Sailing and Skulling

Bridgton is blessed with dozens of lakes and ponds, and if you are lucky enough to be here in August you should consider yourself blessed, too! Summer is our reward for enduring the cold and dark winters (which really aren’t as bad as we make them out to be), and these sunny days are perfect for spending on the water.

Camp Winona on Moose Pond creates the perfect postcard on breezy summer days, when sails unfurl on Sunfishes and the cove is filled with burgeoning skippers. It is a stunning sight to hit the causeway and see the boats tacking and jibbing across the water, and drivers pulling over to take pictures for posterity. It doesn’t hurt to have the green slopes of Shawnee Peak in the background either, creating the quintessential Maine photo op.

I have lived and worked in Bridgton for years and am still surprised by all of the cultural and sporting events that are held here. I attended the 22nd annual Highland Lake Crew Regatta last Saturday, and although I live two blocks from the lake I had never even heard of this state championship rowing tournament. Dozens of single rowers and teams competed in the race, which brings an elite cadre of skullers to town every August. Founded by Clark Sulloway and Steve Collins, the event included a post-race brunch and awards ceremony on the shore of the Highland Lake Resort, which the Woodwards generously allow the club to use. You never know where the day takes you…

Farm to Table

Looking for locally grown vegetables, free-range meats and home-baked treats? The Bridgton Farmer’s Market is in full swing this week as the high summer harvest rolls in. The Market is held every Saturday from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. in the common ground next to the Magic Lantern on Depot Street, where you’ll find garden-fresh produce, artisanal goat cheese, organic fruits and flowers and much more. Shopping locally supports your neighborhood growers, guarantees you the freshest healthy produce and keeps your money in town. Thanks for buying local!

Folk Festival

Bridgton has a long history of artists and craftsmen plying their trades and passing down their knowledge. The first annual Village Folk Festival celebrates this colorful heritage with a street party on Depot Street that kicks off on Friday, Aug. 16, from 3 to 10 p.m.

This free festival will feature live music throughout the evening along with demonstrations of arts and crafts, tours of the gorgeous Bridgton Community Garden and locally made food. We have a vibrant, artistic community here in the Lakes Region and it is great to see so many talented people working to make this festival a reality. Join us as we take to the street to celebrate the things that make Bridgton such a special place to live and visit.

Garden Gala

The Bridgton Community Gardens are in full splendor this month, overflowing with organic veggies and flowers. Thanks to a grant from the Gilroy Foundation the raised beds doubled in size from 26 to 52, providing garden space to families and nonprofits to grow their own healthy produce. The volunteers of the Community Garden are throwing a party to celebrate the harvest, and everyone is invited!

Join us on Saturday, Aug. 17 at the Community Center on Depot Street from 5-9 p.m. for entertainment, tours of the garden, exhibits on growing and building gardens, and much more. There will be a “build-your-own-kebab” grill with organic free-range meats and local veggies, and lots of homemade food from the garden. Buttons can be purchased at businesses around town including Chalmers Realty and Insurance, Morning Dew and the Depot Street Tap House. You can also pick one up at the Bridgton Community Center, which is hosting the party. There is plenty of free parking in the municipal lot behind the Magic Lantern, and this family-friendly event is open to everyone. Please call the BCC at 647-3116 for more information. Join us, have some fun, make a difference and enjoy a beautiful summer evening.

Camera Obscura

The summer cultural calendar is stuffed with options, and you could spend the whole month at the Rufus Porter Museum alone and get your fill. For example, on Saturday, Aug. 10, from 9 a.m. until noon, photography buffs are in for a real treat, as museum curators hold a workshop on the early roots of photography and the initial use of the camera obscura.

The class starts at the museum with a short lecture about what a camera obscura is and how the itinerant Maine muralist Rufus Porter used one. Then attendees will construct their own out of provided materials and travel off site to use their creations and draw plein-air. No drawing skills are necessary, and you can bring your own camp chair and sketchbook if you have them; the museum will provide the rest. $10 will cover supplies and instruction. Please call 647-2828 to register for the class, and for info on the museum’s fascinating Civil War exhibit and other upcoming events.

Bridgton Bazaar

One of the most enduring New England traditions is the church bazaar, and you know those ladies can cook! St. Joseph’s Catholic Church throws their annual Summer Bazaar on Saturday, Aug. 10, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the church on South High Street.

The Women’s Guild will have tables filled with baked goods, jewelry, crafts and white elephants, and there will be other local vendors with their own craft tables. The fun continues with “on-the-spot” raffle items, and a pair of kayaks and a fiberglass canoe will be raffled at the end of the day. Say a prayer that you’re the lucky winner! For more info call 583-2732.