River Fest and Upper Kennebec Valley Outdoor Expo today in downtown Skowhegan. Family-friendly entertainment including free rafting trips and a rock climbing wall, concerts and food vendors. Most events are free. Free parking is available. For more information, www.skowsavings.com/riverfest. 

Animal signs, 1 to 3 p.m. today, free family workshop at Merryspring. Activities relating to animal tracks, eating habits, scat and habitats. Open to all ages but activities are designed for children ages 5-12; all children must be accompanied by an adult. Merryspring is at the end of Conway Road just of Route 1 in Camden. For more information, call 236-2239 or go to www.merryspring.org. 

Additional Photos

Aiyana, 10, and Dasey McNeill, 7, of Pittston show their first fish of the year, a 2 1⁄2 pound bass they caught at their grandmother Jackie McNeill’s house on Togus Pond on Memorial Day. Contributed photo

Taylor Milliken, 16, caught a 16-pound, 35-inch togue while trolling on Maranacook Lake on June 15. Milliken, who moved from Winthrop to Florida last July, returned to fish with his friend Ben Hall. Contributed photo

Hometown Heroes celebration, from Wednesday to Friday Cabela’s offers its employee discount to veterans, active members of the military, and law enforcement, firefighters and EMS personnel. The outfitter is at 100 Cabela Blvd. in Scarborough. For more information, call 883-7400. 

York County Audubon birding field trip, 7 a.m. Saturday, at Horton Woods on Route 112. Free. For more information, call Joanne Stevens at 883-6475. 

Looking Ahead

Something for Everyone about Kayaking, 7 p.m. July 6, Allen Avenue Unitarian Universalist Church, Portland. Maine Outdoor Adventure Club monthly program. Scott Shea, an outfitter and guide, will cover such topics as choosing a kayak and related gear, including paddles and safety equipment. Paddling techniques will be demonstrated and ideas will be shared on trip planning, navigation, safety and clothing. Free and open to the public. For more information, www.moac.org. 

23rd annual Maine Bike Rally, July 8-10 at Brunswick High School. This event features road rides, mountain bike rides and an accredited time trial. Onsite camping, food, all rides, entertainment are all included in an affordable weekend price. The Maine Bike Rally is a combined effort of local enthusiasts, Casco Bay Bicycle Club, Merrymeeting Wheelers Bicycle Club and the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. Go to www.mainebikerally.org for registration and details. 

Parker Pond Headland family hike, 9 to 11 a.m. July 10, Kennebec Land Trust. Bring snacks, cameras and binoculars. Free. Co-sponsored by the Parker Pond Association. Call 377-2848 or email tkerchner@tklt.org. Go to www.tklt.org for a full schedule of events. 

Firefly Flirting, 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. July 10, Great Works Regional Land Trust, Savage Wildlife Preserve in South Berwick. Bring a flashlight or headlamp. For more information, visit www.gwrlt.org. To register call 646-3604. 

Furry Friends in the Night Sky, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. July 14, Center for Wildlife and Mount Agamenticus conservation program. Meet big brown bat ambassadors from the Center for Wildlife and learn how bats keep ecosystems in delicate balance. $5 suggested donation, ages 5+ recommended. Reservations required, visit www.yorkcenterforwildlife.org/news.htm. 

Hunter safety course, Fairfield VFW, July 19, 21 and 23 at the post home. For details and registration call Don Perrine at 660-6382. 

Learn about wildflowers, ferns and aquatic plants, 1- 5 p.m. July 23, Hidden Valley Nature Center, Jefferson. Cost for one session is $25 for HVNC members, $30 for all others. www.hvnc.org, gary@hnvc.org or 586-6752. 

Maine Lobster Ride & Roll will return to Rockland on July 23. Sponsored by the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, the ride will start and end at Oceanside High School, with staggered start times beginning at 8 a.m. Participants may choose from four distance options: 16, 30, 50 or 100 miles. Pre-registration costs $85, with a $20 discount for coalition members. Children ages 12 to 17 pay $25, and those under 12 ride free. Participants will receive Maine Lobster Ride socks. For registration, a video about the ride and more information, visit www.BikeMaine.org or call 623-4511. 

Paddle for Pine Tree Camp Challenge, Aug. 13, Wolfe’s Neck Farm, Freeport. The sea kayak paddle will offer routes adaptable for all skill levels. Following the paddle, participants will enjoy a lobster and steamer bake and barbecue. All money raised will benefit Pine Tree Camp for Maine children and adults with disabilities. Sponsored by Whole Foods Market. For the schedule and more information, visit www.pinetreesociety.org/paddle_challenge.asp. 

Basic pistol, rifle and shotgun muzzleloading shooting course, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 14, at Pooh Corner Farm, Greenhouse & Florist in Bethel. $200. FMI: www.wmepropertyprotection. com or call 739-9774. 

Borestone Mountain Meditation Retreat, Sept. 9-11, at the lodge operated by the Maine Audubon Society in Elliotville Plantation. The cost is $320 for the weekend. For more information, visit www.yogainmaine.com. 

Ongoing

Discovery Trek series, Portland Trails. Guided walks are free to Portland Trails members, $5 suggested donation for non-members. Please register for any trek by emailing info@trails.org or calling 775-2411. For more information or to check cancellations due to the weather go to www.trails.org. “Portland Trails’ 10K: Trail to Ale Preview,” 5:30 to 7 p.m. July 8; “Yoga and Walking Meditation on the Fore River,” 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. July 22; “Explore the Eastern Cemetery,” 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Aug. 5; “A Bit of History on the Eastern Promenade,” 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Aug. 24; “Indian Trail in the Peaks Island Land Preserve,” 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 2; “Bird Walk at the Quarry Run,” 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 30. 

Cathance River Education Alliance in Topsham is hosting open hours at the Ecology Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays in June. Visitors can learn about the center’s green features, explore field guides, animal specimens and geology, or watch footage from a remote wildlife camera. For more information, visit creamaine.org or call 891-8341. 

The Kennebec Land Trust Outing Club offers events for active adults age 21 and older. The club is a great way to explore the outdoors, get to know Kennebec Land Trust properties and socialize. Excursions are free to trust members or $5 for non-members. For a schedule, go to www.tklt.org. Call 377-2848 or email Theresa Kerchner at tkerchner@tklt.org to register for outings. 

Kayaking Series, every Saturday in July, led by Michelle Moody, an Appalachian Mountain Club Maine Chapter leader. Preregistration is required. Call Michelle Moody at 319-7355 or go to www.amcmaine.org. This series is a joint effort with the Brunswick Topsham Land Trust (www.btlt.org), Cathance River Education Alliance (www.creamaine.org), Friends of Merrymeeting Bay (www.fomb.org) and Kennebec Estuary Land Trust (www.kennebecestuary.org). 

Maine Guide training programs: July 7-10 at the Penobscot County Conservation Association Clubhouse; July 28-31 at the Phippsburg Sportsman’s Club. The course prepares students for taking the state’s licensing exam for recreational, hunting and fishing guides. The cost is $475, and a $200 deposit is required upon registration. To register, contact Carroll Ware at Fins and Furs Adventures at 474-5430. 

Weekly Bird Walk, 7 a.m. Thursdays at Gilsland Farm, off Route 1, Falmouth; $5 for Maine Audubon members, $8 for nonmembers. Bring binoculars and a field guide and meet in the visitor center parking lot. FMI: Call 781-2330, ext. 209. 

Guided trail walks with local Kennebec Messalonskee Trails volunteers at various locations in the Waterville area, offered several days a week throughout the summer and fall. Free; all welcome. For walk locations and times, visit www.kmtrails.org. 

Fundraiser Fridays rafting trips with Northern Outdoors. Every Friday, Northern Outdoors will contribute $20 per person in a rafting group to their designated charity. Groups must pre-register, and each member chooses a designated nonprofit. For more information on Northern Outdoors and Fundraiser Fridays, visit www.northernoutdoors.com/site/groups/fundraiser-fridays.html. 

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