort to another 150-plus years. defend the fledgling settlement against the hated The National Park Service completed a new, onEnglish. The settlers planted gardens and built a site visitors’ center in 2010, and the site offers picnic hand mill and an oven. tables and a vault toilet. Open sunrise to sunset year Passamaquoddy Indians interacted peacefully round, St. Croix Island National Historic Site is with the French colonists and sailed with de Cham- located 8 miles south of the Main Street-North Street plain when he mapped the local coast. During this traffic light in Calais. Watch for the preliminary expedition he discovered and named L’Isle des Monts brown-and-white NPS signs north of the site’s Deserts (today’s Mount Desert Island). entrance.

By Brian Swartz

packed ports.

All outfitters offer specific trips and training; often called “tours,” trips can run from three hours to all day to multiple-day — and price out accordingly. Outfitters can also customize trips, especially for experienced kayakers.

Outfitters offer inland trips, too, with river runs popular during quiet summer flows. Along the Penobscot River between Howland and Milford, for example, kayakers can land on the islands owned by the Penobscot Nation and explore Olamon Stream and the Passadumkeag River. A hand-carry boat ramp on Route 2 in Milford offers access to Sunkhaze Stream and its namesake national wildlife refuge.

Some kayakers seek whitewater (and white-knuckle) adventures on Maine rivers. Contact outfitters to see what lessons and trips they offer. Every good rain storm can kick up whitewater on smaller streams, and dam operators provide daily water releases on the Kennebec River and the West Branch of the Penobscot River.

Place names like Exterminator Staircase and Troublemaker let kayakers know what to expect along the West Branch.

Looking to dabble in sea kayaking? Log onto www.maineseakayakguides.com to find outfitters in particular coastal regions. I recommend checking out several outfitters’ Web sites to compare

classes, prices, and trips. Don’t hesitate to contact individual outfitters to discuss the details, such as appropriate clothing.

By the way, chuck the cotton jeans and T-shirts when kayaking.

Wet cotton plasters against the skin and hastens thermal transfer, and a wave-splashed novice kayaker suffers immeasurably while paddling among the Porcupine Islands off Bar Harbor (or anywhere else, for that matter).

Pay attention during a guide’s pre-trip instructions. Ask questions. Practice entering and exiting a kayak, and once ensconced in its cockpit, start paddling, always obey the guide, and enjoy the trip.

Believe me, Bar Harbor looks far different from sea level – and kayakers don’t disturb birds and seals nearly as much as boaters do.

Ditto kayaking on inland waters. Canoeists and kayakers alike can quietly approach a water lily-munching moose on a Katahdin Region pond. Just don’t get too close.

Kayakers venturing out unguided should, according to the Maine Association of Sea Kayak Guides and Instructors, file a float plan that names the trip’s participants, destination, date(s), and expected return time. Visit at www.maineseakayakguides.com to download a float plan; click “Trip Planning.”

Leave the float plan with someone See KAYAK, Page 19

BDN PHOTO BY BRIAN SWARTZ

Kayakers paddle near Bar Harbor in early June 2011.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 19

Penobscot County

Recreation programs and plays round out Brewer’s summer calendar

Located on the Penobscot River opposite Bangor, Brewer serves as a commercial and retail hub for people living in the municipalities along the Hancock-Penobscot county border.

The city offers several parks and a walking path along the Penobscot River, off South Main Street.

The Brewer Parks & Recreation Department has planned many events this summer aimed at getting children outside and active while having fun. Among the activities are: • Summer Youth Drama for children ages –13, 9 a.m. each Monday and Wednesday; • Brewer Junior Gardeners, 9:30 a.m., Thursday at the Brewer Children’s Garden on South Main Street; • Various sports camps and clinics, including basketball, British soccer, field hockey, and tennis; • Recreational swimming at the Brewer Municipal Pool, located between State and Wilson streets.

General swim hours are 1-5:30

BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ

A footbridge accesses the Brewer Children’s Garden (left), located along the Penobscot River off South Main Street. Volunteer firefighters push an antique firepumper (right) along Wilson Street in Brewer during an Independence Day parade.

p.m., Monday-Friday; 6-7:30 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday; and 12 noon-4:30 p.m., Saturday-Sunday; Special children’s events are: • July 8, 9:30 a.m.-12 noon: Rec. Around the World; • July 13, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.:

Teddy Bear Picnic for ages 3-6; • July 15, 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Life … Be In It!; • July 22, 9:30 a.m.-12 noon: Classic Day of Play; • July 28, 1:30-3 p.m.: Pirate Day for ages 4-6;

Sample the taste of Maine at a winery

By Debra Bell SPECIAL SECTIONS WRITER

Think you have to go to Napa Valley for a proper wine tasting?

Think again. A Maine summer is the perfect time to visit a local winery and sample some of the state’s harvest.

Maine offers surprisingly fertile territory to grow grapes. But Maine wines aren’t limited to grapes; they include seasonal fruit such as apples, blueberries, pears, strawberries, and raspberries.

To best enjoy your visit, make sure you travel with a partner and give yourself plenty of time to enjoy a tour as well as the tasting room. It doesn’t hurt to designate a driver. If you are travelling with people under age 21, find out about things that they can do while you are in the tasting room.

Ask questions of the operators.

They will likely have a specialty within the winemaking industry.

Find out where they get their fruit and the items you need to make wine. Do they grow their own or buy locally? A winery visit is about

more than just the wine. It’s about the entire experience.

If you’re new to the world of wine, be prepared to answer the common question: “What kind of wine do you like?” If you’re not sure, tell the attendant, “I enjoy all kinds of wines. Which would you start with?”

If you choose to purchase a wine from the winery, do not leave it in a hot car.

For more information or to find a winery near you, visit the Maine Winery Guild at www.mainewinetrail.org.

Tasting room etiquette • Look at the wine. Look at the color of the wine — its clairty and brilliance. Each wine will vary in color intensity and holding your glass up to the light will help.

• Smell the wine. Swirl the wine in your glass by rotating your wrist and don’t swirl too hard. Swirling the wine will release its aromas to the top of the glass. Next, place your nose over the edge of the glass and keep your mouth open.

Sniff deeply and try to identify familiar smells.

• Taste the wine. Now it’s time to take a sip. Sip slowly, roll the wine around your tongue for several seconds before swallowing, and exhale through your nose as your swallow to allow your senses to take over. And enjoy the tastes of Maine fruits.

Kayak Continued from Page 18 return when expected.

Every year in Maine, Maine game or marine wardens receive reports about overdue kayakers.

Most “lost” kayakers quickly turn up, sometimes island-beached by strong winds and waves, sometimes neglectful about contacting a friend to say, “We’re back.” But Maine waters annually claim a few kayakers.

To find the nearest boat launch for a kayak trip, log onto www.maine.gov/doc/parks/ and click “Boating Facilities.” Belonging to the Maine Department of Conservation’s Bureau of Parks & Lands, the Web site lists several options for finding boat launches in Maine.

• July 29, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.: Field trip to Peaks-Kenny State Park on Sebec Lake in Dover-Foxcroft; • Aug. 16, 1:15 p.m.-2:30 p.m.: Wild West Adventure for ages 3-6.

Programs designed for adults include golf (for women), karate, softball, tennis, volleyball, yoga, and zumba.

For more information about the department’s programs, log onto www.brewerme.org/rec/rechome.

Located at 100 South Main St., the Brewer Public Library has scheduled the “One World, Many Stories” reading program through Aug. 2.

Located at 39 Center St. in

downtown Brewer, Next Genera tion Theatre will present: • June 25, 3-4 p.m.: Concert and tea party to celebrate the release of Kristin Murphy’s new CD; • June 29 and Aug 10, 6-9 p.m.: “The Night Show” with Dan Cashman; • “A Night on Broadway” at 7 p.m., July 15-16 and 2 p.m., July 16-17; • Amy Gallatin at 7:30 p.m., Aug. 31.

Ten Bucks Theatre will perform “Hamlet” at Indian Trail Park off North Main Street at 6 p.m., July 21-23; 4 p.m., July 24; 6 p.m., July 28-30; and 4 p.m., July 31.

20 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

Brewer Auditorium

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 21

Piscataquis County

Maine Whoopie Pie Festival launches a busy summer in Piscataquis

Visit Southern Piscataquis County this summer to sample whoopie pies, celebrate the Piscataquis River, and enjoy a familyfriendly country fair.

The Maine Whoopie Pie Festival got a big shot in the arm last winter as the Maine Legislature designated the whoopie pie as the Maine State Treat — and what a treat it is, as everyone visiting Dover-Foxcroft on Saturday, June 25 will find out.

The festival takes place from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in downtown DoverFoxcroft and features many delicious whoopie-pie samples (priced at 25 cents apiece) and several music performances. Appearing on the Music Stage are • 10 a.m.: Foxcroft Academy Alumni and Student Jazz Ensemble; • 11:10 a.m.: Doughty Hill Band; • 12:30 p.m.: Zulu Leprechauns; • 2:25 p.m.: Rustic Overtones.

Appearing on the Whoopie Stage: • 10:40 a.m.: Birdie Googins, aka “The Marden’s Lady,” joins children age 10 and under for a whoopie-pie eating contest; • 12 noon: Birdie Googins joins adults for a whoopie-pie eating contest; • 1:40 p.m.: Birdie Googins announces the winners of the 2011 Best Whoopie Pies.

The Mallett Brothers will perform at 7 p.m. at Centre Theatre.

Admission is $15 for this concert.

For more information, log onto mainewhoopiepiefestival.com.

Located at 48 Park St., DoverFoxcroft, the Piscataquis Regional YMCA hosts the Dover-Foxcroft Farmers’ Market from 2-6 p.m., Tuesdays, and 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturdays during summer.

The YMCA will sponsor the Tri for the Y Sprint Triathlon, a physically challenging event that starts at 9 a.m., July 23. Participants will swim a half mile in Sebec Lake before biking 12 miles through the Piscataquis County hills and running 5 kilometers through DoverFoxcroft. For more information, log onto www.prymca.org.

The Piscataquis River Festival will take place July 29-30 in Guilford, with Steel Rail Express performing on stage from 6-10 p.m. on July 29.

The 2011 theme is “Piscataquis River Festival — Hollywood Style,” and many parade floats will reflect particular movies. The parade will take place on July 30; other activities include a pie-eating contest and the Miss Lilac Pageant.

In Dover-Foxcroft, the popular Homecoming 2011 will be held Aug. 5-6 and will emphasize the theme “Mardi Gras.” The parade will wind through downtown Dover-Foxcroft on Aug. 6. Artisans, crafters, and food vendors will be on site that day.

The 124th Annual Piscataquis Valley Fair will take place Aug. 2528 in Dover-Foxcroft. Based at the Piscataquis Valley Fairgrounds on Fairview Avenue, this delightful country fair reflects Maine agriculture and traditions.

On-site parking gives visitors immediate access to the fair, which features such events as antique tractor pulls, a compact and busy midway, livestock exhibits, and horse- and oxen-pulling competitions. Consider this fair as a great place to let the kids have fun while learning about agriculture and animals.

For more information, log onto www.piscataquisvalleyfair.com.

Located at 186 East Main St., Dover-Foxcroft, the Thompson Free Library has scheduled summertime several children’s programs, all open at no charge to the public:

• June 29, 10:30 a.m.: Pony Express Animals; • July 6, 10:30 a.m.: Mammals of Maine; • July 13, 10:30 a.m.: African dance, music, and stories; • July 22, 10:30 a.m.: Geography; • July 27, 10:30 a.m.: Balloon workshop;

• Aug. 3, 10:30 a.m.: Tony Sohns Science.

Besides showing movies during the summer, the Center Theatre at 20 East Main St., Dover-Foxcroft schedules other events, such as: • July 16, 7 p.m.: High Ryder Golden Oldies Show;

• Aug. 20, 7 p.m.: Bruce Marshall Group.

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Experience diverse outdoor recreation in Moosehead Lake Region

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

The Moosehead Lake Region appeals not only to people looking for moose and other wildlife or seeking natural beauty, but also to people with specific recreational activities in mind.

Camping

The forests surrounding Moosehead Lake lure campers to enjoy the great Maine outdoors — and camping opportunities abound in those forests.

No matter their desired outdoor experience, campers can find an appropriate venue, such as: • Primitive campsites in the Little Moose Unit (Maine Public Reserved Lands) near Greenville Junction; • Improved campsites (RVs and tents) at Lily Bay State Park in Beaver Cove; • Privately owned campsites and campgrounds in Greenville, Rockwood, and elsewhere; • Privately owned cabins, often located on ponds or lakes.

No matter the venue, camping remains a truly “wild” pastime in the Moosehead Lake Region, where campers may awaken to find a moose joining them for breakfast or listen to a nocturnally prowling black bear checking out improperly stored food supplies.

A cow moose stands in a moose wallow near Greenville.

A loon call shatters the still morning, the kids laugh and splash in clear water, bacon or hot dogs sizzle on a frying pan, family and friends gather around an evening fire: Moosehead Lake camping provides such precious memories.

Campers should remember that

stores — hence groceries, bug spray, beverages, and fuel — lie far apart in the Moosehead Lake Region.

Past downtown Greenville, the only store located along the 16 winding miles to Kokadjo lies near First Roach Pond in Kokadjo.

North along 20 Mile Road connecting Rockwood and the Golden Road, Pittston Farm offers the last supplies for campers bound farther north and west.

Campground stores usually carry camping essentials, but with their supply sources far apart,

campers should plan accordingly.

To find out more information about Moosehead Lake Region camping opportunities, log onto w w w. m o o s e h e a d l a ke . o r g , www.campmaine.com, or www.maine.gov/doc/parks/proSee MOOSEHEAD, Page 23

Greenville celebrates 175th anniversary this summer The Town of Greenville celebrates its 175th anniversary this summer. Although the town will concentrate most festivities Aug. 21-27, the celebration actually starts in late June.

Visit Greenville throughout the summer to join in the fun: • June 26, 2 p.m.: The Little Ms. and Mr. 175th Contests will take place at Holy Family Church; • June 26, 7 p.m.: Bob Cowan will lecture about the “Early Days of Logging in the Region” at the Center for Moosehead History; • June 30,, 7 p.m.: The 195th Army Band will perform at the Greenville High School Auditorium; • July 2, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Free tours will be available at the Eveleth-Crafts Sheridan House, Pritham Avenue; • July 4: Featuring the theme “Past, Present & Future,” the Independence Day Parade will start at 11 a.m. at Greenville Junction and end in downtown Greenville. Fireworks will be launched over Moosehead Lake at dusk; • July 9: Greenville residents can enjoy free access to Lily Bay State Park; • July 20, 6 p.m.: A pirate show for children ages 4 and older will take place at the Center for Moosehead History; • July 21-23: The Thoreau/Wabanaki Festival will take place in Greenville; • Aug. 10-15: Entries will be accepted at Gallery on the Lake for the contest “History of Railroading at Moosehead”; • Aug. 12-13: Forest Heritage Days will be held at Greenville High School, Pritham Avenue; • Aug. 13, 7 p.m.: Enjoy the program “Maine at Gettysburg” at the Center for Moosehead History; • Aug. 19, 7-10: A street dance will be in downtown Greenville; • Aug. 20, 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.: The First TriAthlon Around Greenville will benefit the Charles A. Dean Hospital Auxiliary; • Aug. 20, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.: Celebrate the Depot with a railroad reunion and guided tours at the Greenville Junction train depot; • Aug. 20, 7 p.m.: Maynard Russell will lecture about Wilson Pond at the Center for Moosehead History.

Plan on being in Greenville Aug. 21-27 for a full week of 175th Anniversary festivities. The calendar includes: • Aug. 21

BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ

Visit Greenville this summer to help celebrate the town’s 175th anniversary.

Take a cruise on the Katahdin ...

shop at local businesses ...

and look for moose!

8-11 a.m.: Brunch Cruise aboard the Katahdin; 2-4 p.m.: Community Choir performs at Greenville gazebo; 6-7 p.m.: Family Madalions at Greenville

High School athletic fields, Pritham Avenue, Greenville; 7-8 p.m.: Bird Program at Center for Moosehead History, 6 Lakeview St., Greenville.

• Aug. 22 10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Tours of Greenville-area churches; 6-8 p.m.: Old Time Games at Greenville High School athletic fields, Pritham Avenue.

• Aug. 23 5-8 p.m.: Camera Phone Scavenger Lot starts at the Katahdin parking lot; 6-8 p.m.: Bingo at American Legion Post 94, Pritham Avenue.

• Aug. 24 3-5 p.m.: “Sorry” Tournament at Shaw Public Library; 6-8 p.m.: In It To Win It! at Greenville High School athletic fields, Pritham Avenue; 6-8 p.m.: Historical films at Union Church, Greenville.

• Aug. 25 8 a.m.-1 p.m.: Second Annual Forest Whitman Golf Tournament at Kineo Golf Course; 1-5 p.m.: Quilt show at Center for Moosehead History; 6-8 p.m.: Moosehead Historical Society presents “100 Years of American Quilts” at the Center for Moosehead History; 6-8 p.m.: Food contest at Greenville High School, Pritham Avenue.

• Aug. 26 10-11 a.m.: Dedication ceremony at Greenville Veterans Memorial; 12 noon-4 p.m.: Canoe and kayak race on Moosehead Lake; 7-10 p.m.: Family Sock Hop at Greenville High School Gymnasium.

• Aug. 27 7-10 a.m.: Breakfast at American Legion Post 94, Pritham Avenue; 9 a.m.-4 p.m.: Camp Capella Ride-In, sponsored by Moosehead Motorsports; 10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Legion Auxiliary Fair at American Legion Post 94; 2-4 p.m.: Greenville Birthday Party at Moosehead Historical Society, 444 Pritham Ave.; 8-9 p.m. “Light Up the Night” takes place at East Cove.

And be sure to catch the International Sea Plane Fly-In, to be held Sept. 8-11 in Greenville. Seaplanes and pilots will participate in various competitions.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 23

Moosehead

Perhaps the best canoeing or kayaking experiences exist away from Moosehead Lake and within its tributaries, especially along the larger streams and on nearby ponds. Moose feed on nutrient-rich water plants, and ducks and geese nest on quiet waters.

Continued from Page 22 grams.

Touring

No paved road encircles Moosehead Lake, but adventurous visitors can tour the region by vehicle if they are willing to drive where logging trucks go. Gravel roads access the region’s vast forests and hidden ponds; built for forestry operations, these roads range from well-maintained to potholed and often feature blind curves and heavy roadside growth.

Before venturing off asphalt, visitors should “gas up” their vehicles, pick up a Maine Atlas and Gazetteer (available at the Indian Hill Trading Post and other fine stores in Greenville), or stop by the Moosehead Lake Region Chamber of Commerce office at Indian Hill Plaza to find a local road map. Pack a lunch and beverages to enjoy “somewhere out yonder.”

Visitors seeking off-road touring experiences can arrange an excursion flight or rent a boat, canoe, or kayak.

Greenville-based aviation companies offer specific air tours; visitors can also “personalize” an air tour that varies from the usual routes. Moosehead Lake assumes a new identity when viewed from 1,000 feet; take an excursion flight to experience this delightful region from on high.

The Moosehead Marine Museum (www.katahdincruises.com) at East Cove offers daily three-hour cruises (Tuesday-Saturday) aboard the Katahdin, the last surviving

Mountains surround Moosehead Lake, and popular Mount Kineo actually plunges its flint cliffs into the lake.

Some trails are rugged and remote, so hikers should carefully plan trips to particular peaks.

Likely the most popular hiking destination is Borestone Mountain, locatBDN PHOTO BY BRIAN SWARTZ ed within a Maine Audubon Society A fly fisherman pursues his passion on the Roach River in Kokadjo. wildlife sanctuary in Elliotsville Township. Hikers can follow either the steamer from logging’s heyday on Moosehead Lake. Reach- marked trail or the access road to the visitors’ station next to ing a point 12 miles north before turning “toward home,” Sunrise Pond, above which Borestone rises dramatically. the Katahdin offers visitors excellent vistas of Moosehead Past the pond, the trail ascends steeply and emerges onto West Peak; hikers can then descend into a col before ascendLake’s indented shoreline and numerous islands.

Lakeside lodges and camps often let guests use watercraft, ing East Peak to enjoy its dramatic views across Onawa Lake from aluminum-hulled boats with large outboard engines and southern Piscataquis County.

West of Greenville Junction, Big Moose Mountain rises to paddle-driven canoes and kayaks. Everyone venturing onto Moosehead Lake should pay attention to the waves and 3,196 above Moosehead Lake and its adjacent forests. Hikers weather; violent storms occasionally (and abruptly) sweep northbound on Route 15 from Greenville Junction must the lake, and even a breeze that seems “friendly” ashore can turn left at the “Little Moose Unit” sign and drive 1.5 miles to a marked parking lot. The approximately 3.75-mile trail work against watercraft offshore. rises gradually for 2.5 miles through a mixed forest before reaching an abandoned fire warden’s cabin and crossing a stream. Then the trail attacks Big Moose Mountain’s steep • Route 7 from the Newport Triansouthern shoulder by rising sharply on 420 stone steps set by color map that identifies tour-related Civilian Conservation Corps workers during the 1930s. The gle to Dexter; roads. steps emerge onto the mountain’s upper slopes, and hikers • Route 100 from the Newport TriBrochures are available at the walk approximately another half mile to the summit. Side Sebasticook Valley Chamber of Com- angle to Pittsfield. trails provide views west to the Bigelow Range and southeast For bicyclists interested in off-road merce, located at the Wal-Mart Plaza toward Barren and Borestone mountains. on Route 2 in Palmyra or online at pedaling, the Maine Department of From the summit, hikers enjoy gorgeous views east and www.exploremaine.org/bike/sebasti- Conservation maintains two multinorth, with Mount Kineo easily identifiable about 15 miles use rail trails: cook. away.

• The Central Maine Adventure Bicyclists unfamiliar with the Hikers must cross Moosehead Lake by boat (the Kineo region should bring a map (Maine Trail starts near the Newport Triangle Launch maintains a daily schedule from Rockwood) to Bike Tour 26 will suffice). Away from and roughly parallels Route 7 north to reach the Kineo Peninsula and hike 1,789-foot Mount the major highways, winding roads Dover-Foxcroft. The trail takes bicyKineo. Indians once gathered flint beneath Kineo’s craggy often cross unmarked town lines; one clists alongside Sebasticook Lake in cliffs and converted the stone into arrowheads and tools. moment a bicyclist is pedaling in St. Newport, Corundel Pond in Corinna, After disembarking at Kineo Village, hikers must cross to Albans and the next moment in and Lake Wassookeag in Dexter. the peninsula’s western shore and follow a well-marked • The Pittsfield-to-Hartland Rail Corinna or Hartland or Palmyra, route about 0.8 miles north to where the Indian Trail starts. depending on the direction. An incor- Trail starts near the Pittsfield Post The shore route passes beneath Mount Kineo’s weatherrect turn can point a bicyclist far away Office and parallels the Sebasticook shattered cliffs.

River north to Hartland. Bicyclists can from the intended destination.

Local roads are often narrow; bicy- see the river at times.

The Indian Trail rises a mile along Kineo’s southern cliffs clists should stay as far “right” as possito intersect the Bridle Trail, which starts farther north along Both trails are frequented by ATVers ble and use a rear-view mirror to moni- — and the Sebasticook Valley boasts the Kineo Peninsula. Hikers usually stop at this intersection tor approaching traffic. Always wear a an excellent ATV trail system, by the to gaze south and west across Moosehead Lake. Big Moose helmet and a bright-colored jersey — way. Mountain bikers often pedal on Mountain and its 1,825-foot cousin, Little Moose Mountain, and green really doesn’t cut it in sum- the well-signed trails; stay on the thrust above the forest 15-20 miles south, and Rockwood mer, when natural greens dominate the approved trails and do not trespass on Village and Moose River lie due west. background “seen” by drivers.

Past the trail intersection, hikers can walk to a metal lookprivate property.

A few highways have paved breakout tower that replaced the demolished fire tower now scatMaps detailing some Sebasticook down lanes ideal for bicycling. Such Valley ATV trails will soon be available tered in pieces across Kineo’s forested summit. From the roads include: lookout tower, views open across northern Moosehead Lake. at the Sebasticook Valley Chamber of • Route 2 west of the Newport Tri- Commerce. For more information, Other regional hiking destinations include Barren Mounangle; tain, Big Spencer Mountain, and No. 4 Mountain. For more call (207) 368-4698. information, log onto www.moosehead.net/hiking.

Pedal roads less traveled by in the Sebasticook Valley

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

Bicyclists seeking roads less traveled by should spin their tires in the Sebasticook Valley this summer; rolling hills, lovely countryside, and an intricate road network make this region an excellent place to ride far from city noise and traffic.

Several major highways — Routes 2, 7, 23, 43, and 100 — cross the Sebasticook Valley, and many local roads connect these highways or extend deep into terrain interspersed with fields, forests, and small towns where bicyclists can find convenience stores and restaurants. Bicyclists can leave their vehicles in municipal parking lots.

Bicyclists unfamiliar with the Sebasticook Valley can learn about various roads by obtaining and reading Maine Bike Tour 26, titled “Sebasticook Valley Pedal Power.” The tour brochure details four “loop” rides (varying from 25 to 69 miles in length) that crisscross the valley from Hartland east to Stetson and from Dexter south to Pittsfield and Plymouth. Each brochure features a full-

Hiking

24 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

Region 1: South Coast

Region 2: Western Lakes & Mountains

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 25

Region 3: Kennebec & Moose River Valley

Region 8: Katahdin & Moosehead

26 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ

At the Maine Wildlife Park in Gray, a visitor photographs a magnificent bull moose through a fence (left), and a cinnamon-colored black bear prowls in the bears’ den (above).

Meet lions, bears, and moose at Maine Wildlife Park

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

Does a porcupine actually throw its quills? Doesn’t a lynx look like a bobcat? Can a Maine black bear be red in color? How big is a bull moose?

Learn the answers to such questions this summer by visiting the Maine Wildlife Park, located on Route 26 in Gray and operated by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The park is open 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., daily through Veterans Day (Nov. 11).

Perhaps Maine’s best-kept

wildlife secret, the park shelters birds, mammals, and reptiles that cannot survive in the wild. Last year, for example, a young moose calf (age nine weeks in early August 2010) arrived to be raised by park staffers, and at least four Bambi-sized spotted fawns shared an adjacent pen.

Surrounded by a high fence, the visitor-friendly park spreads across a white pine grove and into the adjacent forest. From the gate house, visitors can walk to the immaculately maintained picnic area and visitors’ center, where displays and a video educate people about various Maine denizens.

Nearby are the Fish House with its two large aquariums and the Snack Shack, which sells drinks and snacks. Past this facility, visitors decide which animals they want to see first and then take the appropriate walkway. Other facilities include the Nature Store, the Wardens’ Museum, and handicapaccessible bathrooms.

Among the critters living at Maine Wildlife Park are: • Two mountain lions not always visible during mid-day, but certainly active as feeding time approaches; • Canada lynx, identified by their black-tufted ears;

• Foxes. A raised viewing platform lets visitors see red foxes and a gray counterpart living in a natural setting in adjacent enclosures; • Coyotes, which when not “denned up” might be seen patrolling their enclosure’s perimeter fence; • Three black bears, including two in a rare “cinnamon” or “red” phase. A raised viewing platform lets visitors peer into the bruins’ enclosure, where the smaller cinnamon black bear likes to plunge into the rock-rimmed pool; • Deer galore, visible from Deer Trail; • Moose, including an archetyp-

Wire Bridge deck literally moves beneath the wheels

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

Named a Maine Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 1990, the New Portland Wire Bridge rates a visit for vacationers traveling on Routes 16 and 27 in the Carrabassett River Valley.

Settled in the late 18th century, New Portland spreads along the valley between Embden and Kingfield. Route 146 connects Routes 16 and 27 and crosses the Carrabassett downstream at East New Portland.

But another bridge spans the Carrabassett Valley at New Portland. One of a kind in the United States, the Wire Bridge has carried horse-drawn buggies and wagons, pedestrians, and cars and pickups over the fast-flowing river since 1866 — despite the Carrabassett’s best efforts to rip the bridge towers from their abutments.

An engineer (local sources mention two men, Charles Clark and David Elder) designed the cable suspension bridge in the 1860s.

Formed from multiple steel wires “woven” into larger cables, two wire cables made in Sheffield, England, arrived in Maine circa 1866 to be hauled by oxen from Hallowell to New Portland.

Stringing the cables between the bridge’s two cedar-singled towers, crews anchored each cable deeply in the Somerset County soil.

Smaller steel cables that hang from the two main cables support the “suspended” wood-timber deck, which stretches 198 feet from tower to tower.

The Wire Bridge underwent extensive renovations in 1961 and again in 1987 after that April’s disastrous flood damaged the bridge abutments.

As motorists discover while crossing the bridge (weight-limited to 3 tons), the deck “ripples” as

a vehicle travels from tower to tower. The motion creates an uneasy sensation, but the designers factored such deck movement into the bridge structure. Folks observing the bridge from the shore should listen to the unusual noise created as a vehicle crosses the bridge.

Signs warn bicyclists to walk their bikes across the bridge. Parking spaces are limited along the southern approaches, but just beyond the north tower, a larger gravel parking lot accesses the river’s rocky shore.

The best views are found downstream along the north shore; for a unique view, step into Wire Bridge Road on the south shore and frame the north tower and bridge deck and cables inside the south tower’s arch.

To check out the Wire Bridge, take Route 27 between Farmington and Kingfield. Turn east onto Route 146 and then, within a few

Its tummy full after a mid-day feeding, a lynx snoozes beneath the summer sun at the Maine Wildlife Park in Gray.

ical bull with a gorgeous rack; • Raccoons (look for the albino); • Ground hogs, including two living in a round, open-air display across from the mountain-lion enclosure. The “we bite” signs are there for a reason; cute from a distance, ground hogs (or woodchucks) go nuclear when threatened; • Skunks (usually asleep by day), porcupines, opossums (a wild immigrant recently arrived in Maine), geese (watch out for the aggressive white goose), and this year a fisher, a large relative of the weasel; • Birds, such as turkeys, a vulture, and peacocks; • Raptors, including various hawks and owls; See WILDLIFE, Page 28

BDN PHOTO BY BRIAN SWARTZ

The North Tower of the New Portland Wire Bridge stands on a granite abutment.

blocks, turn left onto Wire Bridge Road. Or take Route 16 between North Anson and Kingfield; turn south on Route 146 in North New Portland and follow this winding road to downtown New Portland.

Turn right onto Wire Bridge Road.

Painted turtles sun themselves at the Maine Wildlife Park.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 27

Quilting is popular pastime with Maine residents and visitors alike

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

Where there’s a quilt, there’s a quilter, and many, many quilters vacation in Maine each summer.

“Quilting is an art,” said Evelyn Caruso, co-owner of Cotton Cupboard Quilt Shop in Bangor. “It’s an art; it’s camaraderie; it’s friends.

It’s very personal, and it is so popular” compared even to the 1990s, when Americans “really got interested in quilting,” she indicated.

Besides being an art form, quilting represents major economic activity in the United States.

According to the Quilting in America 2010 survey released last May by Quilts Inc., American quilters increased their spending by 9 percent since a prior survey in 2006. “Quilting enthusiasts spend almost $3.6 billion annually on their passion,” a Quilts Inc. press release indicated.

Although “the total number of [American] quilting households” declined 14 percent between 2006 and 2010, total households containing at least one “dedicated quilter” rose by 13 percent, the survey reported. Quilts Inc. defines a “dedicated quilter” as someone

A visitor examines the various quilts displayed during the Athens Quilt Fair in Somerset County.

“who spends more than $600 annually on quilting supplies.

“The average yearly expenditure is $2,442,” a 10 percent increase, according to the ’10 quilting survey.

Anecdotal evidence suggests similar quilting enthusiasm in Maine, according to Caruso. Each April many Maine quilt shops organize a month-long “shop hop” to offer quilters new products and special prices, she noted. In April 2009, about 300 people visited Cotton Cupboard; in April 2010, “more than 600 people came here to our shop,” she said.

According to Caruso, quilting

“caught on” a long time ago in Maine, where long winter nights give quilters time to create quilts, throws, table runners, wall hangings, aprons, pocketbooks, and even quilt art. She described quilting as “an industry unto itself,” with fabrics, threads, patterns, instruction books, appliques, sewing machines, and even novels dedicated to quilting.

Their numbers about 80 percent women and 20 percent men, quilters average 58 years in age and earn a median $85,000 household income, according “to national [survey] figures,” Caruso said.

BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ

Displayed at a Maine Quilts Show held at the Augusta Civic Center, this quilt features Maine themes.

Many women develop a quilting passion as they become grandmothers; “they’re making quilts for their grandchildren,” she said.

“Sewing is really coming back as well,” Caruso said, noting that younger parents are “sewing for their children” and “re-purposing clothing” (reusing it for different applications) to “avoid buying a lot of new clothing. It’s part of that generation that is concerned about the environment.”

This summer, millions of people will vacation in Maine. Among those tourists will be quilters seek-

Catch a weekend excursion train rolling through Ellsworth

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

Experience Ellsworth from a different viewpoint this summer by riding on the Downeast Scenic Railroad.

Based at Washington Junction in Hancock, the DSRR operates excursion trains at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays, from a boarding platform at Cadillac Mountain Sports at 32 High St., Ellsworth. Parking is available there and at the Maine Community Foundation.

In operation since late July 2010, the Downeast Scenic Railroad operates restored locomotives and passenger cars similar to equipment used by the Maine Central Railroad, which once operated the Calais Branch Line from Brewer to Calais via Washington Junction. The state acquired the abandoned route in the mid-1980s; since passenger

BDN PHOTO BY BRIAN SWARTZ

Passengers wave as the Downeast Scenic Railroad rumbles through Hancock in early June 2011.

service from Ellsworth ended in the late 1950s, not many people remember “riding the rails” through Hancock County.

Now Mainers and leaf-peepers can view Ellsworth and Card Brook from an engineer’s vantage point as the DSRR transports passengers on a 10-mile, 1½-hour round trip that extends from Lakes

Lane in Ellsworth Falls to Washington Junction. Each train includes a locomotive, an open-air platform car equipped with awnings and picnic tables, a passenger car, and a caboose.

Each train travels behind Oak Street residences and State Street businesses, past Ellsworth High School, alongside High Street, and

across the extensive wetland drained by Card Brook. Watch for beaver lodges and osprey nests. A conductor reports having seen deer and “the occasional moose” in the Card Brook wetland, whixh extends to Route 1.

For more information, call (866) 449-7245 or log onto www.downeastscenicrail.org.

ing to experience the Pine Tree State in fabric and thread.

“When families come to Maine, the wife is a quilter, and they come to quilt shops,” Caruso said. “They will look for Maine-themed fabrics: blueberries, lighthouses, bears, lobsters, pine cones. Some people come in looking in to buy quilts.”

She mentioned that “a quilt cruise came into Bar Harbor a few years ago,” with the passengers — almost all dedicated quilters — spending their time at sea making quilts and attending quilting classes.

Quilters can satisfy their vacation-related quilting passions almost anywhere in Maine. “There are over 40 independent quilt shops in the state (list available at www.mainequilts.org), from Cape Neddick to Presque Isle, from Trenton to Rangeley,” Caruso said.

She recommended that quilters also log onto www.mainequilts.org to learn where regional or local quilt shows and workshops might be taking place. Click the appropriate link under “Events.”

All quilters’ attention will focus on Augusta in midsummer as the state’s largest quilt show — actually an extravaganza that for sheer quilt beauty and variety can appeal even to non-quilters — brings thousands of people under one quilting roof.

The 34th Annual Maine Quilts Show will be held Friday, July 29Sunday, July 31 at the Augusta Civic Center (Exit 112, Maine Turnpike). The largest annual quilt show held in Maine, this year’s show will feature 600 quilts, ranging from antique to contemporary in age, plus special exhibits.

28 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

Wildlife Continued from Page 26

• Eagles, including the American bald eagle and a majestic golden eagle (rare in Maine) injured by striking a spinning wind turbine blade in California. The eagles live in glass-encased aviaries; • Turtles displayed in a raised wetland

accessed by Turtle Path.

The Dry Mills Fish Hatchery can be reached through a gate near the last display.

The Maine Wildlife Park now features a free audio tour via a visitor’s cell phone.

Visitors can walk along the appropriately named Game Trail and Tree Trail to learn, respectively, about different wildlife species and native Maine trees. These trails connect Deer Trail and the Moose Yard, a large enclosure that garners visitors when the

moose are active and moving.

Plan on spending at least two hours at the park, longer if bringing children and a picnic lunch. At several spots in the park, vending machines sell cracked corn that children can feed to deer and geese and the resident chipmunks, which now a hand out when they see one!

For more information about what’s happening at the Maine Wildlife Park this summer, log onto www.mainewildlifepark.com.

BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ

Residents of the Maine Wildlife Park in Gray include a ground hog (above) and a wily red fox (below).

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Somerset County

Explore local shops & catch a concert or summer fair in Skowhegan

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

Skowhegan straddles the Kennebec River, which tumbles across falls now submerged behind a hydroelectric dam stretching from shore to shore at Skowhegan Island. Among the interesting local sites are two footbridges that carry pedestrians over the river: • Downstream from the dam, the Walking Bridge rises high above the river gorge to connect downtown Skowhegan with the south shore. Built in 1988 to replace a footbridge destroyed during the epic April 1987 flood, the Walking Bridge stands where a railroad bridge first crossed the Kennebec in 1856. The bridge offers spectacular views of the dam and the gorge.

• The Swinging Bridge gracefully spans the Kennebec River’s South Channel between Skowhegan Island and the south shore. Renovated in 2006, this wire footbridge provides interesting photographic opportunities.

Nestled at Skowhegan’s eastern edge where the Route 2 (Water Street) speed limit drops abruptly to 25 miles per hour, 12½acre Coburn Park features a manicured landscape replete with several flower gardens, a pond, shade trees, and the Philbrick Gazebo. Musicians perform free concerts at the gazebo from 5-6:15 p.m. each Sunday in July and August.

Coburn Park Concerts scheduled for 2011 include: • July 10, Kennebec Valley Performing Arts presents Jazz & More; • July 17, Barbie and the Band; • July 24, Borderline Express; • July 31, Christmas in July with Skowhegan Brass and Quintessential Winds; • Aug. 7, Old Liberty String Band;

BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ

The somnolent Kennebec River reflects the Swinging Bridge, which connects Skowhegan Island and the river’s south shore just west of downtown Skowhegan, the shiretown of Somerset County.

• Aug. 14, Bob Lovelace; • Aug. 21, Skowhegan Community Band and a sing-along with Barbie; • Aug. 28, After Six. The Skowhegan State Fair will take place Aug. 11-20 at the Skowhegan State Fairgrounds on Madison Avenue in Skowhegan.

Daily scheduled events include 4-H and open livestock shows, a magic show, and a tiger and elephant show that will offer ele-

phant rides. Harness racing will take place Aug. 14-20.

Other fair events include: • Aug. 11: Tribute to the Troops Concert; • Aug. 12: Demolition derby and tractor pulling; • Aug. 13: Tractor and truck pulling; • Aug. 14: Battle of the Bands; • Aug. 15: Demolition derby; • Aug. 15-18: Horse- and oxen-pulling

Carrying a colorful bag to hold her purchases, a customer buys produce at the Skowhegan Farmers’ Market (left), held each Wednesday and Saturday at the Somerset Gristmill in downtown Skowhegan. A decorative fountain cheerily sprays water at Coburn Park (right), where free concerts are held each Sunday afternoon in July and August.

competition; • Aug. 19: Demolition derby; • Aug. 20: Truck pulling.

For more information, log onto www.skowheganstatefair.com.

Other events to held at the fairgrounds this summer are: • July 1-4: Maine Quarter Horse Show; • July 15-17: New England Paint Horse Club — APHA/PTHA Show; • July 22-24: Granite State Appaloosa Color Caper Review; • July 28-29: The Kneading Conference; • July 29-31: Eastern Maine Agility Dog Show; • July 30: Artisan Bread Fair; • Aug. 26-28: 42nd Annual State Appaloosa Horse Show; • Sept. 3-4: Maine Quarter Horse Show; • Sept. 10-11: AHAME Autumnfest Horse Show.

The Skowhegan Farmers’ Market takes place from 3-6 p.m., Wednesdays, and 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturdays, at the Somerset Gristmill, located at the corner of Court and High streets. Vendors sell the traditional food items — dairy, meat, and produce — and baked goods, berries, coffee, honey, lobster, and other items. Musicians perform live each Saturday to enhance the marketplace See SKOWHEGAN, Page 31

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BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ

In downtown Skowhegan, various businesses and retail shops and galleries line Water Street.

Skowhegan Continued from Page 30 experience.

For more information, log onto www.skowheganfarmersmarket.co m.

Located at 66 Elm St., Skowhegan, the Skowhegan History House Museum & Research Center, was created by Louise Coburn in 1936 house material pertaining to local history. Open 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday from May 31 to Oct. 8 (except, holidays), the brick Greek Revival cottage was built in 1839 and contains period

antiques and furnishings from the mid-1800s.

Among the collections are: • A doll collection and Civil War weapons displayed on the second floor; • A Regina Music Box manufactured circa 1895; • An Anadrosis steam bath cabinet, designed by a local photographer circa 1880; • The Philbrick Pottery Collection, displaying Exeter Redware (milk-settling dishes, a pitcher, and pots) manufactured on the Skowhegan History House site from 1799-1825; • The Alexander Crawford Jr. Civil War Collection, which dis-

plays letters and uniforms belonging to Crawford, a Skowhegan resident who served during the Civil War. • Period furnishings on permanent loan from RedingtonFairview Hospital and displayed as the Redington-McClellan Collection.

An addition was placed on the house in 1936. This section contains archival documents, a library, and photographs. Outside the Skowhegan History House are heirloom gardens planted with many flowers used in similar New England gardens during the mid19th century.

The Skowhegan History House

The Walking Bridge spans the Kennebec River Gorge between the north (left) and south (right) banks at Skowhegan.

The Skowhegan History House Museum is located at 66 Elm St., Skowhegan and displays many interesting collections.

will hold its Heritage Day from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., July 30.

For more information about collections, Heritage Day, and the Skowhegan History House Museum & Research Center, log onto www.skowheganhistoryhouse.org.

The Northwood University Margaret Chase Smith Library highlights the 32 years that Sen. Margaret Chase Smith (R-Maine) spent in Congress in the mid-20th century. Located on Elm Street a short distance west of the Skowhegan History House & Research Center, the Margaret Chase Smith Library incorporates the house that Smith built in 1948, plus a modern facility housing the archives and library.

From her home’s hilltop perch, Smith enjoyed views of the Kennebec River and buildings in downtown Skowhegan. Open for guided tours, the museum retains each room’s original paint scheme;

clothing, furnishings, heirlooms, and paintings are among the displayed items.

The library and museum are open 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday-Friday. For more information about the Northwood University Margaret Chase Smith Library, call (207) 474-7133 or log onto www.mcslibrary.org.

Located on Wesserunsett Lake in Madison, Lakewood Theatre will stage several plays during its 111th season. The schedule includes: • June 23-July 2, “Heaven Help Me.” • July 7-July 16, “Sugar.”

• July 21-30, “Moon Over Buffalo.”

• Aug. 4-13, “Once Upon a Mattress.”

• Aug. 18-27, “The Red Velvet Cake War.” • Sept. 1-10, “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

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34 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

Franklin County

Lincoln County

A vacation in Rangeley can feature boating, hiking, and concerts

Located on Rangeley Lake’s northeastern shore, Rangeley represents a summertime vacation destination for visitors seeking recreational opportunities that emphasize fresh water, boats, kayaks, fishing, and wildlife.

Rangeley provides the services

— lodgings, restaurants, and supplies — for people venturing on day trips into the northwest Maine forest to canoe a quiet pond, fish a remote stream, or look for moose.

Campers head for private campgrounds or Rangeley Lake State Park, and hikers tackle the steep

Saddleback Mountain slopes or the 1-mile trail climbing to a lookout tower on Bald Mountain in Oquossoc.

Besides communing with Mother Nature, visitors to Rangeley should take advantage of a busy summer calendar to catch a con-

cert. a play, or various festivals.

The 2011 calendar includes these events: June 24-26: Seaplane Splash-In; June 25, 1-4 p.m.: All Trails Celebration at Country Club Inn, Rangeley; July 1-2, 7 p.m., daily: The

Visitors “listen” to history at Musical Wonder House

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

If ever the name of a museum accurately evokes its theme, the name “Musical Wonder House” does.

Located at 16-18 High St. in Wiscasset, the Musical Wonder House Museum and Gift Shop displays more than 5,000 mechanical music instruments. These range from music boxes, player pianos, Victrolas, and whistlers to musical birds, clocks, household items, and paintings.

Visitors learn about these musical wonders — including a musical boot brush, a 1792 canary trainer, and an 1898 polyphone that plays “Silent Night” — during a one- or twohour tour. In each room, a museum guide plays different music boxes, including several that feature singing birds or twirling dancers.

Danilo Konvalinka established the Musical Wonder House in 1963 after he and his wife, Lois, renovated an architecturally striking 1852 sea captain’s home. Paulo Carvalho and Joseph Villani purchased the house and museum in 2006. “Danilo and Lois were collectors of mechanical music instruments,” defined as spring-wound or bellows-powered, Villani said. The oldest instrument displayed at the museum is the French-made 1792 canary trainer; newer instruments include musical cigarette holders dating to the 1940s and ’50s.

The museum’s expansive collection features such mechanical music instruments as: • An 1873 doll music box made in Switzerland. As the music cylinder turns, gears cause two exquisitely made dolls to dance.

• A French-made musical diorama made in the 1830s.

• An Emerald Polyphone made in 1898 in Leipzig, Germany. One of 12 such polyphones in the world, this instrument spins a metal disc that, as it turns, plays one song. The polyphone’s 16 bells play as indicated by the disc.

Villani demonstrated the polyphone’s musical quality by hand-cranking the instrument and then listening as the turning disc played “Silent Night, Holy Night.” Ringing during the choruses, the bells recalled Christmases past and reminded museum visitors that about 100 years before music CDs replaced records, people could hear Christmas carols in their own

BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ

At the Musical Wonder House Museum in Wiscasset, a circa-1880 music drum box plays “O, Come, All Ye Faithful” as a metal disc turns.

Chinese songs. This intricately detailed organ was made in Switzerland in the late 1880s.

Every mechanical music instrument displayed at the Musical Wonder House operates, and a museum guide plays many instruments during a tour. Visitors can take photos, but not videos, and can insert quarters into coin-operated music boxes located near the main entry’s flying staircase.

The Musical Wonder House is open 10 a.m.5 p.m., Monday-Saturday and 12 noon-5 p.m., Sunday from Memorial Day weekend to Halloween. According to Villani, the museum offer two tours: • The one-hour Full House Tour encompasses the first-floor rooms and displays, including the Great Room and its extensive musical stein collection and a Steinway piano that once belonged to the Henry Steinway.

• The two-hour Grand Tour encompasses the first- and second-floor rooms and displays.

Among the upstairs rooms are the Bird of Paradise Room and the Library, where reedequipped mechanical music instruments are displayed.

Tours prices reflect time length; the museum offers AAA and senior discounts and group rates. For more information about prices, log onto www.musicalwonderhouse.org.

The Musical Wonder House specializes in repairing and restoring mechanical music instruments, from mechanical components to inlaid lids and polished cases. The museum

homes.

Villani explained that the polyphone, like other music disc boxes, could store additional metal discs. Even some interchangeable music boxes, like a displayed Nicole Freres music box made in Switzerland in 1877, can play different songs when the music cylinders are changed.

• A German barrel organ flute clock made in 1830. When the music plays, connected gears cause dancers to perform and a dancer to clap his hands.

• A reed-equipped barrel piano.

Made in Leipzig, Germany in 1898, this fully operational • Two musical chairs Emerald Polyphone is one of only 12 in the world and is — an adult’s and a displayed at the Musical Wonder House in Wiscasset. child’s — made in the operates the Merry Music Box Gift Shop, 1880s.

• A Regina Louis XVth drum table music which offers such gift items as bird boxes and cages, music boxes, porcelains, and musical box.

• A Swiss-made organ that plays antique door chimes.

Rangeley Friends of the arts presents “Footloose” at Lakeside Theater, Rangeley; July 2, 10 a.m.: Auction at Rangeley Lakes Logging Museum; July 3, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Joan Frost Memorial Art Show on Lake Street, Rangeley; July 3, 10 a.m.-dusk: Independence Day festivities at Rangeley include a children’s parade, an arts and crafts show, a silent auction, and fireworks launched near Lakeside Park, Rangeley; July 4-5, 7 p.m., daily: The Rangeley Friends of the arts presents “Footloose” at Lakeside Theater, Rangeley; July 13, 7 p.m.: Pianist Andy Kahn performs Evening of Music: Jazz and the Standard Song at the Wilhelm Reich Museum Conference Center, Dodge Pond Road, Rangeley; July 14, 7 p.m.: Rangeley Friends of the Arts presents SideCar Heroes in an a cappella concert at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Rangeley; July 16, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.: Knits and crafts show at Rangeley Lakes Logging Museum, Rangeley; July 23, 9 a.m.: Under the Tree 5k will start at Lakeside Park in Rangeley; July 24, 2 p.m.: The Timpanic Steel Drums at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Rangeley; July 26, 7 p.m.: The Flat Sisters in concert at Lakeside Theater, Rangeley; July 29: Rangeley Lakes Logging Museum sponsors Festival Days; July 30, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Festival Days at Rangeley Lakes Logging Museum; July 31, 12 noon-3 p.m.: Chicken barbeque at St. Luke’s Church, Rangeley;’ Aug. 2, 1-4: The Rangeley Friends of the Arts presents a Home Tour at various sites in Rangeley; Aug. 2, 7 p.m.: Spinney Brothers in concert at Lakeside Theater, Rangeley; Aug. 4, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Rangeley Friends of the Arts presents Art in August on Lake Street; Aug. 4, 7 p.m.: Westerhoff Concert at Church of the Good Shepherd, Rangeley; Aug. 6, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.: Fourth Annual Community Lawn Sale at See RANGELEY, Page 39

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 35

Washington County

Join the summertime party as Lubec celebrates its 200th birthday

By Brian Swartz

motels, restaurants, and stores provide services for visitors staying a night, a few nights, or a week in Lubec tosses a three-week bash Lubec, a scenic coastal town that this summer to celebrate the stresses a slower summertime pace town’s 200th birthday — and of life than found in coastal York everyone’s invited to attend the County towns. festivities.

Quoddy Head State Park and Incorporated as a town in 1811, West Quoddy Head Lighthouse Lubec separates Cobscook Bay attract visitors year-round to expefrom the Atlantic Ocean and lies rience Down East Maine’s coastal farther east than any other munic- beauty and granite-bound shore. ipality in the continental United Take the South Lubec Road and States. Routes 189 and 191 connect follow the directional signs to the Lubec with the United States; the park; enjoy the moment when the Roosevelt-Campobello Bridge road crests and barber pole-paintconnects Lubec with Canada via ed West Quoddy Head Light sudCampobello Island. denly appears.

With salt water surging on three Although the Coast Guard sides, Lubec naturally focuses on maintains the tower’s light and the sea; almost every road leads electronics, the West Quoddy Head Lightkeepers Association maintains the attached keeper’s cottage as a museum with interesting displays, photos, and emphasis on local lore.

Stroll the grounds and photograph the lighthouse from different angles. On foggy days, pay attention when walking near the brickA bald eagle flies over the Lubec built foghorn building; waterfront. the horn blast can resvisitors to the salt water, from the onate!

South Lubec Road and its views The association has scheduled across Lubec Channel to Campo- two events to coincide with the bello Island to the Straight Bay Lubec Bicentennial: Road and views into coves accessi• July 8, 4-7 p.m.: A silent art ble from Cobscook Bay. Local auction party will be held at the SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

Lubec Landmarks owns the historic McCurdy’s Herring Smokehouse, home to Mulholland Market Gallery and Gift Shop.Open every day (except Wednesdays) from June 1-Oct. 10, the Market Gallery is located on Water Street in Lubec.

Lubec Grange Hall. American and Canadian artists will display their art, with some paintings featuring Lubec, West Quoddy Head Light, or coastal Maine themes. Paintings will be displayed from July 2-8.

• July 9, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Festivities at West Quoddy Head Light will include raffles, performances by different musicians, and light tower tours provided

by Coast Guard personnel from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

The 532-acre Quoddy Head State Park stretches west along the rugged shipkilling shore and preserves a thick spruce-fir forest, a jagged coastline encompassing such features as Gulliver’s Hole, and an upland peat bog. Several trails access the shore, peat bog, and woods. Follow the signs to the parking lot.

The actual Lubec Bicentennial kicks off on Tuesday, June 21 and ends on Saturday, July 9. Many activities will take place in downtown Lubec. Among the scheduled events are: • June 23-25, 7 p.m., BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ daily: The play “A On a perfect summer day, visitors explore the dining establishments and Downeast Gold Rush” will shops along Water Street in Lubec (above). At Quoddy Head State Park, be presented at the Lubec a tourist photographs the barber pole-striped West Quoddy Head See LUBEC, Page 38 Lighthouse (below).

36 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 37

Taste of Down East Eastport ~ Edmonds ~ Jonesboro ~ Lubec ~ Machias ~ Marshfield ~Whiting

38 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

Festivals will take place in Machias, Calais, & Grand Lake Stream

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

Washington County offers many events on the summer 2011 calendar, with the Blueberry Festival in Machias and the International Homecoming Festival in Calais drawing thousands of people to those respective municipalities to celebrate food and international friendship.

Held at Centre Street Congregational Church in Machias, Machias Bay Chamber Concerts will kick off its 42nd season with a July 5 concert featuring Grammy Awardwinning pianist Paul Sullivan. All concerts start at 7:30 p.m.; admission is charged. Other concerts are: • July 12: Time for Three, an

eclectic string trio; • July 19: Epic Brass, a brass quintet; • July 26: Louisiana Repertory Jazz Ensemble, featuring top jazz players from New Orleans; • Aug. 2: Gene Nichols and Duane Ingalls, performing “Negotiating Worthless Instruments”; • Aug. 9: St. Lawrence String Quartet.

East Machias River Day will take place June 25 at Mill Park, East Machias. Activities will include an auction, children’s games, a fish fry, and live music.

Located on Little River Island at the entrance to Cutler Harbor, Little River Lighthouse and its lightkeeper’s cottage has been painstakingly restored by the Friends of Little River Lighthouse. Open

BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ

An ATV-towed pirate ship forms a colorful unit during the Eastport Pirate Festival parade (above). A hand-crafted loon suncatcher frames two visitors to the Machias Wild Blueberry Festival (below).

houses will start at 10 a.m. on July 16, July 30, and Aug. 13; visitors must board a boat at the public boat ramp in Cutler Harbor.

For more information, log onto www.littleriverlight.org.

The 17th Annual Grand Lake Stream Art Festival will take place 10 a.m.-5 p.m., daily, July 30-31 in Grand Stream. Among the performers scheduled to appear are

the University of Maine at Machias Ukelele Band, the Mark Tipton Band, Kathleen Gorey-McSorley, Rattle the Windows, Jim Gallant, and Ed Howe.

David Mallett will perform in concert at 7:30 p.m., July 30.

The Jonesport Historical Soci ety has scheduled several programs to be held at the Peabody Memorial Library at 162 Main St., Jones-

Lubec Continued from Page 35 School; • June 24-26: Co. B, 20th Maine Infantry re-enactors will stage an encampment at Flat Iron Corner; • June 25, 1 p.m.: Michael DeLalla with Daphne Nichols in concert at the Crow Town Gallery; • June 25, 4-7 p.m.: Open house at Northern Tides; • June 25: Craft & Artisan Day on Water Street; • June 26, 7:30-10 a.m.: Breakfast at Masonic Lodge and First Easternmost 10K in the USA and 1 Mile Family Fun Run; • June 27, 7:30 p.m.: Friends of Jazz present “As Good As It Gets” at the Congregational Christian Church; • June 28: Passamaquoddy Sipayik Dance Troupe will perform at Flat Iron Corner (in case of rain, this event will move to the Lubec School); • June 29, 7:30 p.m.: SummerKeys Concert with pianist Bruce Potterton at Congregational Christian Church; • June 30, 5:30 p.m.: Barbeque at Masonic Lodge; • July 1, 6 p.m.: Live music and home-made pizza at CCLC, Commissary Point Road, Trescott; • July 2, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Children’s games and rides at Lubec School and live music all after- West noon at the Lubec Town Boat Ramp, with headliner Schooner Fare performing at 7:30 p.m.; • July 3: A pet show, doll carriage parade, and Minute to Win It will be held at Flat Iron Corner; 5 p.m.: The Lubec Bicentennial Grand Parade will wind through Lubec, with Sen. Kevin Raye as parade marshal; Dusk: Fireworks will be launched over Johnson Bay; • July 4: 8 a.m.: Yard sale at Lubec Historical Society; 9 a.m.: Book sale at Lubec library and doll carriage parade on Water Street; 10:30 a.m.: Bicentennial Jubilee at Monument Park; 11 a.m.: Lubec Lions Club Chicken Barbeque; • July 6, 7:30 p.m.: SummerKeys concert with cellist Johanne Perron, pianist Greg Biss, and violinist Trond

port: • July 28, 6:30 p.m.: Jon Johansen will present “The Coastal Trade: A Look at Schooners of the Past”; • Aug. 25, 6:30 p.m.: Kevin Johnson will present “Postcards from Glass Plates”; • Sept. 22, 6:30 p.m.: Professor Jay Hoar will present “Maine WritSee DOWN EAST, Page 39

Saeverud at Congregational Christian Church; • July 7, 5:30 p.m.: Barbeque at Masonic Lodge; • July 9: 5:30 p.m.: Public supper at Parish Hall; 7 p.m.: Rod Picott in concert at Crow Town Gallery.

For a full schedule of Lubec Bicentennial events, log onto www.lubecbicentenntial.org.

Quoddy Head’s rugged coastline lures visitors to explore Quoddy Head State Park.

SummerKeys presents the Mary Potterton Memorial Piano Concerts, held at the Congregational Christian Church, 46 Main St., Lubec. Each concert starts at 7:30 p.m., and admission is free.

The 2011 concert schedule is: • June 29: Pianist Bruce Potterton; • July 6: Cellist Johanne Perron, pianist Greg Biss, and violinist Trond Saeverud; • July 13: Halcyon Duo with flutist Eve Friedman and pianist Roberto Pace; • July 14: Mandolin Concert; • July 20: Jazz pianist Kent Hewitt; • July 27: Pianist Charles Jones; • Aug. 3: Faculty Chamber Concert No. 1; • Aug. 10: Faculty Chamber Concert No. 2; • Aug. 17: Pianist Mira Gill; • Aug. 24: Pianists Charles Jones and Bruce Potterton and violinist Margret Hjaltested.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 39

Down East Continued from Page 38

ers,” and Gary Elwell will present “Collecting Antiques.”

The Machias Wild Blueberry Festival will take place Aug. 19-21, with most activities held on Center Street and Court Street in Machias. Scheduled activities include an extensive craft fair featuring talented artists and crafters, the Blueberry Musical, the Blueberry Run, a blueberry pie-eating contest, a baked bean supper, the Blackfly Ball, the Porter Memorial Library Book Sale, and a chicken barbeque.

For additional information, log onto www.machiasblueberry.com.

The 2011 International Homecoming Festival will take place July 29-Aug. 7 in Calais and adjacent St. Stephen, New Brunswick.

Planned activities include: • July 30: Cow Patti Breakfast at St. Croix Masonic Hall, Calais (7 a.m.), Cow Patti Bingo (8 a.m.), used book sale (9 a.m.-4 p.m.), arts and crafts fair at Calais Triangle (9 a.m.-3 p.m.), For more information, log onto www.internationalhomecomingfestival.com.

The 38th Annual International Homecoming Festival in Calais celebrates international friendship shared by that Washington County city and St. Stephen, New

Rangeley Continued from Page 34

Church of the Good Shepherd, Rangeley; Aug. 7, 6 p.m.: The Glenshane Irish Folk Duo in concert at Church of the Good Shepherd, Rangeley; Aug. 9, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.: Rangeley Region Guides and Sportsmen’s Association presents its Outdoor Sporting Heritage Day at Oquossoc Clubhouse; Aug. 10, 7 p.m.: Woodland Chamber Ensemble in concert at Church of the Good Shepherd, Rangeley; Aug. 12-13, 3 p.m., daily: Second Annual Saddleback Mountain Bluegrass Festival at Saddleback Mountain, Dallas Plantation; Aug. 13, 1 p.m.: Shriners Parade in downtown Rangeley; Aug. 15, 7 p.m.: Enjoy “Rocking with the Oldies” at Wilhelm Reich

BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ

Beach-goers relax as high tide laps at their feet at Roque Bluffs State Park in Roque Bluffs (left). The American flag flies above Civil War ramparts at Fort O’Brien State Historic Site in Machiasport (right).

Brunswick. The festival will take place July 29-Aug. 7, with activities taking place in both municipalities.

Among scheduled events are: • July 30: Miss International Festival Pageant at 2 p.m. at Calais High School; Mike Chase Band performs at Border Area Community Arena, St. Stephen at 7:30 p.m.

• July 31: International Hop Poker Run at 9 a.m.; International Raft Race on the St. Croix River behind the Calais Library at 1 p.m.

• Aug. 2: As part of the International Homecoming Festival, Chocolate Fest 2011 will take place Museum Conference Center, Rangeley; Aug. 16, 7 p.m.: Ashelin in concert at Lakeside Theater, Rangeley; Aug. 16, 8:15 p.m.: DownEast Brass in concert on Loon Lodge lawn in Rangeley; Aug. 18, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.: Blueberry Festival at Rangeley Inn, Rangeley; Aug. 20-21, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., daily: Oquossoc Days at Oquossoc; Aug. 21, 6 p.m.: Watermelon Series Concert featuring an untraditional hymn sing with musical instruments at Church of the Good Shepherd, Rangeley; Aug. 25, 7 p.m.: Rangeley Community Chorus in concert at Church of the Good Shepherd, Rangeley; Aug. 30, 7 p.m.: The Tartan Terrors in concert at Church of the Good Shepherd, Rangeley; Sept. 10, 7 p.m.: Northfield in a cappella concert at Church of the Good Shepherd, Rangeley.

8 at the Chocolate Museum and other locations in St. Stephen.

Activities include the Chocolate Hand-Dip Contest, the Chocolate Delite Meal, and the Scoops Annual Taste Treat Contest.

Chocolate Fest will continue the rest of the week.

• Aug. 4: Children’s Peanut Fair from 4-6 p.m. at Calais Elementary School; International Supper at 5 p.m. at the First Congregational Church, Calais.

• Aug. 6: Calais Street Fair from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. in downtown Calais; Holmes Cottage Museum open for tours from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Main Street, Calais; Cow Patti Breakfast at 7 a.m. at St. Croix Masonic Hall, Calais, to be followed at 8 a.m. by Cow Patti Bingo; International Homecoming Festival starts at 12 noon at Memorial Park on Main Street, Calais.

Historic granite mile posts greet motorists approaching Calais from the south on Route 1.

• Aug. 7: Show and Shine antique and classic car show from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on St. Stephen waterfront; International Lumberjack Championship at 10 a.m. on St. Stephen waterfront; Firefighters’ Muster at 10:30 a.m. on Main Street, Calais; Calais Rotary Sunday Funday Concert featuring Fish Whistle at 3 p.m., Calais Triangle; fireworks launched over the St. Croix River at 8:30 p.m.

Head to Eastport to celebrate Independence Day and then return in mid-September to encounter pirates and eat a tasty Atlantic salmon.

Eastport throws the longest Fourth of July Celebration in eastern Maine and always kicks off the holiday a few days early. According to www.eastport4th.com, Independence Day festivities begin on July 1 when the USS Nitze, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, moors at the Eastport Breakwater Pier for the weekend. Frisbee and limbo contests will take place at Library Park, and a masquerade ball will be held at 8 p.m. at the Eastport Arts Center.

Penobscot Island Air will offer scenic airplane flights from Eastport Municipal Airport from 8 a.m.-7 p.m., July 2-4. Only July 2, the Moose Island Follies will take place at 7 p.m., and the Blast Addicts will perform rock ’n roll at Overlook Park.

July 3 events include the Quoddy Maritime Museum Auction, Glory Bound in concert at Library Park, a codfish relay race, a firefighters’ muster, and a torchlight parade at dusk.

On July 4, a blueberry pancake breakfast will be served 7-11 a.m. at Eastport Municipal Airport, a car show will start at 10 a.m. in Bank Square, and the Grand Independence Day Parade will step out on Washington Street at 2 p.m.

Fireworks will be launched over Eastport Harbor at dusk.

The Sixth Annual Eastport Pirate Festival begins with the Invasion of Lubec on Sept. 3 and shifts to Eastport Sept. 9-11.

Pirates will occupy Eastport to participate in a parade, a cannonfiring demonstration, lively cutlass and sword play, and a pirate bed race.

For more information, log onto www.eastportpiratefestival.com.

Coinciding with the pirate festival are the Second Annual Eastport Lobster Boat Races and the East port Salmon Festival, both scheduled for Sept. 11. The salmon festival will feature boat tours of offshore salmon pens, live entertainment, and salmon dinners served beneath a tent on Eastport Breakwater Pier.

For additional information, log onto www.eastportsalmonfestival.com.

The Down East Border Riders Saddle Club will sponsor these horse-related events at the Pembroke Fairgrounds in Pembroke: • July 2: Game Show; • July 16: Equitation/Pleasure Show; • July 23: Equitation/Pleasure Show; • Aug. 27: Game Show; • Sept. 17: Equitation/Pleasure Show.

40 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

John Marin, Island (Ship's Stern), 1934. Private collection, courtesy Meredith Ward Fine Art, New York. © Estate of John Marin / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York.

Modernism at Midcentury June 23 – October 10

Seven Congress Square n portlandmuseum.org n (207) 775-6148

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 41

Maine museums focus on many themes

Among the 50 states, only Maine and Virginia can claim 400plus years of recorded history, and many museums located across Maine focus on that history. Historical societies often staff local museums during summer and fall; some year-round museums are dedicated to specific topics or themes.

The Cole Land Transportation Museum , located at 405 Perry Road, Bangor, displays land-based transportation equipment from the last two centuries. Displays feature automobiles, trucks, snowmobiles, motorcycles, wagons, 10 fire trucks (including a 1910 hand

tub), a prairie schooner, a 1926 Fordson Crawler tractor, and even a train (replete with a BL2 locomotive and an original Maine railroad station).

The museum grounds are open to the public. Visitors can stroll through a 72-foot covered bridge built in the 1990s or follow a biking/walking trail that extends from Perry Road to the I-395 overpass to connect with Webster Avenue.

Six war memorials are located outside the museum; among the memorials are the State of Maine Monument to World War II, the Purple Heart Memorial, and the Black Granite Memorial dedicated to Mainers lost during the Vietnam War. The Cole Land Transportation Museum is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m.,

This unusual Egg Phone Booth is displayed at The Telephone Museum in Ellsworth.

A flying staircase greets visitors at the Ruggles House in Columbia Falls.

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

MAINE MARITIME MUSEUM Maine’s Sea Story Lives Here 䡵

Tour the shipyard site where the world’s largest wooden ship was built

䡵

Explore seven interactive family friendly exhibits

䡵

Go aboard a Grand Banks fishing schooner

䡵

See Navy destroyers being built at Bath Iron Works

䡵

Cruise the Kennebec River on nature and lighthouse tours

䡵

Watch wooden boats being constructed by hand

Open daily 9:30 to 5 Tour, cruise and event reservations available online

 Washington Street • Bath, Maine • -- • www.MaineMaritimeMuseum.org

daily, from May 1-Nov. 11. A minimal admission is charged. For more information, log onto www.colemuseum.org.

Located at 166 Winkumpaugh Road in Ellsworth, The Telephone Museum displays vintage telephone equipment, such as manual switchboards, Strowger Automatic Systems, a complete No. 3 Crossbar System, and the central office of the Island Telephone Co., which served Frenchboro on Long Island.

The Telephone Museum is open 1-4 p.m., Thursday-Sunday in July, August, and September. A Switchers’ Holiday has been scheduled for 10 a.m.-4 p.m., July 23.

The Cole Land Transportation Museum is located on the Perry Road in Bangor.

For more information about the museum, log onto www.ellsworthme.org/ringring/ or call (207) 667-9491.

History and architecture merge

at The Ruggles House, an architecturally striking 19th-century house located at 146 Main St., Columbia Falls. Designed by See MUSEUMS, Page 42

42 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

Museums

ty Airport, disFor more information about the Owls plays vintage cars Head Transportation Museum, log onto and trucks, bicy- www.owlshead.org.

Continued from Page 41 cles, motorcycles, Located at Sharp’s Point South, 75 Massachusetts housewright Aaron Sherman, and antique air- Mechanic St., Rockland, the Coastal Chil the Adamesque-style Federalist house dates craft.

Current dren’s Museum specializes in letting chilto 1818-1820 and belonged to Judge special exhibits dren ages 2-9 learn about arts, nature, and Thomas Ruggles. are: science by through creative play. The museThe Ruggles family lived in the house for • MGs & um has more than 13 exhibits that inspire 100 years, and Mary Ruggles Chandler Microcars. Dis- children to create, slide, sail, and touch; launched its restoration in the 1920s. The played MGs range these exhibits include a full-size Beetle Cat house features many furnishings unique to from a 1931 M sailboat and the Gulf of Maine marine-creathe Ruggles family.

University Four- ture touch tank.

The Annual Ice Cream Social will be held some Folding Children participate in various programs 1-3 p.m., July 10. Free house tours will be Head Coupe to a that incorporate exploration, education, and Located in the Oakfield Train Station in Aroostook County, the available.

1948 TC. Among fun to teach youngsters about their world.

Oakfield Railroad Museum displays railroading memorabilia and The Ruggles House the displayed Workshops held throughout the year introa Bangor & Aroostok Railroad caboose. (www.ruggleshouse.org) is open for guided Microcars are a duce children and their families to local tours from 9:30 a..m-4:30 p.m., Monday- lutionary War Era Re-enacting.

1914 Scripps Booth Rocket Cyclecar, a 1932 artists, authors, and professionals. The more Saturday and 12 noon-4:30 p.m., Sunday.

For more information, log onto American Austin Roadster, and a 1958 Mor- popular programs have involved live birds of prey and insect presentations and the There is an admission charge. www.leonardsmills.com. ris Minor 1000 Convertible.

“Touch a Truck” workshops, Located at historic Leonard’s Mills off In southern Aroostook County, history which brought to the museum Route 178 in Bradley, the Maine Forest and buffs can learn about County railroading at Logging Museum replicates a late 18th-cen- the Oakfield Railroad Museum, open 1-4 large vehicles from emergency service, city government, and tury colonial village established along Black- p.m., Saturday-Sunday, throughout the local construction companies. man Stream, where a dam provided water summer and operated by the Oakfield HisThe Coastal Children’s for a sawmill. The dam and its spillways still torical Society. The museum focuses on the Museum hosts school groups exist. history of the Bangor & Aroostook Railroad, and takes educational and Among the replica colonial-period build- according to OHS President Art Collier. interactive activities to local ings on site are a covered bridge (which Located in the original Oakfield Train schools, libraries, and comoffers unique photographic opportunities), Station on Station Street, the museum dismunity events. The museum plays such items as: has developed a kit titled • Historic photographs, “Let’s Learn about Maine including some taken during Islands” for use by schools, the early 1800s; home schools, and libraries.

• Vintage signs, including Among the events taking the station signs from Houlplace at the museum this ton and Patten; A classic car is displayed during an auto show at the summer are: • Signal lanterns; Owls Head Transportation Museum in Owls Head.

• July 1, 2-3 p.m. The Crab• Railroad telegraphy equipment.

• A Century Ago: Transportation in Maine grass Puppet Theatre will present “JabberDisplayed outside the During the Wright Era. This exhibit features wocky,” based on Lewis Carroll’s “Alice museum is a C-66 caboose; a such transportation equipment as a circaSee MUSEUMS, Page 43 hand car, a motor car, and 1900 Clark Ornithopter (a helicopter other equipment are dis- forerunner), an 1895 Buffam Stanplayed in an adjacent motor- hope automobile, a 1904 Stanley Colonial re-enactors demonstrate musket-firing at the car house.

Model B Runabout, and 1868 Roper Maine Forest and Logging Museum in Bradley.

Inside the museum are the Steam Velocipede (a bicycle), and a an operational “up and down” sawmill, a log Clyde Boutilier Reading Room and the horse-drawn Portland Cutter made cabin, a trapper’s line camp, and a black- Museum Gift Shop, where hats, T-shirts, circa 1850. smith shop. books, and the Oakfield Historical Society • The Evolution of the Wheel.

Leonard’s Mills is open daily year-round; calendar are sold.

Open year-round, the museum visitors can walk the grounds and adjacent Railway Fan Day will take place 11-4 p.m. schedules several weekend events, woodland trails. at the Oakfield Railroad Museum, with din- including: On specific weekends, re-enactors bring ner served afterwards at the Oakfield Com• July 2-3: Fabulous ’50s, Sensationthe village to life. Activities slated for 2011 munity Center. al ’60s & Antique Aeroplane Show; include: To add to the museum’s ambience, a main • July 23-24: Trucks, Tractors, Com• July 9-10, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., daily: Summer railroad line runs past the museum. This mercial Vehicles & Antique Aeroplane at Leonard’s Mills will feature re-enactors line extends from Millinocket northeast to Show; demonstrating colonial-era blacksmithing, Houlton and north to Fort Kent and the St. • Aug. 6-7: Antique Auto, Aircraft & spinning, trapping, and wood-working. John Valley.

Aerobatic Spectacular; Activities will include horse-drawn wagon For more information about the Oakfield • Aug. 20: 34th Annual New Engrides.

Railroad Museum, call (207) 757-8575 or land Auto Auction, with previews set • Aug. 6, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.: Men and Their log onto www.oakfieldmuseum.org or, on for Aug. 15-20; Pretending that he’s standing on a ship’s deck Machines & Blacksmiths’ Roundup.

Facebook, check Oakfield Railroad Museum • Sept. 3-4: Vintage Motorcycle (actually an indoor slide), a young boy scans • Aug. 13-14, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., daily: Inter- or Oakfield Historical Society.

Meet & Antique Aeroplane Show; the horizon for pirates while participating in a tribal Pow-wow.

The Owls Head Transportation Museum, • Sept. 17-18: Earth Movers & Shak- program at the Coastal Children’s Museum in • Sept. 17-18, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., daily: Revo- located on Route 73 next to the Knox Coun- ers & Antique Aeroplane Show.

Rockland.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 43

Museums Continued from Page 42 Through the Looking Glass.” For ticket information, call (207) 3851105.

The Coastal Children’s Museum is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m., WednesdaySaturday and 1-4 p.m., Sunday. Log onto www.coastalchildrensmuseum.org or email info@coastalchildrensmuseum.org.

At Bath, the Maine Maritime Museum features various exhibits depicting shipping, shipbuilding, and life along the Maine coast.

Located at the former Percy & Small Shipyard, the museum lies on the Kennebec River 1.2 miles south of Bath Iron Works. Take Washington Street south from downtown Bath to reach the museum.

Shoreside exhibits include: • A Maritime History of Maine; • A Shipyard in Maine: Percy & Small and the Great Schooners.

Free daily guided tours are available.

• Cold Waters, Cold War: the 20th Century Navy in Maine. This exhibit runs through Aug. 7.

• Distant Lands of Palm and Spice: Maine Ships and Mariners in Deepwater Commerce.

• Lobstering and the Maine Coast.

Located on the museum grounds and open to visitors from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday-Saturday from Memorial Day to Columbus Day, the Victorian-era Donnell House was home to a Bath shipbuilder.

The museum has introduced a one-hour trolley tour that takes visitors onto the BIW waterfront

The Maine Maritime Museum campus stretches along the Kennebec River south of downtown Bath.

Exhibitions on display this summer at the Portland Museum of Art include Maine Moderns: Art in Seguinland - represented (left)

by Marsden Hartley’s “Jotham’s Island off Indian Point, Georgetown, Maine” - and Will Barnet at 100 - represented (right) by Barnet’s “The Blue Robe.”

to learn about modern warship construction. The tour price includes museum admission; the tour runs daily from Monday to Saturday.

The Maine Maritime Museum bolsters its maritime focus by offering many cruises on the Kennebec River and adjacent waterways. For a complete listing of the museum’s available cruises and its exhibits, log onto www.mainemaritimemuseum.org.

The museum is open 9:30 a.m.5 p.m. daily, except for New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Specializing in music and related equipment almost lost to oblivion with the advent of radio and Ipods, the Musical Wonder House at 16-18 High St., Wiscasset show-

cases more than 5,000 mechanical music instruments.

These range from music disc boxes that play music recorded on metal discs to exquisitely crafted music boxes, clocks, paintings, and steins (the Great Room displays an extensive collection). Included among the musical instruments are antique coin-operated machines and a 1792 French-made

canary trainer.

Located in a sea captain’s home built in 1852, the Musical Wonder House is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Saturday, and 12 noon-5 p.m., Sunday, from Memorial Day weekend to Halloween. Visitors can opt for the Full House Tour, which encompasses the first floor, and the Grand Tour, encompassing both floors. During a tour, a museum guide plays different music boxes in each room.

The Merry Music Box Gift Shop carries music boxes, bird boxes and cages, porcelains, musical door chimes, and other gifts.

For more information about the Musical Wonder House, log onto www.musicalwonderhouse.org.

Located at Seven Congress Square in downtown Portland, the Portland Museum of Art features a noted State of Maine Collection and more than 60 paintings and sculptures belonging to the Elizabeth B. Noyce Collection.

With a collection containing more than 17,000 works of art, the museum features art by Winslow Homer, Rockwell Kent, Andrew Wyeth, Pablo Picasso, Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Edwin Church, and other famous artists.

Represented art periods range from French Impressionism and Gilded Age to Cubism, American

Landscape, Gilded Age, and Maine art.

This summer’s exhibitions include: • Maine Moderns: Art in Seguinland, 1900-1940: During that era, several American modernists spent their summers painting coastal scenes while living in towns “below” Bath along the Kennebec River. Running through Sept. 11, this exhibit showcases 65 paintings.

• Refashioned: Running until July 31, this exhibit features 21 objects lent by artists Lauren Gillette, Anne Lemanski, and Angelika Werth. They use the “sculptural jackets, hairstyles, and dresses” to create “historical narratives,” according to PMA literature.

• Will Barnet at 100. To celebrate the 100th birthday of artist Will Barnet, the PMA is displaying his works until Aug. 14. Barnet spends his summers in Maine.

A special event, “mod n modern: 2011 Portland Museum of Art Auction,” will be held starting at 5 p.m., Sept. 17.

The Portland Museum of Art is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. MondayThursday and Saturday-Sunday and 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Friday. For additional information about the museum, log onto www.portlandmuseum.org.

Meet Maine wildlife

BDN PHOTO BY DEBRA BELL

A fox kit is the king of his world at Prentiss Woods in Bangor.

BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ

The Musical Wonder House Museum and Gift Shop is located at 16-18 High St., Wiscasset.

A vulture flies near Maiden Cliff in Camden (above, left), Three eider ducks form a small “raft” on Casco Bay (left). Harbor seals sun themselves on the Green Island ledges in Frenchboro (above).

44 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

Hancock County

Sample the taste of a Bar Harbor summer with lobster, clams, & pie As the largest town on Mount Desert Island, Bar Harbor serves as the gateway to Acadia National Park. Tourist guides extol the park’s magnificent coastline and mountains, and visitors explore Acadia by car, boat, horse, or on BDN PHOTO BY BRIAN SWARTZ

Viewed from Ocean Drive in Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island, the sun rises over Frenchman Bay and Schoodic Point.

See what Bar Harbor is all about!

Out & About Dining Package Dine at our waterfront restaurants after heading out on the Atlanticat to witness the most spectacular sea creatures up close!

Bring your taste buds...and your camera!

800-234-6835 BarHarborRegency.com

Package Includes: • Two nights deluxe accommodations • Breakfast for two each morning of stay • One dinner for two at hotel signature restaurants* • One dinner for two at Stewman’s Lobster Pound* • Two complimentary tickets to the Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co. 800-328-5033 TheHarborsideHotel.com

Based on availability. Restrictions apply. Taxes and gratuity excluded. *Bar Harbor Regency dinners will take place at Edenfield Restaurant and Regency’s very own Stewman’s Lobster Pound. *Harborside dinners will take place at La Bella Vita Ristorante and Stewman’s Lobster Pound downtown location.

foot; hiking trails crisscross the mountains and valleys and even connect intown Bar Harbor with the park.

Lodgings and restaurants located along the Route 3 corridor and in downtown Bar Harbor provide a choice of places to stay and menus to sample. Several tour boats sail from Bar Harbor to take visitors exploring in Frenchman Bay, sightseeing along the MDI shore, or far offshore to find

whales. At the Bar Harbor-Hancock County Airport in Trenton, sight-seers can charter an aircraft or a glider to experience MDI from the air.

And lobster: No excursion to Bar Harbor would be complete without a lobster dinner. Prices vary per pound or shell condition (hard or soft), and diners can opt for a lobster roll (or clam roll or crab roll, but lobster’s king) or lobSee BAR HARBOR, Page 45

Bar Harbor Continued from Page 44 ster stew. Sample real Maine blueberry pie and fried clams; even better, dip steamed clams in hot, melted butter to experience a delicious meal!

Besides its culinary delights, Bar Harbor offers visitors an expansive arts and music calendar. From jazz to pops to chamber music, visitors can enjoy different music genres from June to late August — and that’s not including genres played in the local clubs.

The Bar Harbor Town Band performs weekly concerts from 8-9 p.m. at the Village Green. Sched-

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 45

uled dates are June 20, July 7, 11, 14, 18, 21, 25, and 28 and Aug. 1, 4, 8, 11, and 15.

A fund-raiser for AngelFlight NE, the Bar Harbor Mussel and Wine Festival will be held from 14 p.m., June 25 at Bar Harbor Cellars Winery, Route 3, Bar Harbor.

The 45th Bar Harbor Music Festival will offer different performances July 1-31: • July 1, 8:15 p.m.: Opening night with a brass quintet at the Bar Harbor Congregational Church, Mt. Desert Street; • July 3, 4 p.m.: Tea concert at Balance Rock Inn; • July 8, 8L15 p.m.: Piano recital at the Bar Harbor Congregational Church, Mt. Desert Street;

• July 10, 8:15 p.m.: Pops concert at the Bluenose Inn; • July 12, 5:30 p.m.: New Composers Forum at the Bar Harbor Congregational Church, Mt. Desert Street; • July 15, 8:15 p.m.: “The Barber of Seville” at the Criterion Theater, Cottage Street; • July 17, 8:15 p.m.: Jazz night at The Jackson Laboratory Commons, Main Street; • July 22, 8:15 p.m.: Chamber music concert at the Bar Harbor Congregational Church, Mt. Desert Street; • July 24, 8:15 p.m.: Chamber music concert at the Bar Harbor Congregational Church, Mt. See ACADIA, Page 46

BDN PHOTO BY BRIAN SWARTZ

Bicyclists ride along the Around The Mountain Carriage Road in Acadia National Park.

Experience Bar Harbor Harbor Place

Tours of Bar Harbor and Acadia National park for tickets and information log on to:

www.olistrolley.com

or call us:

207 288-9899

BAR HARBOR WHALE WATCH COMPANY 1-888-WHALES-4 www.barharborwhales.com

1 hour and 2½ Hour Tours departing daily Like us on Facebook!

1 West Street, Bar Harbor An oceanfront retreat surrounded by coastal country charm.

46 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

Acadia Continued from Page 45

Desert Street; • July 27, 8 p.m.: 39th Annual Acadia National Park Outdoor Concert at Blackwoods Campground, Route 3, Otter Creek; • July 29, 8:15 p.m.: Seventh Annual Bob Noonan Memorial Concert at the Bar Harbor Congregational Church, Mt. Desert Street; • July 31, 8:15 p.m.: Bar Harbor Festival String Orchestra, with conductor Francis Fortier, at the Bar Harbor Club, West Street.

The 61st Annual Bar Harbor Chamber of Commerce Art Show, titled “Art by the Sea,” will take place 9 a.m.-5 p.m., June 25 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m., June 26 at the Village Green. The Native American Festival and Basket Makers Market will be held from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., July 9 at the College of the Atlantic, Eden Street.

The 53rd Annual Down East Fair will take place July 16 at Church of Our Father, Route 3, Hulls Cove. A baked supper will be served at 5 p.m.; a gala auction will start at 6 p.m.

The Bar Harbor Garden Club

has scheduled a Tour of Fine Island Gardens from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., July 17. The tour encompasses several private and public gardens.

On July 24, the Festival of Flowers Garden Tour will take place from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on the Quietside of Mount Desert Island. The tour covers six private gardens, and proceeds will benefit the Southwest Harbor Public Library.

For more information, log onto www.swharbor.lib.me.us.

The 36th Annual Maine Crafts Guild Directions Show will be held at MDI High School, Route 233 from 5-9 p.m., July 29; 10 a.m.-5 p.m., July 30; and 10 a.m.-4 p.m., July 31. Eighty Maine artisans will participate in this show.

The 10th Carol Dyer Memorial Luminaria Evening will take place from 7-10 p.m., Aug. at the Village Green in Bar Harbor. Proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society.

The Mount Desert Summer Chorale presents Haydn’s “The Creation” Aug. 6-7 at St. Saviour’s Church, Mt. Desert Street in Bar Harbor.

The Bar Harbor Fine Arts Festival will take place Aug. 12-14 at the Bar Harbor Inn, Newport Drive, Bar Harbor. Admission is free to

BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ

Vacationing on Mount Desert Island in June 2011, a Texas family strolls the Bar Harbor waterfront after the daughters purchased “moose caps” at a local store. Bar Harbor is the gateway to activities in Acadia National Park.

the public.

The Mount Desert Island Preservation Society will sponsor Eden Fest from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., daily, Aug. 12-14 at the McCormick Gardens, corner of Eden and Prospect streets in Bar

Harbor.

The Eighth Annual Bar Harbor Jazz Festival will take place Aug. 18-21 at various locations in downtown Bar Harbor. For more information, log onto www.barharborjazzfest.com.

The Maine Crafts Guild Bar Harbor Show will be held 5-9 p.m., Aug. 19, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Aug. 20; and 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Aug. 21 at Atlantic Oceanside Hotel & Conference Center, Eden Street, Bar Harbor.

Cadillac South Ridge Trail offers outstanding views of Acadia NP

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

Climb on high to see the Acadia sky.

Many hikers claim the South Ridge Trail on Cadillac Mountain as their favorite Acadia ascent. Hike this trail this summer to find out why. The 3.5-mile South Ridge Trail ascends Cadillac’s southern spine and provides, particularly past the treeline, stunning views of earth, sea, and sky.

The trail starts at a sign post located on Route 3, diagonally across from the Blackwoods Campground entrance.

Set beside granite steps, the sign informs hikers that the Cadillac summit awaits them 3.5 miles away.

For the next 0.9 miles, the trail climbs gradually while winding across roots, dry terrain, and the occasional muck.

In a shaded glen, the trail reaches a weather-beaten sign post directing hikers “straight” to the Cadillac summit or “right” 0.1 miles to the Eagle’s Crag.

Turn right. The trail climbs abruptly and emerges onto granite ledges jutting from the tree-covered South Ridge.

The Eagle’s Crag provides physically unhindered views across MDI’s eastern peaks — Huguenot, Champlain, Beehive, and Gorham — to Frenchman Bay and Schoodic Point. Otter Creek Valley lies below and Otter Creek Cove and Otter Point to seaward.

The Eagle’s Crag Trail edges north along the ledges and intersects the South Ridge Trail at a four-sign post. From here, the trail rolls relentlessly northward across expansive granite ledges abutted by stubbly jack pines.

Hikers ascending the South Ridge Trail on Cadillac Mountain (above) pass a cirque called The Featherbed (above, right) and reach a point where the Cadillac summit appears on the horizon (right).

These aesthetically “cute” trees block most views, except where open ledges extend westward to reveal Pemetic’s forested south ridge matching Cadillac almost foot for foot in elevational gain. Look backward occasionally to enjoy southerly views extending across The Triad and Day Mountain to Eastern Way and the Cranberry Isles.

Cairns and painted blue blazes identify the South Ridge

Trail as it rises toward the blue summer sky. Higher up, the ledges widen, and views reach across MDI’s Quietside to Swans Island, Frenchboro, and distant Isle au Haut. Now a hiker glimpses Cadillac’s physically imposing heights through the trees, and views open northward through Bubble Pond Valley.

See CADILLAC, Page 47

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 47

Ellsworth offers modern amenities, concerts & access to nature

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

Bisected by the Union River, Ellsworth blends modern life — restaurants, shopping, and other automobile-focused activities — with natural beauty, accessible by canoe or kayak along the river and by foot along the trails at Birdsacre on High Street, Oak Point off Bayside Road, and Woodlawn on the Surry Road.

A short walk along Water Street leads to Ellsworth Waterfront Park, where a boat ramp and a dock provide boaters with access to Union River and Union River Bay. Enjoy lunch at a picnic table and watch the osprey dive for fish or chase away the occasional eagle.

Window shop while strolling along Main Street, home to unique local businesses and The Grand, an art-deco theater that offers concerts and films. On a hot day, read a book while seated outside the Ellsworth Public Library on State Street — and every budding photographer should frame the library, Ellsworth City Hall, and the architecturally striking State Street Congregational Church in a viewfinder.

Hike the trails at Birdsacre, a wildlife sanctuary abutting busy Route 3 on Beckwith Hill. Follow the Bayside Road signs to Oak Point, which juts into Union River just

Cadillac Continued from Page 46

The South Ridge Trail reaches a spot where Cadillac suddenly dominates the northern horizon, where a hiker stops and thinks, “Wow!” The earlier, fantastic views south, west, and east really do not compare with the geological wonder flowing north across three discernible humps to a fourth hump, where teeny-tiny humans stand on Cadillac’s actual summit.

The South Ridge Trail now rises along Dike’s Peak, named for the faded gray basalt dike laid down when a volcano rumbled beneath Cadillac eons ago. The mountain briefly falls away, especially to westward, as the trail reaches an overlook above The Featherbed.

Three cirques, freshwater ponds left by retreating glaciers, nestle among Acadia’s eastern peaks. The Bowl nestles behind The Beehive, and Sargent Mountain Pond (allegedly frequented by skinny-dippers) lies in the col between Penobscot and Sargent mountains.

The Featherbed is Cadillac’s cirque.

Descending to the pond where frogs croak in summer, the trail intersects the Canon Brook and Pond trails before seriously

downstream from Ellsworth Waterfront Park. The trail winds through relatively open woods to vantage points overlooking Ellsworth Harbor.

Check out the restaurants and stores located along Routes 1 and 3 (especially High Street). From a movie theater to a bowling alley to motels, visitors can meet almost every need in Ellsworth, Down East Maine’s fastest growing municipality.

The Woodlawn Museum, built by Col. John Black, encompasses a Federalist-style brick mansion with Greek columns, an 1857 carriage barn, a sleigh barn, and 180 acres along the Surry Road (Route 172) in Ellsworth. Each summer the museum schedules various programs; for a complete listing, log onto www.woodlawnmuseum.com.

Enjoy a competitive, yet relaxing and funfilled sport by playing golf croquet at Woodlawn from 2-4 p.m., every Tuesday in summer. Among other activities slated for 2011 are: • July 6, 13, 20, and 27, 3-5 p.m., daily: Afternoon high tea; • July 14, 4-5 p.m.: Writer Brad Emerson will present an illustrated lecture about Jonathan Fisher, an early Blue Hill resident; • July 22, 6:30-8:30 p.m.: Amateur mycologist Greg Marley will present an illustrated lecture about Maine wild mushrooms; • July 23, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.: Marley will presattacking the last 1.2 miles north to the Cadillac summit.

Views open westward across Eagle Lake, and Dorr Mountain gradually dominates the eastern horizon. At 0.5 miles from the summit, the South Ridge Trail intersects the rugged West Face Trail and angles northeast for the home stretch.

Of the trail’s 3.5-mile length, the last half mile teases and threatens. The Blue Hill Overlook sign jutting above the trees suggests an easy jaunt to the top. However, en route the South Ridge Trail assaults a knoll accessed by the trail’s only iron rung, which eases a 7-to-8-foot vertical climb over pink granite ledges.

Atop the knoll, the trail crosses ledges adjacent to the Cadillac Mountain Road and turns east to descend behind the gift shop and emerge beside a sign post indicating that Blackwoods Campground lies 4.2 miles “that away.”

Finish the hike by walking to the actual summit. Enjoy the northerly views unavailable along the South Ridge Trail.

I recommend arranging for a car-driving friend or relative to meet a hiker at the Cadillac summit. Round-trip hikers should follow the Cadillac Mountain Road back to the Blue Hill Overlook and work their way past the knoll to the trail. Do not climb down over the iron rung.

BDN PHOTO BY BRIAN SWARTZ

Reading a good book while enjoying an iced coffee is a great way to spend time at Ellsworth Waterfront Park. Osprey and cormorants hunt fish along the Union River just offshore.

ent a mushroom-identification workshop; • July 28, 4-5 p.m.: College of the Atlantic professor Todd Little-Siebold will lecture about the history of agriculture in Down East Maine; • Aug. 3, 10, 24. and 31, 3-5 p.m., daily: Afternoon high tea; • Aug. 17, 5-8 p.m.: The Ellsworth Antiques Show at Woodlawn will open with a preview party and dinner; • Aug. 18, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.: The Ellsworth Antiques Show will take place at Woodlawn; • Aug. 19, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.: The Ellsworth Antiques Show continues at Woodlawn; • Aug. 24, 4-5 p.m.: Darlene Springer will present an illustrated lecture about local Civil War monuments.

For more information, log onto www.woodlawnmuseum.com.

Located at 166 Winkumpaugh Road in Ellsworth, The Telephone Museum displays vintage telephone equipment, such as manual switchboards, Strowger Automatic Systems, and a complete No. 3 Crossbar System.

The museum is open 1-4 p.m., ThursdaySunday in July, August, and September. A Switchers’ Holiday will be held from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., July 23.

For more information, log onto www.ellsworthme.org/ringing/.

The Grand on Main Street in Ellsworth has scheduled various performances this summer. The schedule includes: • June 25, 7 p.m.: Maine humorist Tim Sample; • July 2, 7 p.m.: Slaid Cleaves with Angelina the Baker; • July 7-9, 7 p.m., daily: Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Hancock County presents “Ruddigore”; • July 10, 2 p.m.: Gilbert & Sullivan Society of Hancock County presents “Ruddigore”; • July 21, 7:30 p.m.: Maine Pro Musica, a professional orchestra, presents an all-string concert;

• July 29, 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.: The musical “A Year with Frog and Toad”; • July 30, 12 noon and 7:30 p.m.: The musical “A Year with Frog and Toad”; • Aug. 4, 5 p.m.: Runway Grand 2011: Maine Made and Remade features local designers selling their creations; • Aug. 19, 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.: The musical “Disney’s Cinderella”; • Aug. 20, 12 noon: The musical “Disney’s Cinderella”; • Aug. 28, 7:30 p.m.: Session Americana.

For more information, log onto www.grandonline.org.

The Pierre Monteux School schedules summertime concerts (admission charged) at its Forest Studio, located at 13 Captain Bill Road in Hancock.

For more information, log onto www.monteuxschool.org.

Schoodic Arts for All sponsors concerts and other events at Hammond Hall, an acoustically perfect facility located in Winter Harbor. Slated for summer 2011 are: • July 8, 7 p.m.: Sam’s Soul Children from George Stevens Academy performs awardwinning jazz; • Aug. 18, 7:03 p.m.: Winter Harbor Summer Sing features local choral singers; • Sept. 9, 7 p.m.: Martin Earley and Devin Mauch perform “”Folk With an Edge.”

The Schoodic Arts Festival focuses two weeks on music, performance, and film: • Aug. 1, 7 p.m.: Schoodic Summer Chorus performs “Life is But a Dream”; • Aug. 2, 7 p.m.: Watch the movie “Deep Waters,” a 1948 film set in Corea; • Aug. 3, 7 p.m.: The furry Fofers perform music and tell stories in “The Fofer Show”; • Aug. 4, 7 p.m.: 10 people, ranging from an artist to a bell maker to a rug hooker, appear in “Pecha Kucha 20 x 20”; • Aug. 5, 7 p.m.: Three local steel pan bands perform various music types; • Aug. 6, 7 p.m.: Honky Tonk Confidential performs award-winning music; • Aug. 7, 7 p.m.: The Robinson Ballet appears in “Live 2011”; • Aug. 8, 7 p.m.: Schoodic Arts Show choruses perform; • Aug. 9, 7 p.m.: Scott Cleveland Trio performs original and re-interpreted jazz; • Aug. 10, 7 p.m.: Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium presents the sculptors participating in the symposium’s 2011 program; • Aug. 11, 7 p.m.: The Mask Messenger delivers stand-up comedy and physical theater; • Aug. 12, 7 p.m.: Katie Higgins, who won Schoodic Idol 2010, performs soulful country; • Aug. 13, 7 p.m.: The Sheep Island Rovers perform acoustic folk music; • Aug. 14, 7 p.m.: Schoodic Arts Festival ends with the Final Showcase.

48 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

Check out list of activities to do in Trenton Folks traveling on Route 3 to Mount Desert Island may not know about what they can do in Trenton, the Gateway to Acadia National Park. For example, in Trenton visitors can: • Enjoy a traditional lobster dinner, with two restaurants offering views across Mount Desert Narrows to MDI’s mountainous horizon; BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ

A family relaxes in Trenton by playing tetherball (left) and enjoying a delicious ice cream cone (right).

• Enjoy a traditional sit-down breakfast, lunch, or dinner at a local restaurant; • Watch lumberjacks and ’jills demonstrate their ax-tossing, log-rolling, log-splitting, and sawing skills; • On a warm day, cool off on a hair-raising water slide; • Camp at a seaside site overlooking MDI; • Take a glider flight high above Hancock County with a licensed pilot; • Enjoy a picnic in Acadia National Park (the Thompson’s See TRENTON, Page 50

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 49

Summer on Blue Hill Peninsula ranges from a mountain to the sea

Separating Penobscot Bay from Union River Blue, the lovely Blue Hill Peninsula encompasses blueberry fields, deep forests hilly terrain, and an indented coastline that thrusts far inland to create the Bagaduce Falls at Brooksville. Such towns as Blue Hill, Brooklin.

Penobscot, and Sedgwick spread across the peninsula.

Visitors often create their own adventures, from riding floats or inner tubes through the tide-created Blue Hill Falls to hiking Blue Hill (the mountain — and the town, too with sidewalks accessing many intown streets) to navigating a boat into local coves.

Many activities take place in this region each summer. For a comprehensive listing, log onto www.bluehillpeninsula.org.

The 21st Annual Blue Hill Pops Concert will start at 7:30 p.m., July 3 at the George Stevens Academy gymnasium, located on Union Street in Blue Hill. Stressing the theme “Sounds Around Blue Hill,” the concert will feature: • Legendary folksinger Noel

Paul Stookey; • Flash in the Pans, an excellent local steel drum band that launched the genre in eastern Maine some years ago; • Sam’s Soul Children, a jazz group from GSA; • The New Trad Trio; • Ellacapella, a women’s singing group; • The Bagaduce Pops Singers, directed by Bronwyn Kortge.

The pops concert is sponsored by the Bagaduce Music Lending Library in Blue Hill. For more information, call (207) 374-5454.

Located on Route 15 in Blue Hill, Kneisel Hall Chamber Music School offers public concerts each summer. The 2011 Chamber Music Festival includes these concert dates: • June 24-25, 7:30 p.m.

• July 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29: 7:30 p.m.

• July 3, 10, 17, 24, and 31: 4 p.m.

• Aug. 5, 12, 19, and 26: 7:30 p.m.

• Aug. 7, 14, 21, and 28: 4 p.m.

The 2011 Young Artist Concert

Series presents concerts by young pianists and string players enrolled in the Kneisel Hall Chamber Music School. Concert dates are: • July 16, 18, and 19: 7:30 p.m.

• July 18-19, 2 p.m.

• Aug. 10-11, 7:30 p.m.

• Aug. 10-11 and Aug. 13, 2 p.m.

For more information about specific concerts and ticket prices, log onto www.kneisel.org.

The popular Blue Hill Fair will tale place Sept. 1-5 at the Blue Hill Fairgrounds, located on Route 172 in Blue Hill. Blending a traditional midway with an excellent agricultural area replete with several ani-

mal barns and various 4-H competitions, this fair represents a return to traditional country fairs.

Harness racing will take place Sept 4-5. The Bellamy Brothers will perform at the Midway Stage on Labor Day (Sept. 5) to cap a busy musical schedule featuring such groups as the RetroRockerz, the Katahdin Valley Boys, Dejablue, Fishwhistle, and the

Mainely Country Band.

Other scheduled activities include the Disc-Connected K9s, the Great State of Maine Lumberjack Show, and Hot Dog Pig Racing. Sunday’s always a big draw, especially in late day when folks gather to watch the fireworks display.

For more information, log onto www.bluehillfair.com.

“A little out of the way, and way out of the ordinary.”

Eleven guest rooms in recently restored 126-year-old inn with a gourmet restaurant and full bar.

Fine Dining Daily

5 miles off Rte. 1, 967 Point Rd., Hancock (207) 422-6806 info@crockerhouse.com www.crockerhouse.com

50 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

14th Annual Bucksport Bay Festival kicks off on Thursday, July 28

The 14th Annual Bucksport Bay Festival will highlight Bucksport’s relationship with the Penobscot River — and deliver a rousing good time for everyone visiting Bucksport from July 28-31.

Sponsored by the Bucksport Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, the family-oriented Bay Festival opens at 7 p.m., Thursday, July 28 with the Riverbend Players performing “Around the World in Song & Dance” at the Alamo Theatre on Main Street.

The destroyer USS John L. Hall will be moored at Bucksport during the bay festival.

On Friday, July 29, the Coast Guard cutter “Thunder Bay” will moor at the Verso Paper dock and will open for public tours from 4-8 p.m. (8 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday). A karaoke contest will start at 6 p.m. at the gazebo, with the top three winners receiving cash prizes.

The band Exit 4 will perform at the gazebo at 8 p.m., and at 9 p.m., the Alamo Theatre will host a free outdoor showing of “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Look for a busy schedule on Saturday, July 30, as the Bucksport Bay Festival kicks into high gear.

Scheduled Saturday activities include: • 9 a.m.-6 p.m.: Board the “Patience” at the Bucksport Town Pier to tour Bucksport Harbor.

• 9:30 a.m.: The festival parade will start in downtown Bucksport.

• 10 a.m.-3 p.m.: The Bucksport Historical Society will display historic photos and other items in the Train Depot.

• 10 a.m.-5 p.m.: The Kids Cen-

Trenton Continued from Page 48

Island Picnic Area, the first Acadia site that visitors encounter while crossing the Trenton Causeway, lies in Trenton); • Feel like Snoopy chasing the Red Baron after climbing into a radial engine-powered biplane and zooming into the wild blue yonder above Acadia National Park; • Play a round of golf on a scenic course located away from the Route 3 traffic; • Choose among several aerial tours that encompass Acadia, MDI, or nearby coastal waters;

BDN PHOTO BY BRIAN SWARTZ

Boats lie moored off Bucksport and its Waterfront Walkway, which offers visitors a place to stroll along the scenic Penobscot River.

ter will feature two bounce houses, the King Lion Maze, Skee-Ball, a small animal petting area, an interactive puppet show, and a sports package area.

• 11 a.m.-3 p.m.: Book signing by two Maine authors.

• 11 a.m.-9 p.m.: Music groups will perform at the gazebo. Performers already include the Dixieland Band, the jazz band from the 195th Army Band (Maine Army National Guard), the Willy Kelly Band, Money Down, Matthew Drinnenberg, and the Steel Rail Express.

• 1 p.m.: Hannaford Pie BakeOff Contest.

• 9:15 p.m.: Fireworks will be launched over Bucksport Harbor from the Verona Island boat ramp.

Other activities taking place during the festival include: • A motorcycle show sponsored

by the Hancock County United Bikers of Maine; • A 5K Family Fun Run; • An antique and classic car show; • An arts and craft show along the Waterfront Walkway.

Coinciding with the 14th Annual Bucksport Bay Festival is a Civil War encampment sponsored by Co. B, 20th Maine Infantry Regiment at Fort Knox State Park.

The Union boys will be joined

by Co. G, 15th Alabama Infantry Regiment, and other re-enactment groups.

Soldiers from the 20th Maine

will march in the Bucksport Bay Festival parade.

Other events taking place at Fort Knox this summer are: July 2-3, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.: The 6th Maine Battery will fire a full-scale replica Parrot rifled cannon.

July 9, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.: A Scottish Tattoo will feature rousing bagpipe music performed by the Anah Temple Highland Band, the Claddagh Mor Pipe Band, the Dunlap Highland Band, and the Maine St. Andrews Pipes & Drums.

July 16, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.: The popular Pirate Festival will see the

Pirates of the Dark Rose carrying passengers on an hour cruise from the Bucksport Town Dock; the pirates will fire a ship’s cannon during each cruise. Events at Fort Knox will include a pirate parade and costume contest, a treasure hunt, and cannon-shooting and weapons demonstrations.

July 23-24: The Paranormal Fair/Psychic Faire will feature ghost hunters, psychics, and author Loren Coleman.

Aug. 4-7, 6 p.m.: The Ten Bucks Theatre Troupe will perform “Hamlet” for “Shakespeare Comes to Fort Knox.”

Aug. 13, 8-10 p.m.: A Moon Viewing will take place at the Penobscot Narrows Observatory.

Aug. 20-21, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., daily: A granite-cutting demonstration will take place.

Aug. 27, 7-10 p.m.: Join the Ghosts of Fort Knox guided tours.

Sept. 10, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.: The Ninth Annual Medieval Tournament will feature rapier duels and fencing melees, a tournament of knightly combat, catapult firing, and live music and dancing.

Orland River Day will take place along the Narramissic River in Orland on June 25. Planned activities include children’s games, live music, and a raft race on the river.

For more information, call (207) 469-0077.

• Stop at a visitors’ center and learn about many local attractions, lodgings, and restaurants; • Take off from the Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport to see lighthouses sprinkled along the Hancock County coast; • Attend church services on Sunday; • Get an ice cream, a float, or a sundae; • Catch an airline flight to Boston and hence to destinations worldwide; • Get a good night’s rest in a rented cabin; • Shop for a new car or modular home.

By Brian Swartz

BDN PHOTO BY DEBRA BELL

A barn cat rubs its shoulder against wagon wheels at a farm in Gouldsboro.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 51

BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ

Open to bicyclists, ATVers, hikers, and horse riders throughout its 87-mile length, the Down East Sunrise Trail crosses the Schoodic Bog (wetlands, right) and curves beneath the granite ledges of Schoodic Mountain in Sullivan. Frenchman Bay and the Mount Desert Island peaks rise on the horizon.

Discover natural beauty & wildlife on the Down East Sunrise Trail

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

HANCOCK — With a snip of a yellow ribbon on Sept. 21, 2010, outdoor recreationists gained full access to the 87-mile Down East Sunrise Trail that extends from Washington Junction in Hancock to Ayer Junction in Pembroke.

And according to Phil Savignano of the Maine Office of Tourism, “this trail is just what” vacationers want: diverse opportunities for outdoor recreation.

During a ceremony attended by state government officials and outdoor recreationists representing various organizations, the Down East Sunrise Trail officially opened for its entire 87-mile length from Washington Junction in Hancock to Ayers Junction in Pembroke.

“I’m having a hard time not jumping up and down today,” said Sally Jacobs of the Sunrise Trail Coalition, which led initial efforts to convert the Maine Central Railroad’s abandoned Calais branch into a multiple-use trail.

Along its length, the Down East Sunrise Trail crosses blueberry barrens, parallels the East Machias and Machias rivers, passes beautiful marshes and streams, and accesses the Schoodic Bog, a breath-taking natural area “below” Schoodic Mountain. One 4-mile stretch parallels Route 1 between Cherryfield and Harrington.

Trail heads exist at Washington

Riding through Township 7 in Hancock County, a bicyclist pedals toward Cherryfield on the Down East Sunrise Trail.

At Mile 81 in Dennysville, the DEST crosses the beautiful Big Meadow.

A painted turtle lingers at trail’s edge where the DEST crosses the Ohio Brook flowage in Pembroke.

Junction, on Route 193 in Cherryfield, at the Route 1 dike in Machias, in East Machias, at Ayer Junction in Pembroke, and at various side roads. At various points along the trail, signs direct outdoor recreationists to nearby motels, restaurants, and stores.

Businesses “are hooking up to

the trail,” said Sally Jacobs of the Sunrise Trail Coalition. “There are new snowmobile and ATV maps showing the trail and their connections. The ATV clubs have already stepped up and have trash cans [in place] so that we can help to maintain the trail.”

The Down East Sunrise Trail is a

A bicyclist approaches Tunk Stream (inset) where it borders the DEST in Steuben.

beautiful place to get off the beaten path and head out,” Savignano said. “Our research tells us that people come here because of our natural beauty, for touring and for outdoor recreational activities.” He

believes the DEST “is going to provide year-round recreation” opportunities.

For more information about the DEST, log onto www.sunrisetrail.org.

52 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

Midcoast

Vibrant downtown, scenic harbor lure visitors to Belfast by the bay

By Debra Bell SPECIAL SECTIONS WRITER

Located at the head of Penobscot Bay, Belfast focuses many summer activities on its busy harbor and waterfront. Visitors can board a sailboat and cruise Upper Penobscot Bay, shop in the many downtown stores, and dine at restaurants overlooking the scenic harbor, often dotted by sailboats bobbing at their moorings.

From June 30-July 9 the Belfast Maskers will present Brian Friel’s “Dancing at Lughnasa” on the Festival Stage at Steamboat Landing in the Belfast waterfront. This show is not recommended for younger children. For more information, call (207) 338-9668.

The Belfast Garden Club will sponsor Open Garden Day at several local gardens: • July 1-2, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., daily:

BDN PHOTO BY DEBRA BELL

Beautiful hand-crafted jewelry will be among the crafts and fine arts on display during the 16th Annual Arts in the Park, set for July 9-10 at Heritage Park in Belfast.

The Woolsey Garden on George Street, Northport; • July 15-16, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., daily: The Berk-Foley Garden on Beech Hill Road, Northport; • July 22-23, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.,

daily: The Finch-Holmes Garden on Battery Road, Belfast; • July 29-30, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., daily: The Bennett and Whyte Gardens on Bridge Street, Belfast; • Aug. 5-6, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., daily:

The Webster Garden on Shore Road, Northport; • Aug. 19-20, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., daily: The Andersons’ Garden on Kaler Road, Belfast.

The 21st Annual Garden Walk will start at 10 a.m., July 8 and will encompass six Belfast-area gardens. For more information, call (207) 930-6739.

The Searsport Lobster Boat Races and Antique Power Day will take place starting at 10 a.m., July 9. Locations include Mosman Park, the Penobscot Marine Museum, and the Searsport Town Dock; activities will include children’s crafts, lobster boat races off Searsport, exhibits of antique engines and lobster boats, and radio-controlled model racing.

On July 9 from 7:30-9 p.m., the Belfast Armory will be the location of the VoXX: Voice of Twenty Concert . This Midcoast-based vocal ensemble will present “Inno-

vation and Innovators.” Tickets are $10. For more information visit www.voiceoftwenty.com.

Belfast’s 16th Annual Arts in the Park will take place 10 a.m.-4 p.m., daily, July 9-10 at Heritage Park in Belfast. This arts-and-crafts festival draws hundreds of people to Belfast and features continuous live music under the tent and food vendors selling such delicious summertime fare as lobster rolls and kebabs.

More than 80 artists will display fine arts and crafts, ranging from paintings and pottery to photographs, fiber, jewelry, and metalwork. Admission to Arts in the Park is free, but funds raised from exhibitors’ fees help support Friends of Belfast Parks.

For more information, log onto www.artsintheparkbelfast.org.

Belfast Summer Nights schedules weekly musical entertainment See BELFAST, Page 53

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 53

Belfast Continued from Page 52 at different locations. Concerts are held 5:30-7:30 p.m.; the 2011

BDN PHOTO BY BRIAN SWARTZ

A pink ladyslipper grows near a hiking trail in Camden Hills State Park.

schedule includes: • June 23: The Hips; • June 30: Bel Isle; • July 14: Ameranouche; • July 21: Odlaw; • July 28: Raku Raku; • Aug. 4: Belfast Area High School jazz band and Noah Fishman & Pals; • Aug. 11: Monday Night Jazz; • Aug. 25: Riptyde; • Sept. 1: Willy Kelly Band.

Plan to dance during Belfast’s free outdoor summer music series on July 21 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The artist of the night is OdLaW. Performance is at corner of High and Main Streets. For more information call (207) 322-7123.

The Belfast Historical Society will present “Folk Instruments of Britain,” a performance and discussion with local musician and naturalist Tom Seymour, at 7 p.m., July 25 in the Belfast Library.

Gallery at the Harbor will feature award-winning Maine artists displaying and selling their draw-

ings, fine art, original prints, and paintings at Heritage Park from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Aug., and from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Aug. 7.

Belfast Harbor Fest will be held on August 20-21 at Belfast Harbor.

Boatbuilding competitions, live music, a blueberry pancake and

sausage breakfast, and the Second Annual Bug Run are part of the festival. For more information, log onto www.belfastharborfest.com.

54 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

Attend concerts, plays, and Boats & Harbors Show on the Midcoast on Aug. 20.

By Debra Bell SPECIAL SECTIONS WRITER

There’s nothing more “quintessential Maine” than spending summer days on the coast. And there’s a lot more to do on the Midcoast than just beachcombing and relaxing — which are great pastimes, by the way.

Lincolnville

An old-fashioned community bean supper will be held at the Tranquility Grange in Lincolnville

Camden In Camden, theatergoers will be delighted by a summer full of dance, theater, music, and lectures at the Camden Opera House. For full details and tickets, visit www.camdenoperahouse.com.

Events include: • June 24-25, 7:30 p.m.: A benefit event for the Northport Music Theater will present “A Day in the Life: Beatles Tribute.”

• July 22, 7:30 p.m.: Everyman Repertory Theatre will present an

encore of Alfred Hitchcock’s “The 39 Steps.”

• Aug. 12, 7 p.m.: Camden Civic Theatre will present “Peter Pan: The Musical.”

• Aug. 13, 1:30 p.m.: Camden Public Library will host a lecture with Pulitzer Prize winning Author David McCullough.

Looking for a little inspiration this summer? The Camden Garden Club is sponsoring its 64th Garden and Home tour on July 21 from 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, log onto www.camdengardenclub.com.

Merryspring Nature Center in Camden is hosting its annual kitchen tour from 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Aug. 3.

Tour participants will visit eight uniquely designed kitchens while enjoying demonstrations and tastings by area chefs and caterers at each kitchen. Ticket sales support educational programs at Merryspring Nature Center. Find out more by visiting www.merryspring.org.

Rockland

BDN PHOTO BY BRIAN SWARTZ

Hikers who climb Maiden Cliff in Camden will find a cross dedicated to a young woman who fell from the cliffs in the mid-19th century. Maiden Cliff also offers outstanding Midcoast views.

In Rockland, music and art are in the forefront of scenic summer fun.

On July 1, don’t miss “Jabberwocky” produced by Crabgrass

Take the train between Rockland & Brunswick chug, riders will be delighted by the hum of a train ride along the Midcoast.

SPECIAL SECTIONS WRITER The Maine Eastern Railroad, based at Pleasant Street in Rockland, provides scenic train rides along As the whistle blows and the train engine begins to the midcoast with stops in Wiscasset, Bath, and Brunswick.

Train service begins in May and continues through the fall with a special train ride in December. The train operates Wednesday through Sunday.

Whether you’re young or young at heart, a ride on the train is like taking a step back in time.

Comfortable seats, a dining car, and breathtaking views await riders. And if you’re planning on hitting a Maine fair, festival, or just want to do some sightseeing, riding the Maine Eastern Railroad is a treat.

For more information or to BDN PHOTO BY DEBRA BELL make a reservation call 866Passenger cars belonging to the Maine Eastern Railroad are ready MERAILS or visit online at to depart the Rockland Train Station to carry people to Wiscasset, www.maineeasternrailroad.com.

Bath, and Brunswick.

By Debra Bell

Puppet Theatre , in partnership with the Coastal Children’s Museum of Rockland.

Puppets introduce kid to this classic poem. “Jabberwocky” will be performed at Rockland District High School from 2-3 p.m. Tickets are $10 for Coastal Children’s Museum members, $12 for nonmembers, and $13 at the door.

Find out more at www.coastalchildrensmuseum.org/Calendar.ht ml.

Love the blues? The North Atlantic Blues Festival will once more be held on the public landing in Rockland from July 16-17. Find out more online at www.northatlanticbluesfestival.com.

The Ninth Annual Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors Show will take place Aug. 12-14 at Harbor Park in Rockland.

Featured activities include the World Championship Boatyard Dog Trials, a boat show offering more than 70 boats in the water and 150 boats displayed on land, and vendors displaying crafts, fine furniture, and jewelry. Boatbuilders and marine architects will be among the exhibitors.

For more information, log onto www.maineboats.com/boatshow.

The Strand Theater has a busy schedule including film and live music starting in June and continuing into the fall. For a full schedule, tickets, and more information visit www.rocklandstrand.com.

Events include: • July 8, 8 p.m.: Marty Stewart and the Fabulous Superlatives will delight country music loving audiences.

• July 19, 7:30 p.m.: Maine Pro Musica will perform Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.

• July 20, 8 p.m.: Charlie Chaplin’s “The Kid” will be screened along with live music performed by the one-of-a-kind Paragon Ragtime Orchestra playing the original score.

• July 31, 8 p.m.: The Wailin’ Jennys, a popular musical vocal trio, return to the Strand for an evening of folk music.

• Aug. 18, 8 p.m.: Colin Hay, former front-man for Men at Work, will be at the Strand to delight audiences of all ages.

• Aug. 28, 7:30 p.m.: Steven Page, the former lead singer for the band Bare Naked Ladies, is now touring as a solo artist and will be per-

forming.

Rockport

Bay Chamber Concerts (www.baychamberconcerts.org) has scheduled a comprehensive 2011 Summer Music Festival, running from July 1 to Sept. 1. Performances will be held at different Midcoast venues: • July 1, 8 p.m.: Opening Night will feature pianist Menahem Pressler and violinist Shmuel Ashkenasi at the Rockport Opera House, Rockport.

• July 3, 8:30 p.m.: Enjoy “Dancing in the Street” with a free outdoor concert at Camden Harbor Park, Camden.

• July 7, 8 p.m.: Pianist Simone Dinnerstein will perform “Back to Schumann” at the Rockport Opera House, Rockport.

• July 8, 7 p.m.: The Young Stars of Maine will perform at the Rockport Opera House, Rockport.

• July 13, 6 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.: The string trio Time for Three will perform at the Farnsworth Wyeth Center, Rockland.

• July 14, 8 p.m.: Time for Three will perform at the Rockport Opera House, Rockport.

• July 21, 8 p.m.: Pianist Max Levison and violinist Stefan Jackiw perform three Brahms sonatas at the Rockport Opera House, Rockport.

• July 27, 8 p.m.: The Louisiana Repertory Jazz Ensemble will perform at the Strand Theatre, Rockland.

• July 28, 8 p.m.: The piano trio Latitude 41 will perform great Russian masterworks at the Rockport Opera House, Rockport.

• Aug. 3, 6 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.: Flutist Thomas Wolf and members of the St. Lawrence String Quartet will perform at the Farnsworth Wyeth Center, Rockland.

• Aug. 4, 8 p.m.: Flutist Thomas Wolf and members of the St. Lawrence String Quartet will perform at “Primo Piano: Andrew Wolf Award Winner Concert” at the Rockport Opera House, Rockport.

• Aug. 10, 8 p.m.: Bassist Anthony Manzo, pianist Annie-Marie McDermott, and the St. Lawrence String Quartet will perform at the Strand Theatre, Rockland.

• Aug. 11, 8 p.m.: Bassist AnthoSee MIDCOAST, Page 55

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 55

Lincoln County

Explore the glorious Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

Join the estimated 90,000-plus people visiting the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens this year and learn why a public garden that opened only four years ago has become a top Midcoast natural attraction.

Among 248 acres spreading along the Back River in Boothbay lie exquisitely designed gardens abloom with native and nonnative plants from spring through fall. Colors shift almost weekly as individual species reach peak, but no matter the day, week, or month, colors abound in Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens.

Hidden amidst a spruce-fir forest not far from bustling Boothbay Harbor, the Gardens offers “a place of tranquility … [where] the emphasis is on horticultural beauty and diversity,” said Director of Communications Barbara Freeman. Flowers, plants, and trees blend in eye-refreshing landscapes; the renowned landscape architects hired to design the gardens created beautiful scenery, a fact evident as visitors approach the Visitor Center along a landscaped walkway.

Home to the Gardens Gift Shop and the Kitchen Garden Café, the Maine Cottage-style Visitor Center

Midcoast Continued from Page 54 ny Manzo, pianist Annie-Marie McDermott, and the St. Lawrence String Quartet will perform at the Rockport Opera House, Rockport.

• Aug. 17, 6 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.: Harpist Julie Smith and the St. Lawrence String Quartet will perform at the Farnsworth Wyeth Center, Rockland.

• Aug. 18, 8 p.m.: Clarinetist Romie de Guise-Langois, flutist Thomas Wolf, harpist Julie Smith, and the St. Lawrence String Quartet will perform at the Rockport Opera House, Rockport.

• Aug. 24, 8 p.m.: Enjoy “The Spirit of the 20s” featuring different musicians at the Strand Theatre, Rockland.

• Aug. 25 8 p.m.: Enjoy an evening of chamber music per-

BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ

At the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay, the Lerner Garden of the Five Senses (left) emphasizes places where visitors can smell, touch, taste, see, and hear a garden experience. A family meanders through the nearby Bibby and Harold Alfond Children’s Garden (right), which incorporates literary themes, a Maze Lawn, and a Story Barn.

opens onto the Great Lawn & Ledge Garden. An extensive trail system extends outward from the Visitor Center and the adjacent Bosarge Family Education Center, scheduled to open on July 15, 2011.

Trails connect the various gardens near the Visitor Center; trails also wind across the forested terrain to reach such sites as the Fairy House Village, the Giles Rhododendron & Perennial Garden, and the Vayo Meditation Garden, located near the river.

At the admissions counter, a visitor receives a full-color map detailing the various gardens and formed by various musicians at the Rockport Opera House, Rockport.

• Aug. 31, 8 p.m.: First chair musicians from several top American orchestras will perform “Mostly Brahms” at the Strand Theatre, Rockland.

• Sept. 1, 8 p.m.: First chair musicians from several top American orchestras will provide the season finale at the Rockport Opera House, Rockport.

Thomaston Montpelier, the General Henry Knox Museum, will be the location of a Revolutionary War reenactment on Aug. 6-7. Fifty re-enactors will pitch tents, chop wood, light campfires, and shoot muskets as they reenact life in a typical military camp of the late 1700s.

Admission is free. Find our more by logging onto www.knoxmuseum.org.

trails. Refer to this map to discover Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens’ secrets, from a bunny sculpture to pink lady-slippers to a granite rose to the newest gardens: the Lerner Garden of the Five Senses and the Bibby and Harold Alfond Children’s Garden.

Opened in July 2009, the 1-acre Lerner Garden emphasizes the five senses (smell, touch, taste, sight, and hearing) along a winding path designed to create an enjoyable experience for all, including the physically handicapped and visually impaired: • At a raised garden located near the Pavilion, a handicapped gardener can slide a wheelchair beneath the garden’s edge and work in the garden at arm level.

• A raised relief map set at the garden’s entrance helps a blind visitor learn the garden’s features in Braille. Paving patterns differs between the main path, with its rectangular and square stones, and side paths, built with flagstones.

During a Lerner Garden tour, Freeman demonstrated how visitors can experience the five senses: • Smell a palm after running it across a particular herb (common sage evokes a delightful aroma); • Touch different plants to “feel” their texture; • Listen to water spilling over a low waterfall; • Feel the stone texture while walking stocking-footed through the Refloxology Labyrinth; • Listen while speaking “inside” the Sound Stones; • Relish the landscaped splendor found throughout the Lerner Gar-

den.

Benches placed strategically throughout the garden encourage visitors to sit and view the natural beauty around them — or watch a butterfly, cloud, or day go by. As elsewhere in Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, the Lerner Garden invokes tranquility, a refuge from life’s hectic pace.

Opened in July 2010, the 2-acre Bibby and Harold Alfond Children’s Garden lies behind the Burpee Kitchen Garden and incorporates several children’s literary themes, a Maze Lawn, a Story Barn, a Tree House, and a Wabanaki Camp built by the Penobscot Nation’s Barry Dana.

A Children’s Garden “experience” starts amidst three spouting stone whales that have “surfaced” at the garden’s entrance to “breathe”; then children can venture onto the nearby maze or walk past the Coloring Cottage with its white cat-heads fence. A nearby sign directs visitors to the Bear Cave, Fairy Houses, Stump Jump, and other entertaining locations, including the Blueberry Pond visited by “Sal’s Bear,” made famous in “Blueberries for Sal.” The garden’s design encourages children to explore, touch, and play, from tossing a lobster trap into Blueberry Pond to rowing the “Tidely-Idley” dory to meeting Miss Rumphius, a topiary located near the Lupine Meadow.

At a signed stop next to the Children’s Garden, visitors can board a shuttle that transports people for free to two Birch Allée stops and other stops at the rhodo-

dendron garden and on the Shoreland Trail.

In mid-June 2011, the Haney Hillside Garden reopened. Located just beyond the Rose Arbor and Slater Forest Pond, the garden connects the upper gardens with the Shoreland Trail. Native Maine plants and trees grow in the Haney Hillside Garden, which has such features as Moss Landing and Waterfall Landing.

On July 15, the Gardens will open “the greenest building in Maine;” the Bosarge Family Education Center, which earned LEED Platinum certification, “will be a handsome, spacious venue for programs and events,” Freeman indicated. “With its many interpretive features, it will also act as a teaching tool, helping visitors who’d like to learn ways they can go green at home, indoors and out.”

Accessed from Barters Island Road, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, year-round. Several on-site parking lots accommodate cars and buses; visitors pay an admission fee, but parking’s free. For more information, log onto www.MaineGardens.org.

Freeman anticipates that Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens will be busy this summer and fall as more people, Mainers and visitors alike, learn about the Gardens’ beauty and outstanding plant diversity. “It’s a real resource for Maine,” she said. “We had 40,000 visitors when we opened in 2007; four years later, we’ve more than doubled that.

56 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

Visit the Boothbay Region this summer

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

BDN PHOTO BY BRIAN SWARTZ

A little girl plays on the upper deck as a tour boat departs Boothbay Harbor to take visitors on a lighthouse cruise.

Encompassing Boothbay, Boothbay Harbor, Edgecomb, and Southport, the Boothbay Region allows visitors a quiet place to interact with the sea and nature while enjoying the amenities associated with a Maine vacation: arts, crafts, a concert or play, a clam feed or lobster dinner, and a great place to stay overlooking the water.

Take Route 27 south from Route 1 to reach Boothbay and Boothbay Harbor. Local roads lead to busy villages and quiet coves; obtain a map from the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce (www.BoothbayHarbor.com) or stop by the Boothbay Region Information Center at Route 27 and 323 Adams Pond Road.

The region abounds with inns, bed-and-breakfasts, motels, and hotels, plus a few campgrounds, so finding a place to spend the night is not challenging. Many accommodations provide views across Boothbay Harbor and offer on-site parking, always valuable during busy summer weekends.

Dining experiences range from the eclectic — a clam roll, hot dog, or sandwich served at a local eatery — to the exquisite — a lobster dinner or surf-andturf combo prepared in an elegant restaurant. At several sites around Boothbay Harbor, visitors can dine outdoors while literally seated over the ocean, a pleasant setting on a warm summer’s day.

Tour boats operate daily to take visitors whale watching, lighthouse cruising, or fishing for mackerel and stripers in season. Tour operators post their available cruises at dockside and online; visitors interested See BOOTHBAY, Page 57

SMUGGLERS COVE INN oceanfront resort, near boothbay harbor

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Open Seasonally May Sept 10am 5pm

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BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 57

Boothbay Continued from Page 56 in seeing wildlife should consider a cruise that stops by the local sealladen ledges or ventures into waters where osprey nest and fish.

Concerts and fairs — the latter focusing on arts and crafts — help fill the Boothbay Region calendar each summer. The Maine-based Hallowell Community Band will perform at 7:45 p.m., July 4 on the Waterfront Park dock and on the Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library lawn at 7:30 p.m. on July 7, 14, 21, and 28 and Aug. 4, 11, 18, and 25 and Sept. 1.

The Harbor Arts and Crafts Fair will take place on the Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library lawn from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on June 22, July 2, July 27, Aug. 3, Aug. 17, Aug. 31, and Sept. 10. The Fourth of July Arts & Crafts Show will take place July 2-4 at Boothbay Common in Boothbay.

The 54th Annual Boothbay Harbor Rotary Club Charity Auction and Flea Market will be held from 8 a.m.-12 noon, Aug. 6 on Boothbay Common.

The First Friday Arts Tour will take place in the Boothbay Region on July 1, Aug. 5, and Sept. 2. Various art galleries participate in this popular event; for more information, call (207) 633-7025.

BDN PHOTO BY BRIAN SWARTZ

A mid-July day finds boats aligned at their Boothbay Harbor moorings by the incoming tide.

The Boothbay Harbor Fine Art Dealers Association will sponsor the Second Saturday Arts Celebration from 5-8 p.m., July 9, Aug. 13,

and Sept. 10.

The August Fest Arts & Crafts Show will take place from 10 a.m.5 p.m., Aug. 20, and from 10 a.m.-

4 p.m., Aug. 21 at Boothbay Common.

The Boothbay Harbor Opera See HARBOR, Page 58

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58 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

Children can meet and touch sea life at the Maine State Aquarium

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

Teach the kids about Maine marine life by visiting the Maine State Aquarium this summer.

Located on the Department of Marine Resources campus at 194 McKown Point Road, Boothbay Harbor, the Maine State Aquarium displays various sea life found in coastal waters. Wall-inset tanks contain anemones, smelts, longhorn sculpin, lumpfish, and an Atlantic sea raven that, while relentlessly patrolling its tank, resembles an escapee from the Mos Eisley bar in the original “Star War.” Another tank contains a wolf fish, a toothy deep-water denizen that eats green crabs, mollusks, sea urchins, and starfish, but, surprisingly, not other fish. Common to the Gulf of Maine, wolf fish are experiencing some population declines due to habitat destruction and over-fishing.

For Mainers accustomed to red lobsters and their delicious meat, one particular tank proves eyeopening. This tank contains lob-

Harbor Continued from Page 57 House will be a busy place this summer. Divas World Production will present “The Music of Movies” at 8 p.m., July 8 and an “Opposites” Evening of Vocal Arrangements at 8 p.m., July 9.

The Makem & Spain Brothers will perform Irish folk music, starting at 7:30 p.m., July 14; award-winning pianist Paul Sullivan will perform at the opera house at 7:30 p.m., July 21. He will be accompanied by vocalist Theresa Thompson. Jazz Master Delfeayo Marsalis will perform with his jazz combo at 8 p.m., July 29.

The Boothbay Harbor Opera House will feature the Steep Canyon Rangers (bluegrass) at 8 p.m., Aug. 6.

The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay hosts various events each summer, including: • July 2-3: Plein-Air Painting Days; • July 8, 5-9 p.m.: A Night at the Gardens;

BDN PHOTOS BY BRIAN SWARTZ

At the Maine State Aquarium in Boothbay Harbor (below), children examine sand dollars, sea stars, sea urchins, and other marine life living in the Tidepool Touch Tank (above, left). Resembling something out of a nightmare, an Atlantic sea raven patrols relentlessly in a nearby tank (above, right).

sters (their claws banded, thank you) in various hues, including albino, blue, calico, and a shade that resembles orange.

The aquarium also displays a 17-pound lobster that escaped the pot courtesy of Maine lobstermen.

While not a large facility, the Maine State Aquarium offers

enough excitement to entertain and educate youngsters of all ages.

Located in the middle of the facility is the 850-gallon Shark Touch Tank, filled with dogfish (small, harmless sharks) and skates.

While an educational “lifeguard” overlooks the tank and answers questions, visitors can

• July 12: Maine Friends of Music Concert; • July 13, 5-7 p.m.: Plein-Air Painters Art Show Reception; • Aug. 5-7, 1-4 p.m.: Maine Fairy House Festival; • Aug. 28: Benefit Party with Auction & Dinner; • Sept. 11, 4 p.m.: Summer’s End Tea. For more information, log onto www.MaineGardens.org.

Located on Route 27 in Boothbay, the Boothbay Railway Village displays and operates vintage narrow-gauge railroad equipment and schedules different events. Among those planned for 2011 are: • June 25, 6 p.m.: Great Train Robbery; • July 2: Antique Engine & Tractor Meet; • July 9: Maine Summer Book Fair, featuring 40 Maine writers and their books; • July 16, 2 p.m.: Fund-raising auction; • July 16-17: Antique Auto Days; • Aug. 5-7: A Day Out with Thomas, a popular event that brings Thomas the Tank Engine to Boothbay to pull trains all week-

end; • Aug. 12-14: A Day Out with Thomas, a popular event that brings Thomas the Tank Engine to Boothbay to pull trains all weekend; • Aug. 27, 6 p.m.: Great Train Robbery; • Sept. 16: Children’s Day, with free admission for children ages 16 and under.

For more information about the programs, log onto www.railwayvillage.org.

The Boothbay Playhouse has scheduled several performances this summer: • June 23-July 9: “Seussical,” a musical based on various Dr. Seuss characters; • July 13-23: “Nunsense”; • Aug. 3-20: “Guys and Dolls”; • Sept. 14-24: “Call Me Madam.”

For more information, call (207) 633-3379.

Fireworks will be launched over Boothbay Harbor at 9 p.m. on June 22 and July 4.

The Southport Memorial Library will hold the 84th Annual Book & Bake Sale from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Aug. 5.

reach into the salt water and touch sharks and skates as they swim past.

Next to the shark-and-skate tank is the Tidepool Touch Tank, where visitors can touch and handle horseshoe crabs, sand dollars, sea stars, sea urchins, and sculpins.

Aquarium staff members monitor this tank to answer questions about the various marine critters.

Also on site is a Video Microscope Lab that, via a powerful video microscope, introduces visitors to the minute marine world not visible to normal eyesight.

Located near the exit, the Aquarium Gift Shop features marine-related stuffed animals, books, DVDs, t-shirts, and toys.

Proceeds benefit the aquarium and its programs.

The Maine State Aquarium overlooks Boothbay Harbor, and visitors never know what vessels

might moor offshore. American Cruise Lines occasionally anchors a cruise ship near McKown Point so passengers can go ashore to shop in Boothbay Harbor; on other days, sailboats ply the harbor waters just offshore.

The aquarium grounds feature picnic tables where families often spread out and dine on warm summer days.

The Maine State Aquarium is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday-Saturday, from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend Sunday.

Then the aquarium is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Wednesday-Saturday until its late September closing.

Admission is $5 per adult, $3 per senior citizen, $3 per child ages 516, and free for children age 4 and under.

For more information, log onto www.maine.gov/dmr/rm/aquarium or call (207) 633-9674.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 59

A Maine lobster tastes delicious no matter which way it’s cooked QUICK TIPS FOR PERFECTLY COOKED LOBSTER

By Debra Bell SPECIAL SECTIONS WRITER

It’s summertime and that means many Mainers will be enjoying lobster. But have you ever been at a loss for how to properly cook it?

According to Dr. Bob Bayer at the Lobster Institute in Orono, the best way to cook a lobster is to steam it. But other methods include boiling and grilling.

Here is your lobster cooking primer, courtesy of the Lobster Institute (log onto www.lobsterinstitute.org):

Boiling

Fill a large pot approximately three-quarters full of seawater or salted water (2 Tablespoons of salt

per quart of water). Use about 2½ quarts of water for each lobster.

Bring the water to a boil. Put in the live lobsters, one at a time, cover and bring to a boil again. Lower the heat and simmer about 15 minutes for a 1- to 1¼-pound hard-shell lobster and 20 minutes for a 1½-pound hard-shell lobster.

If you are cooking soft shell lobsters, reduce the cooking time by 3 minutes.

Steaming For best results use seawater or salted water. In a large pot, bring about 2 inches of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Drop in the live lobsters individually. Cover and return to a boil as quickly as possible. When the water returns to a boil, cook approximately 18 minutes for a 1- to 1¼-pound hard-shell lobster and 20 minutes

for a 1½-pound hard-shell lobster.

If the lobster has a soft shell, reduce the cooking time by 3 minutes. Lobsters will turn bright red when cooked.

Grilling Par-boil lobsters in boiling water for five minutes. Remove the lobsters and immediately put them into a large pot or bowl of cold water to arrest the cooking process. Drain the lobsters and store in the refrigerator if you do not plan to grill them right away.

Using a sharp knife, slice the lobster down the middle. Lobsters are easiest to cut with their underbelly exposed. Remove the black vein from the tail, the greenish tomalley from the body and the sand sac located near the head.

Baste the lobster meat with some oil or melted butter.

Midcoast recalls artist Andrew Wyeth was “like a weathered ship stranded on a hilltop.”

A 25-minute drive away, in the seaside village of Cushing, the Olson House is open seasonally to visitors. Owned by the museum since 1991, the house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995 and in 2011 will be named a National Historic Landmark.

the minor detour was behind me as I pulled into the dooryard, paid my $10 fee and joined a guided Andrew Wyeth died in 2009 at tour of the late 18th century landage 91, but his regionalist style mark. paintings, many created on Interior photography is Maine’s Midcoast, live on. Wyeth allowed. Visitors can stand in the loved the region’s plain people upstairs room where in 1948 and its weather-beaten landscape.

Wyeth painted “Christina’s The favor was returned with World,” using three female modlocals’ affection for the man they els, none of them Christina. called Andy and his iconic Across the road, the privately art works. owned barn, field and cemeVisitors to the Rockland tery are worth exploring, area will discover several especially the Andrew Wyeth current Wyeth connections and Olson family graves this summer. Starting at the At the Farnsworth several Farnsworth Art Museum at weeks later, $12 admitted me 16 Museum St., a new exhito the museum’s collections, bition running through Oct. which include works by 30 celebrates the 20th Andrew’s father, N.C. Wyeth, anniversary of the museum’s and his son Jamie. The acquisition of the Olson Wyeth-Olson exhibit is in a House, the Cushing landseparate building called the mark featured in many of Wyeth Center. Tickets for the artist’s paintings. both the Farnsworth and the PHOTO BY RICHARD R. SHAW Olson House are $17, with Titled “Andrew Wyeth, The Olson House in Cushing was made senior and student discounts.

Christina’s World and the famous by artist Andrew Wyeth.

Olson House,” the exhibit The rarely seen art works showcases approximately 50 I decided to tour the Olson are on loan from the Marunuma watercolors and pencil drawings House first, returning later to see Art Park in Asaka, Japan. Three depicting Christina and her the new Farnsworth exhibit. It large watercolors greet the visitor: brother Alvaro. While visiting would have helped to stop at the “Reshingling the Roof,” 1952; Maine in the summer of 1939, Rockland museum to pick up a “Olsons’ Front Door,” 1957; and Wyeth was introduced to the map since I missed the small sign “End of Olson Study,” 1969. My Olsons through his future wife directing visitors off Pleasant favorite in the collection is the Betsy. Over the next 30 years, he Point Road left onto Hathorne stark “Alvaro on Front Doorstep,” painted the house, which he said Point Road. But once at the house, 1942.

By Richard R. Shaw

BDN PHOTO BY DEBRA BELL

A twin lobster dinner awaits diners at the Maine Lobster Festival in Rockland.

Grill the lobsters flesh side down for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the flesh is beginning to look opaque. Turn the lobsters over, baste with more oil and continue to cook for 4 to 5 minutes longer, or until the lobsters are cooked through.

pounds of butter. According to the Festival’s Facebook page, proceeds from the festival are returned to the community. And in its 64th year, the festival is a mainstay in Rockland. Find the complete schedule at www.MaineLobsterFestival.com

LOBSTER EVENTS

47th Annual Winter Harbor Lobster Festival

Maine Lobster Festival This annual five-day festival is held on the waterfront in Rockland. In 2011, the festival will run from August 3-7. More than 20,000 pounds of lobster are served along with more than 1,700

Still can’t get enough lobster?

On August 13, Winter Harbor hosts its annual Lobster Festival.

The festival treats visitors to lobsters, breakfast, a craft fair, a parade, and many more activities.

Find out more at www.acadiaschoodic.org/lobsterfestival.html

PHOTO BY JESSE SCHWARCZ

Spotted during a whale-watching excursion into the Gulf of Maine, a humpback whale leaps from the sea.

60 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

Check out three coastal state parks in Portland area

By Elizabeth Webster Don’t “Shop ‘Til You Drop” in Freeport. Save some energy for two other “S” words: “serene solitude,” located less than five miles away at Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park.

This peaceful park with its ample green and white signage is easy to find via Freeport’s Bow Street and Wolfe Neck Road.

“We have one pair of osprey in the big tree on nearby Googins Island and another pair on the salt marsh. We believe both pair are sitting on three eggs,” stated Andy Hutchinson, Wolfe’s Neck Woods

State Park manager. He added that “osprey are very cool to watch as they hover 100 feet in the air and then dive straight down to pull up a 1-½ -pound flounder with their talons.”

Hutchinson said that the park, open from 9 a.m. to sunset, is noted for its active environmental programs. “Every day at 2 p.m., from Memorial Day until Labor Day, we offer a 45-minute guided nature walk, and tailor walks for the different age groups,” he said.

In 1969, Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence M. C. Smith of Freeport gave 233 acres to the state to be dedicated to nature appreciation. In addition to

guided walks, interpretive panels have been installed along park trails.

Bike racks await bikers to the Freeport park, since biking is not allowed on its various foot trails.

Park goers can call ahead (207865-4465) to secure the covered pavilion that seats about 60 people and is handicap accessible near White Pines Trail. This area also offers a grassy field for playing Frisbee. Flush toilets and drinking fountains are located near the pavilion.

Hutchinson said that visitors can bring gas grills, although numerous other grills for charcoal

fires are nestled with picnic tables throughout the park.

Wolfe’s Neck, bounded by the Harraseeket River and Casco Bay, features various ecosystems with trails named: Wood Road; Shore & Casco Bay; Pine Grove; and Hemlock, along with a marsh and small bog.

“What we don’t have is a sandy beach or lifeguards, so we don’t encourage swimming here,” Hutchinson stated, adding that those looking to play in the sand and swim in the waves “would be better off visiting Crescent Beach State Park,” located about eight miles south of Portland on Route

The forest abuts the granite shore at Wolfe’s Neck State Park in Freeport.

77 in Cape Elizabeth.

John Polackwich, beach/park manager at Crescent Beach State Park, nearby Kettle Cove and Two Lights State Park, all in Cape Elizabeth, welcomes beach goers “to our outstanding fine sand beach with six life guards and one supervisor on duty.”

Opened in 1966 on 335 acres, Crescent Beach State Park features a mile-long crescent-shaped beach for strolling, swimming, sunbathing and boogie boarding.

“Our relatively warm ocean water and light surf make it an ideal spot for these activities,” he stated.

Open from Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day, the state park’s amenities include picnic tables and grills right near the beach, a children’s playground, a snack bar, a renovated bathhouse with bathrooms, changing stalls and rinsing showers; and a group site, complete with 15 picnic tables, available by reservation (207-799-5871).

The beach and dunes provide nesting areas for the endangered piping plovers, and colorful beach roses provide a pretty backdrop on the trails for walking and observing nature. In the wet areas behind the dunes, birdwatchers can sight night and great blue herons and snowy egrets, Polackwich said.

During its open season, pets are not allowed on the beach and must be on four-foot leashes at all times in the park.

Those heading further south in Maine ought to stop at Ferry Beach State Park off Route 9 on Bay View Road in Saco — not to be confused with Ferry Beach on Prouts Neck Peninsula in Scarborough.

Ferry Beach in Saco is open See PARKS, Page 62

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 61

62 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011

Paddle scenic Sebasticook Valley waterways by canoe or kayak

By Brian Swartz SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR

Far from the maddening Sebasticook Valley traffic, a quiet, natural world awaits folks willing to paddle canoes or kayaks along the region’s numerous rivers and streams.

“You can always count on seeing wildlife, always going to see eagles, ospreys, great blue herons, kingfishers,” said St. Albans resident Doug Spalding, who owns a landscape photography studio and hand-crafts wooden canoes and kayaks. He dips a paddle into the Sebasticook Valley waterways whenever he can.

“It’s so peaceful,” Spalding said.

“Once you get out on the water a little bit, you can’t hear anything.

“You can go way up some of these feeders streams” during high water, he indicated. “You see all sorts of wildlife,” including “giant snapping turtles.”

Spalding has written extensively about Sebasticook Valley paddling opportunities at www.dougspalding.com. Click on “Links” and then on “Paddling in Maine.” Among the beautiful places he recommends for peaceful paddling are: • Corundel Pond, a hidden gem in Corinna.

“Corundel Pond was hidden for years behind the old Striar’s woolen mill,” Spalding writes.

“Once the mill came down and the river was re-routed, the pond became much more visible.”

To reach Corundel Pond, drive past the gazebo on Main Street in Corinna and turn right once past a housing complex.

Launch “at the end of the access road … and move your car back a bit so others can launch after you head onto the water,” Spalding writes.

“If you take this trip in a leisurely fashion, you’ll be back at your car in less than 2 hours” after pad-

Parks Continued from Page 60 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., from April 20 until the end of October. Dogs can be walked on leashes on the trails but are not allowed on the beach, Crocker said.

Crocker said park users can call

PHOTO BY DOUG SPALDING

The sun sets the dawn clouds aglow over Little Indian Pond in the Sebasticook Valley. Professional photographer Doug Spalding took this photo while paddling his canoe on the quiet pond.

dling around the pond, he writes.

“On the other hand, you can investigate every little streamlet, have a picnic along the way, and make the trip last a fair part of a day.”

He reports seeing otters, eagles, and ospreys during one excursion on Corundel Pond. The East Branch of the Sebasticook River flows through the pond and then downstream to Sebasticook Lake.

• The West Branch of the Sebasticook River from Pittsfield upstream to Hartland.

This paddling trip “begins at the local Pinnacle Ski Clubhouse on Waverly Avenue in Pittsfield,” Spalding writes. Parking is available at the launch site.

“After launching, take an immediate left to head upstream,” Spalding writes. A short distance upstream, paddlers pass beneath the two Interstate 95 bridges. “I always find it interesting to be under bridges,” he comments.

“Sometimes it makes me wonder just how often anyone takes a took at the understructure of our bridges.”

The West Branch soon widens ahead to reserve the shelter (207283-0067), which seats about 50 people.

The approximately 100-acre park offers picnic tables, benches, bathrooms, a changing room, water fountains, nature trails and “with funding for a new educational nature center in the works,” Crocker commented.

into Douglas Pond. “Should you want to at this point, head to the right side of the boggy pond and see if you can locate the outlet from the Madawaska Bog,” Spalding writes while recommending another paddling excursion.

Upriver along the West Branch, late July sees cardinal flowers blooming in shallow water. Spalding lists several bird species — ducks, Eastern kingbirds, great blue herons, kingfishers, and swallows — that he sees along the river, and “there’s ample evidence of beaver in the stream.”

A paddler soon passes beneath the Route 2 bridge in Palmyra, approximately 1½hours from the launch site in Pittsfield.

Spalding writes that a paddler continuing upriver to Hartland will pass the concrete plant and the pollution control facility and approach the tannery in downtown Hartland.

“This is a really nice trip for several reasons, not the least of which is that this part of the river has little development on it,” he indicates.

“It’s a good trip to pack a picnic lunch and spend the whole day on the water. I prefer the larger canoe when taking a lot of gear, but you get to decide which of your boats to use on any day,” he writes.

• Little Indian Pond in St. Albans.

Travel north from downtown St. Albans on Route 152 for a mile, then bear right on the Grant Road

and drive for 1½ miles. Turn right onto the Ballard Road; at its end, turn right (south) onto the Ripley Road (Route 23). Cross a large culvert at 0.1 miles; Indian Pond lies on the right and Little Indian Pond on the left.

Park on the left and follow the launch path to the water. “Watch out for the large patch of poison ivy on the side of the launch path,” Spalding cautions.

“With a boggy shoreline most of the way around the pond, there is little development, so it’s a quiet place to visit,” Spalding writes.

“Twenty minutes of paddling east by several beaver lodges on the northern shore brought me to Ripley Stream on the left, the inlet of the pond. There were wild irises on the banks. Eastern kingbirds and tree swallows flew about gathering mosquitoes.

“After forty-five minutes on Ripley Stream I was back on the pond, where the breeze had picked up dramatically,” he writes.

“Cormorants and loons swam together, bothered only slightly by my canoe as it passed by within fifty feet of them. A blue-winged teal landed and disappeared into the reeds on the shoreline. Redwinged blackbirds shrilled from the alders on shore,” Spalding writes.

“This is a trip you can take before heading in to work on a spring or summer day. I was home is less than 2½hours,” Spalding indicates.

• East Branch of the Sebasticook River-Sebasticook Lake to Corinna.

To reach the launch site, drive north on Route 7 from the Newport Triangle. About 4½to 5 miles from Newport, turn right onto the County Road and drive about 1½miles to the launch-site parking lot, located on the right.

The East Branch of the Sebasticook River flows from Corinna to reach Sebasticook Lake at the launch site.

After launching, paddle beneath the County Road bridge while staying to the right.

“Stay close to the right-hand side of the river” because “the water shallows, but a canoe will pass through the water plants easily enough,” Spalding writes. Ten minutes upstream, “the reeds present a passage into the wider part of the stream. You may hear the ospreys and kingfishers before you see them hunting for fish.

“About 30 minutes into this trip, I came to an island covered with cattails,” he writes. “From a distance the cattails seemed to be covered in whitish fur. On closer examination the ‘fur’ turned into thousands of bank swallows resting on the slender reeds. They didn’t fly until I was quite near them.”

By staying to the right, a paddler “can explore several inlets,” including Alder Stream and the East Branch of the Sebasticook River, flowing from Corundel Pond in Corinna. “Neither is navigable” to upstream ponds “because of the trees [that] beavers have dropped into the streams, but all the inlet streams are intriguing. One gets the sensation of being in Florida swamps as the channels narrow up and the overhanging trees close in above you,” Spalding writes.

At this point, turn around and paddle downstream to the launch site. While doing so, Spalding saw “a bald eagle overhead and a pair of loons close by,” and “a deer silently slipped into the stream to swim out to a small island as I passed by in the canoe.”

And Spalding cautions canoeists and kayakers to “as always, remember to clean any vegetation off your boats before you leave the area so as not to transport invasive plants to the next body of water you visit.”

BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011 | 63

State fairs emphasize Maine agriculture, rides, and entertainment

Early summer kicks off Maine’s fair season, when almost every weekend sees an agricultural fair — and sometimes more than one — taking place somewhere in the Pine Tree State. The 2011 fair schedule encompasses: • July 1-4 : Houlton Agricultural Fair, Houlton Fairgrounds, Community Park, Houlton — (207) 532-2977 or www.houltonfair.com; • July 7-10: Ossipee Valley Fair, Ossipee Valley Fairgrounds, South Hiram Road, South Hiram — (207) 793-8434 or www.ossipeevalleyfair.com; • July 15-17: Waterford World’s

Fair, North Waterford Fairgrounds, Route 35, Waterford — (207) 514-0333; • July 21-24: Pittston Fair, Pittston Fairgrounds, Route 194, Pittston — (207) 582-7791; • July 29-Aug. 7: Northern Maine State Fair, Northern Maine Fairgrounds, 84 Mechanic St., Presque Isle — (207) 764-2258 or www.northernmainefairgrounds.c om; • July 29-Aug. 7: Bangor State Fair, Bass Park and Bangor Auditorium, Dutton Street, Bangor — (207) 947-5555 or www.bangorstatefair.com; • Aug. 3-6: Monmouth Fair,

Sebasticook Valley has a busy summer calendar

While visiting central Maine this summer, check out these activities taking place in the Sebasticook Valley.

The Stewart Free Library, located at 8 Levi Stewart Drive, Corinna, has scheduled a summer concert series, with a free concert held at 7 p.m., Thursdays, through late August. The schedule features: • June 23: Beecher Boys -N- Girl and Cloggers; • June 30: The Hyssongs; • July 7: New Relm; • July 14: The Lovelys; • July 21: The Mainely Country Band; • July 28: Ken & Jane Brooks; • Aug. 4: Greater Purpose; • Aug. 11: Back Porch Bluegrass; • Aug. 18: Chico and the Band.

For more information, call (207) 278-2454.

The St. Albans Summerfest will take place July 15-17. Planned activities include a July 16 parade and fireworks display launched over Big Indian Lake.

For more information, call (207) 938-2107.

The Thunder in the Valley Car Show will be held from 9 a.m.-4 p.m., July 16 at Thunder Valley Raceway, located at 377 Palmyra Road, St. Albans. Awards will be presented to the top three vehicles in each category: Antiques, Classic Sports Cars, Foreign Sports Cars, Go Karts, Motorcycles, Pickups, and Pulling Lawn Mowers. Registration begins at 9 a.m.; judging starts at 12 noon. Concession stands will be open throughout the

day.

For more information, call (207) 938-3007.

The Central Maine Egg Festival will take place July 19-23 at various locations in Pittsfield. Featuring the theme “Home Town Heroes,” the 2011 festival will feature the Egglympics at Hathorn Park, a parade, a chicken barbeque, a horseshoe tournament, a street dance in the municipal parking lot, and other events.

For more information, call (207) 680-0646.

The inaugural Corinna Car Show will be held at the Corinna Elementary School on July 23.

Sponsored by the Corinna Recreation Department, the car show will feature such categories as antiques, 1949 and earlier, street rods, 4-by-4 trucks, and vintage models from the 1950s to the 1990s.

For more information, call (207) 416-2551.

The 11th Annual North Country Intertribal Powwow will be held Sept. 3-5 at 934 Elm St., Newport. Traditional activities highlighting the Native American Indian culture include art, crafts, dancing, drumming, and a tomahawkthrowing contest. The gates open at 10 a.m. daily; the grand entry starts at 12 noon.

For more information, call (207) 368-4944 or 368-4959 or log onto www. wanderingmoosecreations.com.

By Brian Swartz

Monmouth Fairgrounds, Academy Road, Monmouth — (207) 9332249 or www.monmouthgrows.com/monmouthfair; • Aug. 5-7: Athens Wesserunsett Valley Fair, Athens Fairground, Route 43, Athens — (207) 6607340; • Aug. 7-14: Topsham Fair, Topsham Fairgrounds, Dominion Avenue, Topsham — (207) 7291544 or www.topshamfair.net; • Aug. 11-20: Skowhegan State Fair, Skowhegan Fairgrounds, Madison Avenue, Skowhegan — (207) 474-2947 or www.skowheganstatefair.com; • Aug. 20-27: Union Fair, Union Fairgrounds, Common Road, Union — (207) 273-2465 or www.unionfair.org; • Aug. 25-28: Acton Fair, Acton Fairgrounds, Route 109, Acton — (207) 636-2026 or www.actionfair.tripod.com; • Aug. 25-28: Piscataquis Valley Fair, Piscataquis Valley Fairgrounds, Fairview Avenue, DoverFoxcroft — (207) 943-2650 or www.piscataquisvalleyfair.com; • Aug. 28-Sept. 5: Windsor Fair, Windsor Fairgrounds, Route 32, Windsor — (207) 549-7121 or www.windsorfair.com; • Sept. 1-5: Blue Hill Fair, Blue Hill Fairgrounds, Route 172, Blue Hill — (207) 374-3701 or www.bluehillfair.com; • Sept. 2-5: Springfield Fair, Springfield Fairgrounds, Routes 169/170, Springfield — (207) 738-

Exciting midway rides await visitors to the Windsor Fair, slated for Aug. 28-Sept. 5.

2888 or www.thespringfieldfair.com; • Sept. 2-5: Harmony Free Fair, Harmony — (207) 683-5873; • Sept. 8-11: Clinton Lions Fair, Clinton — (207) 426-8013 or (207) 474-8287 or www.clintonlionsfair.com; • Sept. 9-11: Litchfield Fair, Litchfield Fairgrounds, 44 Plains Road, Litchfield — (207) 3538105; • Sept. 10: Cornish Fair, Cornish — (207) 625-4469; • Sept. 11-18: Oxford County Fair, Oxford Fairgrounds, Route 26, Oxford — (207) 743-9594 or www.oxfordcountyfair.com; • Sept. 16-18: New Portland Lions Fair, North New Portland

Fairgrounds, Route 146, New Portland — (207) 566-5722; • Sept. 18-24: Farmington State Fair, Farmington Fairgrounds, High Street, Farmington — (207) 778-6083 or www.farmingtonfairmaine.com; • Sept. 23-25: Common Ground Country Fair, Crosby Brook Road, Unity — (207) 568-4142 or mofga.org; • Sept. 25-Oct.1: Cumberland Fair, Comberland Fairgrounds, 174 Bruce Hill Road, Cumberland — (207) 797-2789 or www.cumberlandfair.com; • Oct. 2-9: Fryeburg State Fair, Fryeburg Fairgrounds, Route 5, Fryeburg — (207) 935-3268 or www.fryeburgfair.com.

64 | BANGOR DAILY NEWS | Thursday | June 23, 2011