For more information regarding the Wiscasset Community Center schedule or programs, call 882-8230.

Summer hours

Monday through Thursday 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. to noon; Sunday closed.
Pool closes at 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 5:30 p.m. on Friday.

Fitness classes

Get up and Move Weight Loss Challenge: Hall’s Olympic Martial Arts Center is offering this program at the Wiscasset Community Center. New class begins every six weeks; it includes a three-team challenge.

Next session begins in September.

WCC Fitness Punch Card: Includes Zumba, Wake-up Call, and Step it Up, Evening Water Aerobics, Hall’s Workouts Wednesdays and Fridays in September, Kickboxing with Kristina, and Yoga with Murielle and Pilates with Coreysha Enjoy the convenience of choosing your classes with no expiration date. Call for more details.

Zumba: Zumba with Debbie is held Wednesdays at the WCC Gym, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. This location change is for the summer. Pre-registration rates and walk in rates available; Thursdays, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., instructor Denise Click, Wiscasset Community Center; Saturday 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., Wiscasset Community Center, instructor Denise Click. Pre-registration rates and walk-in rates are available. For more details call the front desk.

Wake-Up Call: Class meets Monday and Friday mornings from 5:30 to 6:30 a.m. in the Wiscasset Community Center gym.

Step-It-Up: Wednesday evenings 6 to 7 p.m. This is a new multifaceted cardio step class that will be led by Lorna Weber.

Yoga with Murielle: Wednesday mornings 7:45 to 9 a.m. Instructor is Murielle Corwin.

Pilates: Friday mornings 7 to 8 a.m., instructor is Coreysha Stone.

Karate: Mondays, Little Ninjas 4:30 to 5:30 p.m.; Tao Karate 5:45 to 6:45 p.m.; Friday evening combo, 5 to 6 p.m.

Kickboxing: Wednesday mornings 5 to 6 a.m.; Monday evenings, 5 to 6 p.m.

Pool programs

Monday Morning Splash and Friday Fun Splash: These programs are especially designed for preschool children 3 to 6 years old. This program is designed to introduce the beginning swimming skills in a fun-filled environment. The young swimmers will be introduced through fun and games, how to get their face wet, go under the water, float on their front and back, and much more. Parents are welcome to sit poolside and watch their little swimmers learn, play and make friends in the comforts of our warm pool. The focus is to build a love for swimming. Program offered on Monday mornings 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. and Friday mornings 9:30 to 10:15 a.m.

Red Cross Swim Lessons: We offer year-round swim lessons for ages four years and older.Our W.S.I. certified instructors are eager to work with your child. Also available are private and semi-private lessons.
Water Aerobics: Morning Aerobics meets Monday-Friday 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

Evening Water Aerobics: Monday evening 6 to 7 p.m. Instructor Denise Click.

Aqua Zumba: Tuesdays, 6 to 7 p.m., instructor Kathleen Lomothe.

The second annual Maine Craft Beer Comes to Boothbay on Saturday, July 14, will be more of a tasting than a festival says Maine Brewers’ Guild President Dan Kleban.

The event showcases the best of what Maine beer brewers have to offer. Ticket holders will have the opportunity to sample recipes the general public never gets to see.

Craft Beer Comes to Boothbay will be at the Boothbay Resort from 1 to 4 p.m., with a VIP party starting at noon. Proceeds support the Maine Brewers’ Guild.

A barbeque feast and live music are also part of this year’s festival, but as Kleban said during a recent interview, it is all about the beer.

Last year’s craft beer festival was a huge success, Kleban said. Organizers invited Sam Calagione, president and founder of Dog Fish Head brewery in Delaware. The folks from Delaware will return this year, along with Portsmouth, N.H., -based Smutty Nose brewery.

This year’s beer festival will be a little different. Those with VIP tickets will have first crack at tasting some very special brews, in addition to chatting with the brewers in a more intimate setting. All Maine breweries are expected to be participating in the event, many of whom will bring limited edition brews or those that will be available only at the festival.

While participants can sample as much beer as they want, it is not a drunk fest, Kleban said. He expects people will have a good time and will be responsible beer tasters, but pourers this year will all have received Training for Intervention Procedures (TIPS) certification. This works to ensure that all beer tasters are of legal age and have a good time, without over-consuming.

Organizers expect a good crowd, a maximum of about 400 people, according to organizer Tami Kennedy of Shipyard Brewery in Portland. The idea behind the event, she said, is to bring brewers and brewery owners together, so that tasters have a chance to talk with those who decide which brews are being made this year.

“We’re very fortunate here in Maine to have so many craft brewers,” Kennedy said, adding there are very few festivals at which people have the same intimate, casual atmosphere to meet the brewers and understand what goes into making craft beer.

According to the national Brewers’ Association (www.brewersassociation.org), the definition of a craft brewery is one that produces no more than 6 million barrels of beer a year. Maine has more than 30 craft breweries.

“I always want to drink local beer,” Kennedy said. “When I’m traveling, I look and see what the local beers are. It shows the personality and flavor of an area.”

Beer drinkers know what they like and the number of people attending this year’s event indicates the increased draw toward craft beer. Kleban said he thinks more people are seeking locally made products, as well as a diversity of beers.

“Brewers are artisans. We’re not robots,” Kleban said. “There are real people who make these recipes.”

There is no single answer to what makes a good beer, much beyond the passion individual brewer’s pour into their craft. With so many ingredients, techniques and regional character thrown into the brewer’s pot – and therefore so much variety – what makes a good beer in the small craft brew industry is subjective.

“I think people are craving things they know have a story behind them,” Kleban said. “And with beer, they know the people who make it.”

For more information about the Maine Brewers’ Guild, visit www.mainebrewersguild.org. Tickets for the festival may be purchased online or by phone through Brown Paper Tickets at 1-800-838-3006, ext. 1.

My mother used to say, “Now Bob, watch your step…” And my father (a sergeant in the USMC) shared something similar: “Watch where you’re going, you knucklehead!”

At the carnival we were urged to look down and keep our eyes open for dropped money. Often a lucrative procedure.

All this instruction was advanced training for fundamental Maine coast tide pool perusal, a source of much fascinating exploration and light-hearted discovery.

Wonderful tumbled pebbles and stones, sea glass, periwinkles, shells and body parts from all variety of sea creatures – even some live critters scampering about, cruising the captured pools clustered along the shore.

No carnival money here, just pure delightful collections, freshly renewed with treasures from the sea. A perfectly fitting way to spend a bucket of time on a relaxing coastal afternoon.

Lincoln County Spark is hosting its first ever Kick Out Hunger Kickball Tournament on Saturday, July 28, on the fields at Great Salt Bay. This family-oriented event will raise funds and food for our local food pantries.

The event will include up to 16 teams of 10 or more kickball players in a bracket format tournament. Kickball, originally called Kick Baseball, originated in 1917 and was originally used to teach youth the concepts of baseball. Its popularity on playgrounds is due to the lack of specialized equipment and the fact that anyone can play – no special skills, like pitching, are necessary.

Spark invites families, businesses and friends to get a team together and join us for a fun day for a good cause.

The day will end with an awards ceremony at Romeo’s Sports Pub. Registration is on Facebook, or at Aboca Beads or The First (Damariscotta location only) to pick up registration forms. If you can’t get a team together but are still interested in playing, individual registration is available and a team placement will be made. The cost is $100 per team or $10 per individual.

Lincoln County Spark is a social networking group for ages 21-45. Our mission is to connect people to each other and to the communities where we live, work and play. We strive to have a positive impact on our community through professional development, social events and community initiatives that benefit our generations and those to come. 

The next Spark Social will be held at Schooner Landing in Damariscotta on Thursday, July 19, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. and is an opportunity to socialize in real life, ask questions of committee members, and share your ideas for our community.

For more information, email lincolncountyspark@gmail.com or find them on Facebook.

Woofstock, which attracts thousands of pet lovers to the Midcoast area, is changing venues this year.

Woofstock 2012 will be held at the Damariscotta River Assocation on Belvedere Road, the site of the Damariscotta Farmers Market, on Sept. 8.

The change is due to the ice rink installed last year on the previous site, said Woofstock Coordinator and co-owner of The Animal House Aubrey Martin. “Unfortunately, we are unable to use the previous site,” Martin said. “We are so grateful to Steve Hufnagel and the DRA for coming up with an alternate site, which will be perfect for Woofstock. It’s a beautiful venue with plenty of parking, and we’re thrilled to be there.”

Woofstock is a family festival for pet lovers, now in its eighth year. This year, fourteen rescues and shelters have been invited. This year’s activities will include agility demonstrations and run-throughs with Positively Best Friends, a flyball demonstration with Flyball MAINEiacs, Canine Good Citizen testing, plus vendors, samples, services and pet games.

King Eider’s is serving up the food this year.

All proceeds from Woofstock go to the shelters and rescues in attendance. Admission is $10 per person, kids under 12 free.

Woofstock 2012 is presented by The Animal House, and sponsored by Nature’s Variety, Merrick Canidae, Earthborn Holistic, Stella & Chewy’s, King Eider’s and Downeast Dog News.

For more information, email info@theanimalhouse.net or go to the Animal House's Facebook page.

The Boothbay Railway Village will host the 48th Antique Auto Days on Saturday and Sunday, July 21 and 22.

This event brings together antique car enthusiasts from all over New England to display their autos and trucks and participate in the annual Sunday parade through Boothbay Harbor.

The Railway Village in cooperation with the Maine Obsolete Auto League hosts this anticipated event. Approximately 150 vehicles will be participating, for the largest Maine Obsolete Auto League gathering in Maine.

The event attracts cars from the early era of motoring in the 1900s and special interest cars of the '60s. Antique, classic and vintage automobiles and their owners will offer a fascinating experience in the context of the museum exhibits of early rural Maine life.

There is no additional admission charged beyond the Railway Village entry fee. Museum members are admitted free.

On Saturday starting at 2 p.m., there will be an auction to benefit the museum in the Railway Village's town hall. Many gift certificates and unusual items will be offered for bid. So far, the items include boat cruises, lodging, gift certificates for meals, lodging and prints, and the museum is still accepting donated items.

The auction is free to all. Come get a bargain and benefit the historic preservation efforts of the museum.

Sunday includes a glorious antique auto parade through Boothbay Harbor starting at 1:30 p.m. The Parade route will be Route 27 to Oak Street past the fire station, up Townsend Avenue and back to Route 27. The library lawn is always a popular viewing stand.

There will be live music from Gabe Tonon and refreshments during the event. Model T rides may also be offered in addition to the museum’s narrow gauge steam train rides.

The Boothbay Railway Village, dedicated to preserving the history of rural life, railroads and the automobile, is open seven days a week from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with train rides from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, call the Railway Village at 633-4727 or go to www.railwayvillage.org.

As part of the Maine Maritime Museum’s 50th Anniversary celebration, Gazela Primeiro, a 177-foot three-masted wooden sailing ship, will be open for visits Saturday, July 14, and Sunday, July 15, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. All boarding passes will be $5.

Built and launched in Portugal in 1901, it is the oldest active wooden square-rigged sailing vessel in the U.S. This beautiful barkentine was a member of the Portuguese White Fleet, sailing to the Grand Banks each year to fish for cod using one-man dories, until 1969.

After her remarkably long career with the fishing fleet, Gazela was laid-up, but was then purchased in 1970 for the Philadelphia Maritime Museum by philanthropist William Wikoff Smith. On May 24, 1971, the ship left for its new home in Philadelphia, tracing Columbus' route via the Canary Islands and San Juan, Puerto Rico, arriving in Philadelphia on July 8, 1971.

In 1985, Gazela was transferred to the Philadelphia Ship Preservation Guild, the nonprofit that maintains and operates the vessel with the help of donors and volunteers, sending her as Philadelphia's Tall Ship to events up and down the eastern seaboard.

Graceful and alluring, Gazela has appeared in several movies, including "Interview with the Vampire" and "The Widow of St. Pierre."

The Pemaquid Paddlers’ next trip will be at Clary Lake on Tuesday, July 24.

Put-in is from Newcastle, take Route 215 north for 14.3 miles, shortly after passing Route 126 you will see the state public put-in site on your left. We will paddle to the old mill at the far end of the lake.

The Paddlers’ trips are free, enjoyable and held in a different place throughout the county each week. All trips will leave the put-in point at 9 a.m. The trips will last two to three hours. The trips are easy to moderate in difficulty. Participants must provide their own canoe or kayak and wear a life jacket. All trips will be held rain or shine. 

For more information, call John Will at 677-6380, or go to www.pemaquidpaddlers.blogspot.com.

This Sunday, farms across the state will be open to the public. There will be a variety of activities and demonstrations, with farm animals to pet and berries to pick. Some farms will offer barn tours and hayrides. There will be farm-raised products for sale, displays to see and samples to taste. Visit the Get Real Maine website for more information and a full listing of farms by county. Below is a list of participating farms in the area: 

The Morris Farm Trust in Wiscasset
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
Baby animals, milking demos, dairy taste tests, garden tours, and master gardeners on hand to answer questions.

Stones Edge Farm at 335 Pond Rd., Newcastle
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 
Several animals, including Miniature Silky Fainting, Tennessee Fainting, and Nigerian Dwarf goats, miniature horses, sport ponies on view, as well as Maine-made products for sale. Carriage rides and yummy food available. Lots of interaction, baby animals, and products and animals for sale.

Sheepscot General at Uncas Farm at 98 Townhouse Rd., Whitefield 
9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Come learn about community-supported agriculture and taste test some local food from the café.

Swango Farm at 112 Swango Dr., Woolwich 
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Utilizing sustainable farming methods.

The live and silent auctions at A Bloomin’ Good Time!, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens’ Thursday, July 26, fundraiser, promise a broad range of exceptional items for lucky bidders, but the one that has to qualify as most intriguing is a basketball-shooting lesson by Dave Hopla.

Considered by many to be the top basketball shooter in the world, Hopla regularly knocks down 495 out of 500 shots. He has donated an invaluable half-hour lesson for an adult or student.

Hopla has worked with NBA, WNBA, college and high school teams and players. While his schedule is full with camps, touring, and the possibility of returning to the NBA this fall, his home base is the Boothbay region. He has offered to work with the auction-bid winner to schedule a 30-minute shooting lesson that’s sure to be an enriching and memorable experience.  

There will be more than 100 items, experiences, adventures, and services in the silent auction and the live auction that will be conducted by Douglas Stinson, principal auctioneer at Carl W. Stinson, Inc., in Reading, Mass. There will also be a chip-in auction that promises to be exciting.

In addition to the auctions, the event will include 22 Featured Caterers who will present their finest food and drink. The variety of hors d’oeuvres, desserts, and wines and beers they’re donating for the occasion is impressive and appetizing. the Botanical Gardens will also serve party guests its own planter’s punch, as well as non-alcoholic beverages.

The spacious Bosarge Family Education Center and adjacent tent will be lavishly decorated as befits the theme of A Bloomin’ Good Time! Shuttles will be on hand to drive guests to and from the Central Gardens, just beyond the Education Center, so everyone can take some time during the party to enjoy the Botanical Gardens at their peak.
The party is from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 per person for members and $45 for non-members. A group of 10 tickets can be purchased for $300.

For more information or to make reservations, which are required, call 633-4333, ext. 101, or visit www.MaineGardens.org, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is located off Barters Island Road in Boothbay.

The Boothbay Region YMCA will be hosting its 19th annual Rowgatta this August.

Set for Saturday, Aug. 11, the Rowgatta consists of a 12-nautical-mile row or paddle around Southport Island. Any craft that is man-powered and sail-free is welcome to join in the race.

“Instead of just paddling around, it’s turned into more of a race,” said Mary Baudo, YMCA wellness director and co-chair of the Rowgatta. She has collaborated with Susan Quinby, who founded the Rowgatta, for the last five years.

Though they are co-chairs, Baudo said Quinby plays a large role in organizing the event.

The Rowgatta is a fundraiser and all of the proceeds go towards the YMCA Aquatic Programs. It costs $35 to participate when preregistering and $40 the day of the event.

Participants can either register as individuals or as teams. Individuals complete the 12 miles on their own, teams switch out at either Cozy Harbor or Robinson’s Wharf.

The event is a lot of fun, and open to people of all ages and abilities. Completing the 12 miles is not required – either participants can team up to split up the mileage or stop at any of the scheduled locations for team changes.

The event will be covered by the Boothbay Harbor Coast Guard Flotilla 25, who will make sure everyone completes the race safely.

The most interesting event that Baudo has witnessed in her time as a co-chair is an entire wedding party participating in the Rowgatta. The members of the wedding parties were paired off in kayaks, and the bride and groom had their own.

To register for the Rowgatta, go to the YMCA and fill out a registration form before 4 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 10, or on the day of the event by 8:15 a.m. at Newagen on the southern tip of Southport Island.

The Morris Farm Trust in Wiscasset will join farms across the state opening their doors to the public to celebrate the 23rd annual Open Farm Day.

Open Farm Day is an opportunity to see firsthand where your food is coming from and in Maine, that means a lot.

“Share in the pride of Maine farmers as they show you how they grow their food,” Maine Commissioner of Agriculture Walter Whitcomb said. “Buying local really does wonders for our community. It’s one thing to tell your children that food doesn’t grow on the supermarket shelf; it’s another to see it, touch it, and feel it firsthand.”

The Morris Farm will have master gardeners on hand in the Demonstration Garden to answer questions and volunteers available to give farm and garden tours in the Margaret Ellis Community Garden and the Wiscasset Primary School Garden.

Tenant farmers Alan-Dee Dairy will hold a goat milking demonstration at 10 a.m. and a cow milking demonstration at noon. Cheese making and tasting will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

To learn more about the Morris Farm and find a complete listing of farms participating in the 23rd Annual Open Farm Day, please visit www.morrisfarm.org or call 882-4080.

First Congregational Church of Wiscasset will once again offer their talents, time and treasures to raise funds for many community organizations on Saturday, July 28.

For the 29thyear, visitors will be offered an array of handmade crafts, plants, baked goods, toys, jewelry, books, “jumble” and a silent auction of some wonderful donated items. In addition, the Café on the Common will offer fresh homemade foods for your breakfast and lunch.

There will be free entertainment during the fair and there will be games for children of all ages.

One of the biggest draws of Summerfest is always the Dog Show and Parade.

Anyone is welcome to enter their dog in the parade by registering for a nominal fee. Participating dogs and their owners will take a few turns around the common, while judges determine who is the winner in several categories, such as “cutest,” “best tail wager,” “most unusual,” etc.

Following the parade, dogs can participate in several contests, like catching the most treats, carrying a hot dog the furthest, and doing the best individual trick. All dogs are welcome, and medals and ribbons will be awarded.

All proceeds from Summerfest, as always, will be distributed to as many as 21 local charities and community organizations. Please come and enjoy a day of fun, bargains and good food.

Magician the Amazing Lou returns to the Wiscasset Public Library on Wednesday, July 25, at 3 p.m.

Participants in the 2012 Children’s Room Dream Big – Read Summer Reading Program are invited to be wowed as Amazing Lou performs his magic and balloon show. A second-generation magician, Amazing Lou will have the audience asking, “How did he do that?”

Two familiar faces from the Wiscasset Primary School are coming to the library.

On Friday, July 27, at 3:30 p.m., first grade teacher Donna Footer will read “Cloudland” by John Burningham. “Cloudland” tells the story of Albert, who tumbles off a cliff while hiking in the mountains with his parents. Albert is saved by the cloud children and has a wonderful time in the sky with them. That is, until he remembers his mother and father and his own little bed at home.

Tracey Jackson, with help from her trusty assistant Corey Campbell, will read “Tacky the Penguin” and “Three Cheers for Tacky.” Both of these books are written by Helen Lester and illustrated by Lynn Munsinger. Tacky is an odd bird who marches to his own drum in these hilarious tales. If the weather is nice this event will be outdoors behind the Children’s Room, so audience members may want to bring a blanket to sit on.

All events of the Children’s Room Summer Reading Program are open to the public and free of charge.

Boothbay’s local mini golf course showcases an interesting feature.

Inside the only covered bridge in Lincoln County is an extensive collection of shells from all over the world.

The course’s owner Lee Stoddard said his father began the shell collection as a Navy ship repairman during World War II. Whenever Kenneth Stoddard had a few days off, he would go ashore and collect seashells, many from South Pacific islands. Every couple of weeks, he would send home a box full of shells.

A little more than 20 years ago, Kenneth Stoddard was diagnosed with cancer, which quickly progressed. Lee Stoddard and his brother Bob promised their father the shells, which were sitting in boxes in the attic, would be put in a museum.

“We told him we were going to build a bridge for it instead of just putting them in a building,” Lee Stoddard said. “I imagine he would be happy to have them shown.”

Since the museum’s opening 20 years ago the collection has grown. Some of the shells added have been collected by Stoddard himself and some were donated. The museum is on AAA’s list of attractions for visitors to the area.

Stoddard said his favorites are probably shells that he picked up a few years ago in Panama. They are cleaned and polished and shine in vibrant emeralds, deep blues and pearls.

“They almost look man-made,” he said, as he looked at them through the glass.

As for the future of the shell museum, Stoddard said “As far as I know, it’ll be here. It’ll be here as long as I am, anyway.”

Among the lobstermen, hauling traps day after day for their living, are a few boats up and down the coast that seem to be having a little more fun than the others.

One local lobster boat is among those that give tourists a glimpse into the trade.

Every Thursday and Saturday at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., Caleb Hodgdon and Bruce White work together on Hodgdon’s lobster boat Amy Gale, taking tourists and residents on a ride around the bay while they haul traps and show how lobstering is done.

Hodgdon is a full-time lobsterman and White owns Hay-Val Charters, a tour company.

When White is unable to join Hodgdon, Sally Lloyd joins the crew.

On July 12, the boat set out from Kaler’s dock off Commercial Street in Boothbay Harbor once the passengers are briefed as to what to do while out at sea.

After about a half hour of gentle bobbing through the calm waters of Boothbay Harbor, the boat reached the first buoy. Passengers fidgeted with excitement as they waited for their first glimpse of a real Maine lobster trap.

Hodgdon grabbed the buoy and retrieved his trap from the ocean floor.

Sally Lloyd was co-pilot that day, and pulled the trap onto a table in the center of the deck. Passengers gathered around as she and Hodgdon explained how to determine if a lobster is male or female, if it is regulation size, and if it has to be kept or thrown back. About half of the lobsters caught were either too large, too small or marked as breeding females, and had to be thrown back into the water.

Rider Strano, 11, from Ivoryton, Conn., was soon able to identify which lobsters had to be kept and which ones should be thrown back. He looked on as Lloyd sorted through the traps, as he waited to shout out “Keep!” or to let the captains know which ones had to be thrown back.

Lloyd then banded the claws of the lobsters that were to be kept, and tossed them into a holding tank before re-baiting the traps, carefully removing any crabs that had wandered in by accident and returning the trap and the unfit lobsters back to the bottom of the sea.

The boat continued to some seven or so more traps as passengers snapped photos of everything from the traps to each other holding lobsters to the Maine coastline, before turning around at the edge of the harbor and heading back into town.

Back at the dock, everyone carefully stepped out of the boat. If they wanted, the passengers could select their very own lobster that they had seen caught to be cooked for them by Kaler’s for the cost of a lobster dinner.

The lobster boat tour costs $30 for adults and $20 for children 12 and under. For more information, call Kaler’s Restaurant at 633-5839.

Don't feel like hauling lobster?

There are a number of local dealers happy to fill your craving for bugs. Of course, most local restaurants will serve you a fabulous lobster dinner as well...

Boothbay Lobster Wharf
Soft shell: 1.25-pound lobster, $4.50/pound; 1.5-pound lobster, $4.75/pound
Hard shell: 2-pound-plus lobster, $8.50/pound
Where: 97 Atlantic Ave. in Boothbay Harbor
633-4900

Atlantic Edge
$4/pound and up depending on size
Where: 71 Atlantic Ave. in Boothbay Harbor
633-2300

Robinson’s Wharf
Soft shell: $4.25/pound
Hard shell: $6.50/pound
You can also buy them straight from the boat for $2.35/pound
Where: 20 Hendricks Hill Rd. in Southport
633-3830

Pinkham’s Seafood
Soft shell: $3.99 for a 1.25-pound lobster.
Where: 140 River Rd. in Boothbay
633-6236

Lobster Maine-iac
Soft shell: $5.00 for lobsters up to 2 pounds
Hard shell: $7.50 for hard-shell lobsters up to 2 pounds
Special: five for $25, 1.25-pound live soft-shell lobsters; five for $30, 1.25-pound cooked soft-shell lobster.
Where: Route 27 in Boothbay
633-0831

The Lincoln County Historical Association invites you to enjoy the recently expanded hiking opportunities at the Pownalborough Court House grounds on a beautiful and distinctive 90-acre tract of woodlands that offers great variety and tranquility.

Dresden's Summerfest offers a perfect opportunity for hiking Sunday, July 22, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free, and in addition to hiking opportunities, there will be food vendors, entertainment for children, and live music on the courthouse grounds.

The fourth and most recently completed trail traverses the southwestern quadrant of the property.

Blazed in green, and known as the Court House-Kennebec Trail, it begins at the northwest corner of the Pownalborough Court House and immediately follows the riverbank though stands of old white pines and hemlocks. It then angles up the slope and crosses the original pre-revolutionary dirt road and leads to the Goodwin Family Cemetery, an integral feature of this historic property.

The new hiking trail continues past the cemetery and then crosses Route 128 where it enters the woodland trail system. It then follows an intermittent stream as it rises eastwards where it ends at the Hardwood Slope Trail.

The Pownalborough Court House and its property is maintained by the Lincoln County Historical Association, one of three historic sites the association owns and manages. The association is in the process of providing two hiking trail kiosks, one at the Pownalborough Court House and the second at the trail head on the opposite side of Route 128.

There is ample parking by the Pownalborough Court House and along the entire south flank of Court House Road. Several picnic tables are on the lawns surrounding the courthouse, and restroom facilities are available in the carriage house on the grounds.

Every day more and more people are taking up golf for the first time.

If you have ever thought about picking up a golf club, either for the first time or returning once again, you can make golf your sport for the rest of your lifetime by joining Wawenock Golf Club (Walpole) Golf Pro John “Johnny” Johnson each Sunday for five weeks from noon until 1 p.m. beginning on Sunday, July 29, for a fun-filled beginner’s series of golf lessons made easy.

Over the course of five weeks you will learn everything you’ll need to know to step onto a golf course and to get out and to play with confidence. This hands-on beginners course (or refresher course) will introduce you not only to the fundamentals of proper grip, stance, posture and alignment but also to golf etiquette, the rules of the game, course layouts and game strategies.

Your session will begin with swinging the club. Starting with putts, chips and pitch shots and finishing with irons and tee shots. The lessons will have two goals: to have fun and to learn the game of golf for long-term enjoyment.

By the end of the course, students will be ready to play at the Spectrum Generations golf outing/game, date and time to be determined by workshop participants, Johnston, and the Walpole Golf Club.

Participant fee, payable to Johnny Johnston when your lessons begin, is $80 for five lessons plus the celebration game. Register by calling Spectrum Generations Coastal Community Center at 563-1363 by 3 p.m. on Friday, July 27.

For students who will not be able to take part in all five lessons, the per lesson fee will be $20 (Advanced registration required. Call by noon on the Friday before the lesson).

The individual fee for the Spectrum Generations golf outing/game will be $20 per person. Bring your clubs to your lessons if you have any, or Wawenock Golf Club will provide.

Johnston is certified by the International PGA and the United States Golf Teachers’ Federation. He is a seasoned golf veteran with a large following of both students and customers whom he has custom-fit for clubs during his 12 years in the industry. He is one of the most respected teaching pros in the region.

Located on Route 129 in Walpole, just 5 miles south of Damariscotta, Wawenock Golf Club is a nine-hole, links-style course that opened for play in 1928. The fairways are generally open, with very few trees. The greens are moderately sized and average 5,000 square feet, and are relatively flat and moderate in speed. Water comes into play on two holes. There are alternate tees when playing an 18-hole round and the course plays from 5,500 to 6,200 yards.

On Tuesday, July 24, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens will offer a fun-filled and creative family activity in the Bibby and Harold Alfond Children’s Garden. Local artist Arden Georgi Thompson will present two programs during which different age groups can learn to make origami birds and flowers.

The younger Botanical Gardens group, ages 4-7, will meet from 10 a.m. to noon; the workshop for the older group, ages 8-12, will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Adults should accompany their child or children and are welcome to try their hand at the origami technique along with them. Younger children with origami experience are welcome to join the afternoon session with permission from the Botanical Gardens children’s education staff.

Arden Georgi Thompson has taught gifted and talented students and enrichment classes in regular and special-education classrooms in Maine for more than 30 years. She is a former president of the State Science Teachers Organization and has won many teaching awards, including the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching. She truly enjoys helping children create beautiful things by folding paper.

Prices for this hands-on workshop, which includes origami paper, are $10 for members and $12 for nonmembers. Preregistration is required; call 207-633-4333, ext. 101, visit www.MaineGardens.org, or stop by the Botanical Gardens off Barters Island Road in Boothbay.

Irving Oil has announced the arrival of its biggest fundraiser in New England.

On Saturday, July 28, various Irving and Circle K locations will host the “To Serve and Protect Day,” where Special Olympics athletes, coaches and law enforcement officers work alongside Irving and Circle K employees to pump gas, wash windshields, and greet customers at local Irving Service Stations, Travel Plazas, and Circle K locations throughout New England.

Everybody can support their Special Olympics state organization by purchasing special car window clings for $1 at Irving Service Stations, Travel Plazas and Circle K locations in New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Clings can be purchased until Sunday, Aug. 5. In addition, Irving Oil will make a direct donation of $100,000.

Irving’s partnership with Special Olympics began 13 years ago in New Hampshire and has benefited the Law Enforcement Torch Run, the largest fundraiser worldwide for the Special Olympics. Since then, the event has expanded across all six New England states and has raised over $2 million.

“Working alongside so many passionate and talented athletes is very rewarding,” Irving Oil General Manager Harry Hadiaris said. “We love the opportunity to support Special Olympics and law enforcement officers across all of New England.”

President of Special Olympics New Hampshire Mary Conroy said, “The funds raised through our partnership have allowed us to sustain current programs, launch new initiatives and increase awareness of Special Olympics. Irving is a great corporate friend that makes a significant impact in what we are able to accomplish.”

True Country, a live band, will play at the at the Wells-Hussey American Legion Post 42 Damariscotta on Saturday, July 21, from 7 to 11 p.m.

There will be a 50/50 raffle, cash bar and food concession. $10 admission. Everyone welcome.

Texas Hold-Em

The popular Texas-Hold-Em event will open at noon, Sunday, July 29, and play begins at 1 p.m. at Post 42. The public is welcome and food and beverages will be available.

For more information, call 563-3738 after 3:30 p.m.

Summer Hours

Monday through Thursday, 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday, 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon; Sunday, closed (Pool closes at 7:30 p.m. Mon.-Thurs.; 5:30 p.m. on Fri.)

Annual Shutdown Week

The Wiscasset Community Center will be closed from August 25 to Sept 3.

Fall Soccer

Registration is going on now for youth soccer.

Crafters Wanted

Crafter for our Annual Autumn Craft Show Saturday, October 20, Spaces still available. For more info call Bonnie 882-8230

Special Event

Wiscasset Community Center Welcome’s Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers “Everybody Loves Pirates” Thursday, July 19, 10:30 a.m. WCC Gym Admission $3 per child.

Camps

WCC Camp - Offered August 6 -17 for children in grades K-8. Camp runs Mon-Fri 7:30 a.m. -3:30 p.m. Limited spaces available.

Cheerleading Camp – Offered for grades 5-8, August 1 and 2, from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Shooting Stars Soccer Camp – Offered for ages 4-6, July 23 – 26.

British Soccer Camp – Offered for ages 7-14, July 23 – 27. Camp runs 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Please call the Center for more details or to register for any of the camps.

Fitness Classes

Get up and Move Weight Loss Challenge – Next session begins in September. Hall’s Olympic Martial Arts Center is offering this program at the Wiscasset Community Center. New class begins every 6 weeks, 3-team challenge.

WCC Fitness Punch Card– Includes Zumba, Wake-up Call, and Step it Up, Evening Water Aerobics, Hall’s Workouts Wed. and Fri. (in Sept.), Kickboxing with Kristina, and Yoga with Murielle and Pilates with Coreysha Enjoy the convenience of choosing your classes with no expiration date. Call for more details.

Zumba – Wednesday, 4:30-5:30 p.m. at the Wiscasset Community Center with Debbie; Thursday, 5:30 -6:30 p.m. at the Wiscasset Community with Denise; and Saturday, 8:30-9:30 a.m. Location: Wiscasset Community Center with Denise

Pre-registration rates and walk in rates available. For more details call the front desk

Wake-Up Call – Class meets Monday and Friday mornings from 5:30 to 6:30 a.m. in the Wiscasset Community Center gym.

Step-It-Up – Wednesday evenings 6 to 7 p.m. WWC Gym. This is a multifaceted cardio step class that will be led by Lorna Weber.

Yoga – Wednesday mornings 7:45 to 9 a.m. Instructor Murielle Corwin.

Pilates – Friday mornings 7 to 8a.m., instructor Coreysha Stone

Karate  – Mondays: Little Ninjas 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.; Tao Karate 5:45 – 6:45 p.m.; Friday evening combo, 5 to 6 p.m.

Kickboxing – Wednesday mornings 5-6 a.m.; Monday evenings 5-6 p.m.

Pool Programs

Monday Morning Splash and Friday Fun Splash – These programs are especially designed for preschool children 3 to 6 years old. This program is designed to introduce the beginning swimming skills in a fun-filled environment. The young swimmers will be introduced through fun and games, how to get their face wet, go under the water, float on their front and back, and much more. Parents are welcome to sit poolside and watch their little swimmers learn, play and make friends in the comforts of our warm pool. The focus is to build a love for swimming. Program offered on Monday mornings 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. and Friday mornings 9:30 to 10:15 a.m.

Red Cross Swim Lessons –We offer year-round swim lessons for ages four years and older. Our W.S.I. certified instructors are eager to work with your child. Also available are private and semi-private lessons.

Water Aerobics–Morning Aerobics meets Monday-Friday 8:30 to 9:30 a.m.

Wiscasset’s own Wicked Good Yoga, offering Baptiste inspired Hot Power Vinyasa Yoga, restorative, and healing workshops, will be offering "Teaching Spirituality with Confidence" with Master Vinyasa Teacher Philip Urso August 26-28. The price of the three-day workshop is $325. The workshop will be offered at Wicked Good Yoga, 5 Bradford Road (right off Route 1) in Wiscasset, August 24, from 6 to 10 p.m., August 25 from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., and August 26, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Benefits of the workshop

In this workshop, you will learn some of the key teachings of Yoga, presented in a dynamic, fun, and easy to understand format. You will also learn what role your own passions play. How are you already teaching spirituality? The tension between concepts and experience? What about complicated and controversial teachings? You will learn how to brainstorm and summarize your main points and spiritual insights. After the training you will be able to really relax and have confidence when teaching Spirituality in class, and, it will naturally and gracefully find its way into your own life. Like all Live Love Teach Trainings, you will find these practices are easy, natural and leave you relaxed enough to really enjoy teaching.

Pre-registration is required. To register, go to wickedgoodyoga.com under schedule/workshops, or email info@wickedgoodyoga.com or call 207-882-6892.
 

While artist and textile designer Susan Schön’s whimsical and colorful paintings will be on view throughout the summer in the Children’s Garden at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, she will be an artist-in-residence at the Gardens from July 30 through August 3 and during her residency will offer several art programs for children of different ages. These workshops, listed below, are designed to stimulate creative thinking and build confidence in individual style. They’ll focus on using natural and recycled materials and foster learning in a nurturing and supportive setting.

Schön’s artwork, which fills the walls of the Story Barn, incorporates many bird and plant subjects to complement this year’s Feathers and Foliage theme at the Gardens. She has worked in the design field for more than 25 years, and her textile-design career has spanned numerous markets for a multitude of products. After having two children, a new passion for art, design and nature evolved. Through years of raising her girls, she has reignited her vision of experiencing or “seeing” the world once again through the eyes of a child.

Schön will present the following workshops in the Children’s Garden. Pre-registration is required.

Monday, July 30: Story-Inspired Art

This program from 10 to 11:30 a.m. is for ages 5 to 8 accompanied by an adult. Schön will read a story (“I Am an Artist” by Pat Lowery Collins). The children will then use their senses to observe natural objects and will create prints using sliced apples, cabbages, oranges, leaves, and even their own hands on small colored papers, which will then be mounted onto a larger sheet of black paper. Prices are $20 for members, $30 for non-members.

Tuesday, July 31: Collage-making with Recycled Materials

Collages are a creative way to re-use and “recycle” materials like magazines, books, and even snack wrappers. In this class from 10 a.m. to noon for children ages 7 and up, Schön will guide the young artists as they create a treasure from what some people might call “trash.” Participants are asked to bring a favorite wrapped snack or two, such as a granola bar, for the project. Other “repurposed” materials are included, but those from home are also welcome. Prices are $25for members, $35 for non-members.

Wednesday, August 1: Creating Driftwood Sculptures

In this workshop from 1 to 3 p.m. for children 9 and up, children will first imagine what forms they see in pieces of driftwood and then create them.  Who knows what creatures may emerge! She will provide driftwood and other materials, but participants may bring a favorite piece from their own beachcombing. Prices are $25 members, $35 non-members.

To learn more or to pre-register for any of these programs, call 207-633-4333, ext. 101; visit www.MaineGardens.org; or stop by the Gardens, located off Barters Island Road in Boothbay.

The Town of Woolwich will celebrate Woolwich Day on Saturday Aug. 4.

Many activities are planned throughout the day on the grounds of the town office at the intersection of Route 1 and Nequasset Road.

Schedule

7 to 10 a.m. – Woolwich EMS Pancake Breakfast

7 a.m. to race time – Registrations for the 10K Bob Meade Classic Road Race, One Mile Fun Run and 10K walk

9 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Maine-made craft vendors, silent auction, kids games, bounce house, white elephant tables, food, vendors, homemade ice cream, bake sale, pony cart rides, child identification program, open house at Historical Nequasset Meeting House

10 a.m. – Blessing of the animals

4:30 to 6 p.m. – Westport Island Catering will host a pulled chicken BBQ, with potato salad, cole slaw, baked beans, dessert and more. The cost is $9 per person/ $10 with beverage

5 to 6:30 p.m. – Entertainment by the Kennebec River Boys

The Pemaquid Paddlers,  a free and enjoyable paddle each week in a different place throughout the county invites you to join them on their next trip in Boothbay on Tuesday, July 31.

All trips will leave the put-in point at 9 a.m. The trips will last 2-3 hours. The trips are easy to moderate in difficulty. Participants must provide their own canoe or kayak and wear a life jacket. All trips will be held–rain or shine. For more information, contact John Will at 677-6380 or email: pemaquidpaddlers@aol.com. You can also visit our website at http://pemaquidpaddlers.blogspot.com to find out more details about each trip.

In Boothbay, we will put-in at the Knickercane launch site. Take Route 27 south from Route 1 towards Boothbay for 9.6 miles to the monument in Boothbay, turn right. Go to the four-way stop and go straight, where the road comes to "Y" go to the right. You can also follow the signs to Botanical Gardens and just continue past it until you come to a bridge. Just after crossing the bridge the parking lot is on your left. We will paddle around the Isle of Springs.

The Lincoln Arts Festival will present Tea and Stories on Sunday, August 5 from 2 to 4 p.m.  at St. Columba's Episcopal Church on Emery Lane in Boothbay Harbor. This is a rare opportunity to be swept away into other worlds with the oral skills of entertainer and storyteller Doris Feyling.

Doris tells spell-binding stories for children of all ages that promise to engage everyone’s imaginations.  A good story transports us to other lands and times and through her skillfully told tales we find reflections of ourselves and of others.

A story is a powerful vehicle.  It is an ancient form of communication and how we transmit culture, the difference between right and wrong, with the characters representing the best and the worst in human beings.

Doris is a gifted performer in the San Francisco area, where she worked as part of an enrichment program in a public school. She has been telling stories to children in grades K through 5 for many years.  Entering each of the 19 classrooms monthly, children fell under her spell, where they were exposed to beloved tales from around the world.  Also a “teller” to adults, Doris has shared her stories in nursing homes, libraries and at her church, where she makes the ancient and classic stories come alive.

Those who are fortunate enough to hear her spin her stories will be swept up and transported to another time and place where magic is a daily experience … all this and tea, too!   

Tickets are $10 at the door.  For further information check the LAF Website, or call 633-3913.

Come on out and play at the annual Camp K Carnival at Camp Knickerbocker on Barters Island Road. The fun begins at 6 p.m. on Thursday, August 2 and lasts until 8 p.m.

Bounce on inflatables, play midway games, take a shot at the dunk tank, get your face painted, listen to music and eat our delicious food - no need to cook dinner! 

Raffle tickets are 1 for $1 or 6 for $5 and are on sale now at Camp K. Raffle items include: A Kindle Fire, Good N U Oil change, Pampered Chef items, Maine quilt, framed photography from Earl Brewer,  Taffy/Fudge Gift Certificate, Pier One Pizza gift certificate and more. The drawing will take place throughout the evening of the carnival.  

You need not be present to win.  

When in your life will it be socially acceptable to publicly race to stuff your face with waffles and ice cream?

Probably never! But the good news is you can do it in the name of a good cause this weekend.

Wannawaf will be hosting a Waffle Eating Contest this Sunday, July 29 at 1 p.m. 

This year’s contest will mark the 8th charity waffle eating contest put on by Wannawaf. Anya Arsenault, the restaurant’s owner, believes in being an example of a responsible business owner – which, for her, means giving back to the community she serves.

This year’s contest will raise awareness for Lyme Disease, and the proceeds will go to Lyme Disease sufferer Pam Creamer’s treatment fund.

Creamer, a close friend of Arsenault, suffers from an aggressive, neurological form of the disease that has become nearly completely debilitating. As a painter, she can no longer work, and is receiving a serious (and expensive) bout of drugs to battle the disease.

If her treatment is completed, her health is expected to improve enormously.

Arsenault is also a long-time sufferer of Lyme Disease, and has chronicled her frustrating battle with the painful disease, and her trouble receiving a diagnosis, on her blog. She and Creamer became friends initially because of the close proximity of their businesses, and later found themselves bonding over the shared trials and tribulations they faced.

“Lyme is absolutely serious, and needs to be treated as an epidemic,” said Arsenault.

Luckily, there is a way to help out while having fun too. This year, the waffle eating contest will feature a silent auction and raffle, both of which will feature awesome prizes. 

Arsenault will be present as “Waffle Girl” to MC the event, which will feature a race to eat waffles. The fastest waffle eater will win $200 in cash, runners up will receive prizes, and all will claim bragging rights.

Cost of entry is $20, and will be donated directly to Pam Creamer’s treatment fund. For more information, visit wannawaf.com.

Parents hoping to encourage young readers to read more this summer won't want to miss a special family event with award-winning author/illustrator Brian Lies at Maine Coast Books on Tuesday, July 31 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Lies, best known for his trio of bestselling bat picture books, is the illustrator and goodwill ambassador for the nation-wide 2012 "Dream Big--Read!" program, used in more than 14,000 libraries this summer.  Lies will read from his latest illustrated picture book MORE, with text by I.C. Springman (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt).  This fable, about a magpie and a mouse, offers a simple "less is more" tale about the value of friendship.

Brian will present MORE, show some of the original artwork and autograph books.  Children will have an opportunity to be photographed in a giant, stuffed nest (six feet in diameter) Lies designed and sewed especially for his tour. Other activities will include a make-your-own-nest craft and puzzles and a scavenger hunt all day with a drawing for special surprise gifts

Brian Lies is the author/illustrator of the New York Times bestsellers Bats at the Ballgame, Bats at the Library and Bats at the Beach. He has written and illustrated more than 25 books for children.

For more information visit www.mainecoastbookshop.com or call the store at 207-563-3207.

Join Boothbay Region High School boys' varsity basketball Coach I.J. Pinkham and Assistant Coach Mark Gosselin for another year of their popular “Hoop Camp” at the Boothbay Region YMCA.

Fundamentals are emphasized through skill drills, game situations and fun contests. Camp will be held at the Y the week of August 6 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Campers should pack a lunch and bring a swim suit and towel daily.

Please register at the Y or online at www.boothbayregionymca.org by Friday, Aug. 3.

The third annual Blueberry Festival & Harvest Fair on Saturday, Aug. 11, in Damariscotta is ready for applications from crafters and artists who want to participate with last year's successful vendors.

The family event attracted about 1,000 people last year and returns to Round Top Farm on Business Route 1 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. A 10-foot-by-10-foot space on the lawn for your pop-up or table and umbrella is just $20. 

The Festival includes children's activities, various musical groups and the sale of freshly harvested blueberries, home-baked goods and light refreshments by the sponsoring Midcoast Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. 

All available space was filled last year. Applications are available now by calling Kay Miller at 644-8849 or writing to Midcoast Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, P.O. Box 1021, Damariscotta, ME 04543.

Join Boothbay Region Land Trust members Dick Palmer and Allen Johnson as they paddle the Damariscotta River!

Saturday, Aug. 4, at 9 a.m. they will gather at Shipbuilder's Park in East Boothbay, next to Hodgdon Yachts. Any kayaker, from beginner level to intermediate or above is welcome. Please bring your own kayak, a personal flotation device, water and picnic lunch. 

Depending on the wind and weather, Dick and Allen will cross the Damariscotta River to South Bristol, kayak under the bridge and through the harbor, then cross lower John's Bay, passing Witch Island and John's Island to Colonial Pemaquid. This will take about 1.5 to 2 hours of gentle paddling.

After a picnic lunch, there will be an opportunity for paddlers to visit the Colonial Pemaquid museum and excavations. Cost of the optional museum visit is $2 for Maine residents, $3 for non-residents and free for 65-plus. There is no fee for joining the kayak trip.

The paddle will travel back to East Boothbay and participants will return to shore approximately 2 to 2:30 p.m.

To sign up for this event, please contact the land trust at 633-4818 or brlt@bbrlt.org.

The Lincoln Arts Festival joyfully celebrates summertime beginning on Aug. 5 with a little magic – Tea and Stories at St. Columba's Episcopal Church, from 2 to 4 p.m. when Doris Feyling, the eminent storyteller brings this ancient art to children and their delighted parents. Yes, grown-ups are invited, too, and children 12 and under are admitted free of charge for this and most Lincoln Arts productions.

Tea time is followed on Friday, Aug. 17, at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. by the Lincoln Festival Chorus, at the Congregational Church as Lincoln Arts proudly welcomes Tony Antolini conducting and Sean Fleming accompanying the Te Deum for the Peace of Utrecht by G. F. Handel along with the Mozart Mentors Orchestra. The story of the Ultrecht Te Deum and Jubilate is a chronology of politics and of European history and it represents the first time in history that a major war was ended by diplomacy rather than by a win and a loss. 

Then it's Art for Art’s Sake, Lincoln Arts wonderful Show and Sale, to be held again at the Boothbay Region Boatyard on Southport Island and featuring some of this beautiful peninsula's most talented artists. The Show and Sale is kicked off by a gala reception on Thursday evening from 5 to 7, with delectable edibles contributed by local eateries and enthusiastic volunteers. 

Tickets when needed are to be found at Sherman's bookstore, the Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce, the Boothbay Information Center, A Silver Lining, at the door, or for credit card charges, call the Lincoln Arts office, 633-3913. And check the LAF website, www.lincolnartsfestival.net.

The Morris Farm is pleased to announce that the 14th Annual Tour de Farms Bike Ride and Local Foods BBQ will be held rain or shine on Sunday, August 19. Riders from near and far will come together to support local agriculture and enjoy what Tour organizers boast is the best ride food in Maine! Choose 20, 50 or 100-mile rides through Maine’s beautiful Midcoast and inner farm lands. All rides start and end at the Morris Farm Trust in the historically rich village of Wiscasset. Rest stops along the way are stocked with fortifying snacks, sports drinks and water. Several rest stops are located at local organic farms that will set up a special farm stand for riders to enjoy. Farm stand purchases will be transported back to the Morris Farm by volunteers and returned to riders at the Local Foods BBQ.

The Tour de Farms raises funds to support the Morris Farm Trust, a nonprofit educational farm that promotes sustainable agriculture and stewardship of the earth. The Morris Farm offers multiple programs that seek to connect children and families with the source of their food, teaching that eating locally grown food benefits the environment, their health and the local economy. Programs include the Morris Farm Wiscasset Primary School Garden Farm-to-School Project, Backyard Farmer, an adult education series that emphasizes sustainable living practices, Farm Camp, an agricultural & ecological based day camp for children, and a new Nutrition Through Gardening program with families from the Wiscasset Headstart preschool program.

On-line registration for the Tour de Farms is open and available at www.morrisfarm.org; please check the website for ride departure times.  There is a $10 fee for day or ride registration, so please register early. Additional BBQ tickets may be purchased for friends not riding. The Morris Farm Trust is located at 156 Gardiner Road (Route 27 North.) in Wiscasset, Maine. It is open to the public seven days a week from sunrise to sunset. It is home to Alan-Dee Dairy, the Margaret Ellis Community Gardens, the Wiscasset Primary School Garden, and a University of Maine Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Demonstration Garden. For more information abut the Tour de Farms XIV or the Morris Farm in general, please visit the website, email info@morrisfarm.org or call 882-4080.

Adam Sirois competed in the First New England Kids Triathlon in Boston on July 22 and placed ninth in the 9- and 10-year-old age group. More than 500 kids participated in the event, in which they swam 100 yards, biked three miles and ran .5 miles. Boston area YMCAs and the New England Patriots sponsored the event.

One of the most anticipated events of the summer for many families – the Maine Fairy House Festival – is coming to Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens Aug. 3-5 from 1 to 4 p.m. each day.

Entry to the festival is included in Botanical Gardens admission. Now in its sixth year, this immensely popular event has more delights than ever in store for young fairies and gnomes, leprechauns and elves. In fact, to fit in all the fun, the festivities start on Wednesday, Aug. 1.

On Wednesday, Aug. 1, at 7 p.m., the Botanical Gardens will present a special movie night. Kids are invited to wear their favorite PJ’s and wings and enjoy “Kristen’s Fairy House” on the large screen in the Bosarge Family Education Center. Admission to this showing is $5 for members and $7 for non-members; fairy refreshments will be available. This video for children and families tells the story of a vacation adventure on a New England island and inspires youngsters to explore the natural world around them. “Rare quality viewing…a lovely and refreshing live-action movie,” wrote a Billboard magazine reviewer; “It’s a gem,” said Parenting magazine.

There will be more entertainment on Thursday, Aug. 2, at 2 p.m., when the acclaimed Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers present “The Legend of the Banana Kid” puppet show in the Education Center. Admission is $5 for members and $7 for nonmembers. Through fabulous hand-made puppets, the Bar Harbor-based puppetry troupe will offer a rollicking wild west tale that will be fun for the whole family.

The first of this year’s Fairy Craft Workshops, on Wednesday, Aug. 1, from 10 a.m. to noon, will be for adults, as well as children over age 13 who can work independently. Instructor Amanda Russell, known for her amazing fairy houses, has amassed a large supply of building materials for the workshop and is looking forward to sharing her enthusiasm, knowledge, and talent for this entertaining and unusual art form. The price, which includes all materials (participants may bring some from home, too), is $25. 

A variety of fairy workshops for children will be held from Aug. 2-5, from 10 a.m. to noon. Cindy Farnham will teach two sessions of Plant a Potted Fairy Garden, and artist-in-residence Susan Schön will present Decorate a Fairy Birdhouse and Create a Fairy House and Fairy Accessories.

Each afternoon of the Aug. 3-5 Maine Fairy House Festival itself will be packed with entertainment, fun, and activities, all free with admission. Fairy-house author Tracy Kane will be on hand each day to give reading and offer workshops. On Friday, the Shoestring Theater Parade will be back, accompanied by Maine Squeeze music; and there will be a concert by Mr. Harley. On Saturday, the Portland School of Ballet will present a performance, and Carole Cochran will lead Fairy Yoga in the Woodland Garden. Sunday will bring a “hooping” demonstration with Heidi Kendrick, a puppet show by Primrose Puppets, and the interactive practice and show “Dance with the Fairies” with Amanda Russell.

Children can also savor a cup of Fairy Tea or a glass of Gnome Punch, join in the “make & take” crafts, play Gnome Games and win prizes, chase bubbles from the Great Bubble Machine, and enjoy some of the best children’s performers around. Everyone will enjoy the imaginative display of designer fairy houses. And, of course, they can make their own fairy houses to their hearts’ content.

While no reservations are required for the Maine Fairy House Festival, they are necessary for the morning workshops, for which numbers are limited, and are requested for the movie and puppet show. For a schedule and to sign up for workshops and events, visit www.MaineGardens.org, call 633-4333, ext. 101, or stop by the Visitor Center at the Botanical Gardens, off Barters Island Road in Boothbay.

Alan Macqueen (right), whose family is leasing the Morris Farm, was busy in the milk room on Open Farm Day making cheese. Guests of the farm learned about the cheese-making process.

The Pemaquid Oyster Festival, Damariscotta’s annual celebration of the working waterfront, marine conservation, and the Pemaquid oyster, is scheduled for Sun., Sept. 30 from noon to dusk. The popular event is an important fundraiser for the Edward A. Myers Marine Conservation Fund.

As always, the Pemaquid Oyster Festival will feature a great line-up of entertainment, food, educational exhibits and thousands of oysters fresh from the Damariscotta River. (There is also a menu with plenty of choices other than oysters.). The festival is held right on the banks of the Damariscotta River at Schooner Landing Restaurant & Marina on Main St. in Damariscotta, and includes other Main St. businesses.

The Pemaquid Oyster Festival is also seeking volunteers to fill a variety of positions. Some of the activities volunteers will be needed for include: stage management, festival set-up and take-down, boat deck hands, boat ride gate management, oyster shucking, general assistance on the food line, and contest management.

For more information on volunteer work or sponsorships please contact Greg Latimer at 207-380-9912 or greglatimer@yahoo.com. 

Paddle sports can be so enjoyable. But safety skills are essential for enjoyable trips along Maine’s coastal and inland waters in canoes and kayaks.

This introductory course presents information needed to operate paddle craft safely. Materials developed by the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the American Canoe Association are provided. An optional certification exam can be taken at the conclusion of the class.

The course involves two class sessions: August 4 and 11 from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. each day. Location is the Wiscasset EMA center. To register, call 633-4748 or email FSO-PE@cgauxbbh.org.

Calling all “person-powered” watercraft! The 19th annual Southport Rowgatta, which encompasses 12 nautical miles to benefit the Boothbay Region YMCA, is on Saturday, August 11 at the Town Landing at Newagen on Southport Island.

Registration and information is available at the Y front desk and on the home page of our website, www.boothbayregionymca.org. Individuals or teams are welcome to register a dingy, rowboat, canoe, kayak, ocean shell or any other craft that is seaworthy. No sail or powerboats allowed. There is a $35 fee for each participant prior to the day of the event and a $40 fee the day of.   

On August 11, registration at the Town Landing begins at 7 a.m. The launch time is 8:30 a.m. Each registrant will receive an official 19th Annual Southport Rowgatta T-shirt, refreshments before and after the event, and everyone is eligible for an exciting array of prizes. Packets with maps, list of rules and list of sponsors can be picked up the day of the event at the event site.

There are three legs to the 12 nautical mile race: from the landing to Cozy Harbor, from Cozy Harbor to Robinson's Wharf, and from the Wharf back to the Newagen Town Landing.

The event chairs are Susan Quinby and Mary Baudo. For more information, contact Mary Baudo at 633-2855 or go to www.boothbayregionymca.org.

Boothbay’s Ellie Logan and the U.S. women’s eight woman crew team easily rowed into the finals Sunday, besting their rivals by a 6-second margin in the first qualifying heat of the London Olympic Games.

Logan and her teammates, who are defending champions, will race for the championship Thursday. Their chief rivals are expected to be teams from Canada and Romania.

Bill Logan, Ellie’s proud dad is in London to cheer on his daughter and said the women’s eight final race is the talk of the British capital.

“Dramatic build-up to W8 (women’s eight crew) plus the US-CAN (Canadian) showdown plus the always dangerous Romanians. USA 8 heat was the talk of London even though the CAN’s time was faster in its heat by (a) half second,” Bill Logan wrote in an email to the Regiser.

The race will be on TV on Thursday, Aug.2, between 2:20 and 3 p.m. on WCSH 6. NBC is also streaming all events live at www.nbcolympics.com/liveextra/index.html. Logan’s race will be on Thursday at 7:30 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.

The 24-year-old Stanford grad and five of her teammates earned the Olympic Gold medal four years ago in Beijing.

Once again Renys shows its corporate leadership and community involvement by sponsoring the Lincoln County Senior Games.  

The Games will be held one day only, Tuesday, August 28 at the CLC and Boothbay YMCAs and are open to all aged 55 and over. You do not have to live in Lincoln County or even in Maine to participate.

Renys is proud to sponsor the Senior Games.  We believe an event that gets folks up and moving is worth supporting.  “May the best woman and man win!” said John Reny, President of Renys.

Under the auspices of the Lincoln County Health Literacy Partnership (Skidompha Library, Lincoln County Healthcare, Lincoln Home and Tidemark Institute) in conjunction with CLC Y, Boothbay Y, and Spectrum Generations, the Games promise to be fun, friendly, and fantastic.

There will be six events:  tennis, basketball, foul shooting contest, pickle ball, 3K walk/run (all to be held at the CLC-Y) and swimming (Boothbay Y).  For a mere $15, you can choose any or all of the six events, schedule permitting.  Your entrance fee also covers a game day official photo, lunch, medals for first, second and third place finishers, and awards ceremony.  The first 50 to register receive a free T-shirt!  You do not have to be a member of the Y to participate.

All the organizations involved in the Senior Games are grateful to Renys for its generous support. For more information on the Games contact Cathy Cole (563-4540; Cathy.Cole@lchcare.org) or Craig Wilson (563-3477; cwilson@clcymca.org).  

This event was part of the Wiscasset Public Library’s Summer Reading Program “Dream Big – Read.” 

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree and Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank are scheduled to headline the program at the Lincoln County Democrats' annual lobster bake Saturday, Aug. 18. U.S. Senate candidate Cynthia Dill is also an invited guest.

The lobster bake will be held on the picturesque shore of the lower Damariscotta River in Walpole (331 Clark's Cove Rd., just down the road from the Darling Marine Center) this year, with social hour beginning at noon and the food line opening at 1 p.m.

Rep. Pingree is up for re-election to her seat as Maine's First District Representative in Congress. Rep. Frank is retiring at the end of the current Congressional session. This is his 17th term. He is the ranking member of the House Financial Services Committee, and as chairman of the committee in 2009 and 2010 helped lead the successful effort to pass the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. Current state senator Cynthia Dill is the Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated at the end of this session by Sen. Olympia Snowe.

The candidates for Lincoln County seats in the Maine Senate and House of Representatives also will be joining in the fun and conversation at the event.

Celebrated caterer Mike Mayo will be preparing the lobsters, mussels, and other traditional fare, and new this year, the bake will include a raw oyster bar.  Steamed hot dogs also will be available. The social hour will feature music by Old Gray Goose, who were a hit at last year's bake. The cost of the lobster dinner – lobster, mussels, corn, salad, dessert and soft drink – is $32. The hot dog lunch is $6.

To reserve, send a check made out to “Lincoln County Democratic Committee” to Sandie O’Farrell, P.O. Box 336, Waldoboro, ME 04572, or pay online at https://secure.actblue.com/page/lobster.

For more information, contact Tom Eichler at 882-7060 or teeichler@gmail.com.

The Boothbay Region Fish & Game Association’s eighth annual Saltwater Fishing Tournament will be held Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 11 and 12. Prizes will be awarded for the largest striped bass, bluefish, mackerel, and Pollock.

A $200 cash prize will be awarded for the largest striped bass and largest bluefish respectively, with $100 and $50 going for second and third place in both categories. Kids (12 and under) can go for mackerel and harbor pollock and compete for cash prizes of $50 and $25 for first and second place, and $10 for third through fifthplace. All Maine saltwater sport fishing regulations apply, and there will be a 12-inch minimum for all bluefish entered.

Weigh-ins will be held at the Boothbay Lobster Wharf at 97 Atlantic Ave. (on the East Side of Boothbay Harbor) from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, with food and beverages available. Fish will be judged by overall length, and in the case of a tie, the first fish entered will be declared the winner.

Local businesses are responding enthusiastically in support of this popular, family-oriented summer event, and there will be a number of great additional prizes for fish winners as well as door prize drawings for all who enter the tournament.

Entry fee is $20 for adults, and kids can enter free of charge but must be accompanied by an adult holding a valid entry ticket. Adults may sponsor more than one child on a single entry ticket.

Tickets, tournament rules, tackle, bait, and up-to-the-minute fishing and hot-spot information are all available at the White Anchor Tackle Shop at the White Anchor Motel on Route 27 in Boothbay. Contact Carl Jordan at 208-7796.

Boothbay area businesses and individuals who would like to contribute prizes for the tournament are invited to call Barry Gibson at 633-5929, email barrygibson6@aol.com, or send them directly to the BRF&GA, P.O. Box 408, Boothbay, ME 04537.

Proceeds from the tournament will benefit the Association’s Life Skills Scholarship Fund and other community programs.

Come join the fun for the first ever Lincoln County Senior Games, with Valerie Drever, OR nurse at Miles Hospital. She has signed up, and the only problem is she can’t decide exactly which of the six events she will enter. You can find Val every morning at the CLC-Y practicing for the Games before she heads off to Miles.  Her husband will also take part in the Games but he gets his practice in at home.

While some folks may be too young to play in the Senior Games (you must be at least 55 by the end of 2012), Val agrees with the Games slogan:  “You’re never too old to play.”  She invites all her Lincoln County Healthcare co-workers of a “certain age” to set a good example and join in the Games.  Val also believes we are all in this together, so come on out and let’s support each other.  

The events include tennis, foul shooting, pickleball, basketball and a 3K walk or run to be held at the CLC-Y and swimming at the Boothbay Y.  Anyone interested in signing up can do so on the CLC-Y’s website or by picking up an application at Skidompha Library, Lincoln Home, or the Lincoln County Healthcare Education Office.

Get off the couch, get moving and sign up now!  For more information contact Cathy Cole at Cathy.Cole@lchcare.com or 563-4540.     

You may have seen juggling, but you haven’t truly experienced it until you’ve seen the explosive, inventive juggling of brothers Matthew and Jason Tardy in their show, “TWO: High Energy Juggling.” The Opera House in Boothbay Harbor brings the dynamic duo to town on Friday, August 10 in a show for all ages.

The Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas calls them “AMAZING!”, “Inside Edition” has dubbed them "One of the hottest juggling acts in the country!" and Fox News says “They make their Momma proud!” Featuring their own brand of relentless sarcastic wit, physical comedy, live music and high energy juggling, Matthew and Jason Tardy have created an unstoppable performance that keeps audiences on their feet. The two have appeared at the Opera House in past years performing their Audiobody show. They return by audience request.

The Tardy Brothers have been touring professionally at theaters, colleges and resorts for over 17 years with such highlights including the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas, the Golden Phoenix Casino in Reno, Nev., and even The White House in Washington, D.C., three times. Matthew and Jason have also been seen on “CBS Sunday Morning,” “Inside Edition,” and “Late Night with David Letterman.”

Their performing career started as teenagers in Maine when they presented some sketch comedy at a local community talent show. They were seen by Michael Miclon, The Stand-Up Juggler, who noticed their natural rapport with the audience, and encouraged them to develop their talent. Not long after this Jason and Matthew accepted an invitation to apprentice and tour with Michael Miclon.

Tickets for high energy evening are $7 in advance for youth/under 18 and $10 for adults.  Tickets on the day of the show are $12 for everyone.  The Opera House box office is open Tuesday through Friday at 86 Townsend Ave., or by calling 633-5159.  Tickets are also available online at www.boothbayoperahouse.com. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m.; doors for seating open at 7 p.m.

We often don't know where we are going, but our past follows us and influences our actions. Boothbay region native Karl Berger discovered this on completion of his final college project some 3,000 miles from home.

In a boat he made, using oars he crafted, Berger rowed 100 miles down the Columbia River in Oregon. Every five miles of his journey, Berger wrote down his impressions, thoughts and experiences, not in a notebook, but on each of his 20 oars.

For his final year as an undergraduate in studio art at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Ore., he needed to complete a final project. Starting out, Berger did not know what he wanted to make.

“I knew I was going to make something in wood. I knew it would be nautical in nature,” Berger said.

In a publication for Lewis and Clark College, renowned American art critic Peter Plagens is quoted as saying that Berger's was “The strongest undergraduate exhibition I've seen in a long time.”

Berger grew up in Boothbay Harbor and worked with his father Steve Berger in house construction and design for the Knickerbocker Group. This experience in woodworking and his life growing up on the coast provided a source for inspiration.

It took a year to build the boat, make the oars and prepare for his trip. The 16-foot dory he made was constructed of a plywood hull and mahogany gunwale. All of the oars were made of white ash.

He rowed down two rivers to travel from Portland to Astoria, where he met up with friends who drove his pickup truck. Berger made his way down the Willamette River, which merges onto the Columbia River. He said the trip took three days. Equipped with camping gear, radio, flares and other supplies, Berger spent days traveling on the water and nights sleeping along the shore in a tent.

By dividing the journey into 20 segments, Berger was able to stop and catalog his experiences onto the blade of each oar. When he was finished writing, he would retire the oar and exchange it for another.

“I've reached Sand Island,” he wrote. “Across from me is Saint Helens. It looks like a nice town and reminds me of Boothbay. I miss that old town. I'm tired and achy, but very content. In a way I feel at peace, or maybe I'm just exhausted.”

The experience left him with the sensation that he had walked a line between the seriousness and silliness of life. How to travel alone by boat, even as some people watched him pass on shore, was both a lesson in self-reliance and the desire to interact with fellow human beings.

He interprets the journey as a metaphor for traveling through life: often it seemed like he was rowing blindly, with his back toward his destination, and yet could see the landscape as it passed by. At times it took all his strength to keep the boat afloat in rough, choppy waves and to push ahead in still waters.

He started out on this journey to prove he could do it, but realized he wanted to share his experience with others along the way.

The sixth annual Maine Fairy House Festival at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens will be a fun-for-all with more events and activities than ever before. The Festival is from 1 to 4 p.m. each day from Friday through Sunday, Aug. 3-5, during which all activities are free with Gardens admission.

In addition to games including Gnome Bowling, make-and-take crafts, the Fairy Tea, and the Great Bubble Machine, there’s live entertainment each day, as follows:

Friday, August 3

• 1-2 p.m.: “Fairy Houses” author Tracy Kane story reading in the Bosarge Family Education Center and fairy-house-building workshop
• 2-3 p.m.: Shoestring Theater Parade of giant puppets around the Central Gardens, with music by the Maine Squeeze accordion ensemble
• 3-4 p.m.: Concert by Mr. Harley on the Great Lawn

Saturday, August 4

• 1-2 p.m.: “Fairy Houses” author Tracy Kane story reading in the Education Center and fairy-house-building workshop
• 2-3 p.m.: Portland School of Ballet performance on the Great Lawn
• 3-4 p.m.: Fairy Yoga in the Woodland Garden led by Carole Cochran

Sunday, August 5

• 1-2 p.m.: “Fairy Houses” author Tracy Kane story reading in the Education Center and fairy-house building workshop
• 1, 1:30, and 2 p.m.: Hooping Demonstration with Heidi Kendrick in the Woodland Garden
• 2, 2:30, and 3 p.m.: Puppet show by Primrose Puppets in the Education Center
• 3-4 p.m.: “Dance with the Fairies” practice and show on the Event Lawn with Amanda Russell

In addition to the weekend’s free Festival events, on Thursday, Aug. 2, at 2 p.m., the Bar Harbor-based Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers will present “The Legend of Banana Kid.” The fee for this lively and imaginative performance in the education center is $5 for members and $7 for non-members; and reservations are requested. Sign up online are by phone.

A fabulous array of designer fairy houses will be on display in the Education Center foyer for all to appreciate, and a guide will be on hand to answer questions and share information.

Vendors will be selling children’s toys, books, and fairy-related items on the Great Lawn. the Botanical Gardens Gift Shop will emphasize children’s items for this child-centered weekend with a full fairy display. Author Liza Walsh will be signing copies of her new book, “Fairy House Handbook,” in the Visitor Center throughout the festival; copies of the Down East Books volume will be available in the Gift Shop. The Kitchen Garden Cafe will offer family- and fairy-friendly snacks.

For information about these features and events, as well as morning workshops, visit www.MaineGardens.org, call 633-4333, ext. 101, or stop by the Visitor Center, off Barters Island Road in Boothbay.