BENEFITS

FRIDAY

Community School auction, benefits the school, Rockport Opera House. $25. 236-3000.

Holiday show, jewelry, fiber and fabric arts; benefits the Compass Project, Open Concepts Gallery and Studios, Portland. 400-6159. 3 to 8 p.m. 

SATURDAY

Pasta supper, benefits Royal Rangers Ministry, Seacoast Chapel, Saco. 4:30 to 6 p.m.

Go Red: An Evening with Heart, dinner/dance to benefit the American Heart Association, The Landing at Pine Point, Scarborough. $50. www.heart.org/maine. 5:30 to 11 p.m.

Our Global Beat, multicultural music and dance performances benefitting the Fur (tribe) Cultural Revival, Falmouth High School. $10; $8 for students and children. 781-7429, Ext. 413. 3 p.m.

Tree for All, live and silent auction of artisan woodcrafts including some made from Herbie, Yarmouth’s historic American elm; benefits the Yarmouth Tree Trust. Delorme Map Company, Yarmouth. $20 per person; $35 per couple. www.yarmouthcommunityservices. 5 to 9 p.m.

Portland Youth Service projects auction of hand-painted chairs and other whimsical furniture, Portland Public Library. $10 per person; $25 per family. 934-3616. 4 to 6 p.m. 

FAIRS/FESTIVALS

TODAY

Translations 2010, poetry festival with readings from poets all over the world, Bates College (Chase Hall), Lewiston. Free. www.bates.edu. Closing readings, 7 p.m.

Artsy Affair, holiday craft fair with music, local authors and food, Frontier Cafe, Cinema & Gallery, Brunswick. Free. 725-5222. 5 to 9 p.m. 

FRIDAY

Craft fair, First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, Portland. 773-5747. 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. 

SATURDAY

Holiday fair, crafts, woodcrafts, and knit and crochet items, Windham Hill United Church of Christ, Windham. 892-4217. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Holiday fair, crafts, baked goods and holiday items, Northfield Green, Portland. 797-7970. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Harvest fair, crafts, raffles, gifts and silent auction, North Deering Congregational Church, Portland. 797-2487. 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Craft fair, Riverton Community School, Portland. 874-8210. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with spaghetti supper from 5 to 7 p.m. (Supper is $3 to $5).

Craft show and church fair, also raffles and baked goods, St. John the Evangelist Church, South Portland. 772-1136. 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Home for the Holidays, arts, crafts, decorations, raffles, baked goods and candy, St. Anne’s Church, Gorham. 839-4857. 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Fall fair, crafts, gifts and more, Clark Memorial United Methodist Church, Portland. 773-5423. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Christmas fair, homemade food and craft items, plus silent auction, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Portland. 775-1179. 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Village Square fair, Standish Congregational Church. 642-2503. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“Just an Old-Fashioned Fair,” crafts, Scandinavian items and specialty breads, St. Ansgar Lutheran Church, Portland. 774-8740. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Bazaar, St. Patrick’s Church, Portland. 879-2614. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Psychic and crystal fair, psychic readers, chair massage, henna and aura photography, Leapin’ Lizards, Portland. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Holiday craft fair, crafts, jewelry, holiday decorations, luncheon, baked goods and more, St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, Kittery. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Holiday craft fair, sponsored by Windham Athletic Boosters, Windham High School. 807-6910. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Craft Friends craft fair, American Legion Post 164, Falmouth. 781-4709. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Downeast fair, handmade items, silent auction, cookie walk and more, Woodfords Congregational Church, Portland. 774-8243. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Christmas fair, crafts, Santa and children’s activities, Cornerstone United Methodist Church, Saco. 286-9829. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Christmas fair, baked goods, crafts and knitted items, Elm Street United Methodist Church, South Portland. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Christmas decorations fair, stockings, gifts, lights and decorations, Town Hall, Limington. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Holiday fair, St. Luke’s Cathedral, Portland. 772-5434. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Feline Frolic Holiday Fair, Friends of Feral Felines, Portland. www.feralfelines.net. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday.

Craft fair, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Windham. 892-3048. 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

State Street Holiday Stroll, arts and crafts fairs, music, food and more along State Street, Portland. 775-2673. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Christmas fair, Saco Grange. sacogrange@yahoo.com. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

School Around Us Winter Fair, crafts, music, silent auction and food, Kennebunk High School. www.schoolaroundus.org. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

FILMS

TODAY

SCOPE, visual arts film series, Space, Portland. $7. www.space538.org. “Louise Bourgeois: The Spider, the Mistress and the Tangerine” (2008), 7:30 p.m. Series runs through Dec. 9.

Sagadahoc Preservation’s Dreamland Theater film series, Winter Street Center, Bath. “Father Goose” (1964), 7 p.m. 

FRIDAY

Classic Cinema, monthly film series, St. Mary the Virgin Church, Falmouth. Free. “To Catch a Thief” (1955), 7 p.m.

Global Lens Film Series, touring program of narrative features from around the world, Bates College (Ronj Coffeehouse), Lewiston. $5. 786-6135. “Ordinary People” (1980), 8 p.m. Friday; 6 p.m. Monday. Series runs through Dec. 13. 

SUNDAY

“Nosferatu,” 1922 silent vampire horror film with live musical accompaniment by the Les Sorciers Perdus, Mayo Street Arts, Portland. $7. www.mayostreetarts.org. 7 p.m. 

TUESDAY

Food Film Series with discussion, University of Maine (Lincoln Auditorium), Farmington. Free. “King Corn” (2007), 7 p.m. Tuesday; 10 a.m., 2 and 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Silent Surrealism, silent film clips with live accompaniment by the Hot Club of San Francisco, University of Southern Maine (Abromson Community Education Center), Portland. $36; $10 for students. www.porttix.com. 7:30 p.m. 

WEDNESDAY

Living Outside the Lines, film festival on disability, Frontier Cafe, Cinema & Gallery, Brunswick. $7; $20 reception follows screening. www.explorefrontier.com. “Including Samuel” (2008), 6:30 p.m. 

PRO SPORTS

Portland Pirates, AHL hockey team, Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland. $11-$17. 207-828-4665. www.portlandpirates.com. Vs. Albany, 7 p.m. Saturday. 

SPECIAL EVENTS

TODAY

Holiday Extravaganza, varying events featuring musicians, art exhibits, poets and more, Aarhus Gallery, Belfast. www.aarhusgallery.com. Today to Dec. 24.

Celebrate Health Partnership between the Republic of Ghana, West Africa and several U.S. health organizations with programs offered by visiting dignitaries and African drumming demonstrations. University of New England, Portland. Free. www.une.edu/ccph/ghana. West African drumming demonstration, 3:30 to 5 p.m. today; lectures, noon to 1:30 p.m. and 6 to 7:30 p.m. today; panel discussion, noon to 2 p.m. Friday.

Maine Recycles Week, workshops, films and exhibits, Hannaford Market, Kennebunk. www.kennebunkgogreen.org. Various times. 

SATURDAY

A Steampunk Affair, fashion, dining, contests, games and vendors, Roost Function Hall, Buxton. $30. portconmaine.com/asteampunkaff. 5 to 9 p.m.

Africa and Poetry, local African writers, dancers and songs, Mayo Street Arts, Portland. $3. www.mayostreetarts.org. 7 p.m.

National Gaming Day, play games available at the library or bring your own, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook. 854-0630. 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

SUNDAY

Psychic Sunday, fees for readings, products and services, Woodfords Club, Portland. $1. Noon to 3 p.m.

Bath Antiques Show, Bath Middle School. $4. 443-8983. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

TUESDAY

Knitting Night, knit (or not) while listening to a performance by fiddler Hope Hoffman and her band, Free Grange Music Studio, Bowdoinham. Free. 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Lucid Stage grand opening, performances by dancers, poets, actors and more, Lucid Stage, Portland. 899-3993. 6 p.m. 

WEDNESDAY

Knitting Night, knit (or not) while listening to a performance by fiddler Hope Hoffman and her band, Lucid Stage, Portland. Free. 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. 

BOOKS/AUTHORS

TODAY

Phoebe Potts, “Good Eggs,” signing and reading, Longfellow Books, Portland. Free. 772-4045. 7 p.m.

Poet Adrian Matejka, reading, University of Maine (Olsen Student Center), Farmington. Free. 7:30 p.m.

Ted Gup, “Secret Gift,” author talk, Nonantum Resort, Kennebunk. 967-8282. Seating is limited; reservations recommended. 8:30 p.m. 

FRIDAY

Carl Little, “The Art of Dahlov Ipcar,” presents “Exploring the Ekphrastic: The Art-Poetry Connection,” University of Southern Maine (Robie Andrews Hall), Gorham. Free.780-5008. 1 p.m. 

SATURDAY

Francesco Duina, “Winning: Reflections on an American Obsession,” author talk, Prince Memorial Library, Cumberland Center. Free. 829-2215. 10 a.m. 

SUNDAY

Book signings and readings, Kennebooks, Kennebunk. 967-8282. Seating is limited; reservations recommended. Scott Nash, “Betsy Red Hoodie,” 10:30 a.m. Saturday; Tess Gerritsen, “Ice Cold,” 6:30 p.m. Sunday.

David Switzer, “The Archaeology of Ships of War, Vol. II,” presents “Steam Power, Corsets and Exploding Harpoons: The Last Days of Arctic Whaling,” Maine Maritime Museum, Bath. $7. www.MaineMaritimeMuseum.org.2 p.m.

Lily King, “Father of the Rain,” author talk, Louis T. Graves Library, Kennebunkport.967-2778. 2 p.m. 

MONDAY

Ben Kilham, “Among the Bears,” presents a slideshow about bears and their behavior, College of the Atlantic (McCormick Lecture Hall), Bar Harbor. www.coa.edu. 6:30 p.m.

Nancy Griffin, “Making Whoopies: The Official Whoopie Pie Book,” author talk, Lithgow Public Library, Augusta. Free. 626-2415. 6:30 p.m. 

TUESDAY

Randy Spencer, “Where Cool Waters Flow: Four Seasons with a Master Maine Guide,” author talk, Maine Historical Society, Portland. 774-1822. Noon.

Scott Seider, “Shelter: Where Harvard Meets the Homeless,” author talk, Colby College (Diamond Building), Waterville. Free. www.colby.edu. 7 p.m. 

WEDNESDAY

Language Arts Live, series of literary readings, Bates College (Chase Hall), Lewiston. Free. www.bates.edu. Ander Monson, “The Available World,” 7:30 p.m.

Brown Bag Lecture Series with Wesley McNair, Thomas Carper and others, “Maine in Four Seasons,” Portland Public Library. Free; bring own lunch. 871-1710. Noon to 1 p.m.

Gary Okihiro, “Impounded: Dorothea Lange and the Censored Images of Japanese American Internment,” author talk, Bowdoin College (Searles Science Building), Brunswick. Free. 725-3291. 7:30 p.m.

PARTICIPANT DANCE

TODAY

Dancing with the Staff, benefits Westbrook High School class of 2011, Westbrook Performing Arts Center. $5-$10. 6 p.m. 

FRIDAY

Dancing with DJ John, Maplewood Dance Center, Portland. 878-0584. 7 to 11 p.m. 

SATURDAY

Ballroom dancing, American Ballroom Dance Academy, Portland. 879-5761. Argentine tango lesson at 6 p.m.; group lesson at 7 p.m.; dance 8 to 11 p.m. $10 per lesson; $15 for both; $5 dance only.

Ballroom dancing, Maplewood Dance Center, Portland. 878-0584. 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday; dance social, 7 to 11 p.m. Wednesday.

Harvest dance, music from the 1950s to 1970s; dress is casual, Nasson Community Center, Springvale. $10. www.nassoncc.org. 8 to 11:30 p.m. 

MONDAY

Israeli folk dancing, lessons for beginners during the first 30 minutes followed by open dancing, Temple Beth El, Portland. Free. 774-2649. 7 to 8:30 p.m.