Freeport Fall Festival

The annual FreeportUSA Freeport Fall Festival is scheduled this year for Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 4 and 5, on the L.L. Bean campus.

The festival features art, music, food and fun. More than 100 artists will exhibit works ranging from photography oil, watercolor, mixed media, fine craft and jewelry. Freeport Community Services’ Chowdah Challenge, a fundraiser for the organization, will be held from 11:30 a.m. -2 p.m., at the L.L. Bean Home store. Participating restaurants to date include 1912 Cafe?, Gritty’s. Linda Bean’s Perfect Maine, Harraseeket Inn, Freeport Chowder House and Freeport Seafood Grill.

New for 2014 will be a selection of Maine food producers. The event includes children’s art activities and music for the whole family. Bands include Gunther Brown, Saturday from noon-2 p.m.; the Kenya Hall Band, Saturday from 2-4 p.m.; Primo Cubano, Sunday from noon-2 p.m.; and Royal Hammer, Sunday from 2-4 p.m.

The two-day event is free. For a full schedule, see www.freeportfallfestival.com.

Commercial-free childhood topic of lecture

Dr. Susan Linn, director of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, will give a public talk entitled “The Gift of a Commercial-Free Childhood,” Wednesday, Oct. 8, at 7 p.m., at Merriconeag Waldorf School’s Community Hall, 57 Desert Road, Freeport.

While parents try to set limits at home, marketing executives work to create commercial messages irresistible to children. Some experts believe childhood obesity, violent behaviors, precocious sexuality, rampant consumerism, family stress and the erosion of children’s creative play have all been linked to a commercialized childhood. Linn will speak about the problem and provide suggestions for what parents can do.

Linn has written extensively about the effects of media and commercial marketing on children, and has lectured internationally about the importance of creative play, the impact of media and marketing on children, and about puppets as a therapeutic tool.

Donations will be accepted at the door.

Merriconeag Waldorf School, founded in 1984, serves some 245 students in early childhood through Grade 12. For more information, see www.merriconeag.org or call 865-3900.

Senior Expo Oct. 1

Maine Senior Guide and Beach Glass Transitions are hosting the Freeport Senior Expo at the Hilton Garden Inn, 5 Park St., Freeport, Wednesday, Oct. 1, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Thirty-six exhibitor booths will offer information on everything from senior communities and diabetes education to travel opportunities and insurance products. Starting at 10 a.m., speakers will give information on topics from healthy living to joint replacements. Free flu shots will be available all day. Afternoon music will be provided by the quartet Highlight, and antique appraisals ($5 per item) will be available to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association.

BoomerTECH representatives will be answering tech, device and computer questions at a Q&A table, and TimesTen will offer free mini-manicures from noon-3 p.m. Attendees can even join a Yoga After 50 class at 11 a.m. The expo is free. For more information and a full schedule, see www.maineseniorguide.com/

Crafters sought

Crafters, artisans and vendors are needed for the Freeport Fire Rescue Auxiliary’s annual craft fair, being held on Saturday, Oct. 25, at the Freeport Fire Station. For more information, call 865-6568.

Community Day at Tuscan Bistro

Members of the Freeport High School Field Hockey Boosters are holding a fundraising event hosted by Tuscan Brick Oven Bistro, 140 Main St., Tuesday, Oct. 7, from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. A portion of the day’s sales will benefit the boosters. Takeout orders also apply. Call 869-7200 for large party reservations or take out. There will be raffle items, as well.

Variety of culinary classes offered

RSU5 Recreation and Community Education will offer a broad range of culinary classes this fall, from farm-to-table cooking to gluten-free baking.

Israel Buffardi of Cultivating Community will teach about cooking with local ingredients in the following family-friendly workshops: Homemade Fresh Pasta and Simple Sauces, Neapolitan Style Pizza for Maine Kitchens, French Onion Soup from Scratch, Classic French Crepes, Hearty Italian Country Soups and An Autumn Feast.

Chris Toy will teach three cooking classes this fall, including Winning with Wings: Game Night Munchies, Hands-on Ravioli and Tortellini, and Chinese Hot Pot. Baking workshops include Cupcake Decorating (Halloween), Make a Gingerbread House (at The European Bakery), Cake Decorating, The Making of the French Macaron (at The European Bakery), The Art of the Cream Pie, and Truffles. Gluten-Free Baking workshops are also being offered.

For more information, visit www.rsu5-rce.org or call 865-6171.

Public safety open house

The Fire Prevention Open House is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 8, from 5-7 p.m., at the Freeport Public Safety building, 4 Main St. The Freeport Fire and Rescue and Police Departments, as well as the Brunswick Dispatch/E911 Communications Center and other community agencies, will have many interactive activities scheduled, including a smoke trailer, seat belt convincer, a fire extinguisher demo, an automatic external defibrillator (AED) demo and other health and wellness activities.

Ambulances and fire engines will be on display and K-9 Kassie will be in attendance. The Maine Public Safety Pipes and Drums will be performing. Hamburgers and hot dogs will be available for purchase.

Park cleanup invites helpers

Freeport will host a fall clean-up day at Leon Gorman Park on Saturday, Sept. 27, from 9 a.m.-noon, with participants weeding and cleaning up the park. Snacks and tools will be provided. Those interested should RSVP to Donna Larson at [email protected]. Parking is available at the School Street entrance.

Arts and Crafts Market

The First Parish Church Congregational will hold its twice monthly Arts & Crafts Market on the front lawn of the church, 40 Main St., Freeport, this Saturday, Sept. 27, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Vendor spaces are available. For each market day, one space is available, free of charge, for nonprofit groups. For more information, see www.FirstParishMarket.org.

Habitat open house Saturday

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland will hold an open house at its new neighborhood at 3 Hummingbird Lane in Freeport, Saturday, Sept. 27, from 1-3 p.m. Visitors can see the condominium properties, get to know the neighborhood, and learn more about applying to purchase a Habitat home. There are eight homes – two have been sold, one is complete, and five are under construction. Each has three bedrooms, 11?2 bathrooms, a full basement and hardwood floors.

Free movie Oct. 2

The Freeport Community Library will host a free community movie on Thursday, Oct. 2, at 1 p.m., in the Community Meeting Room. The selection is the 1972 romantic comedy, “Avanti!” starring Jack Lemmon and Juliet Mills. It was filmed on the island of Ischia in the Bay of Naples.

Author readings at library

On Wednesday, Sept. 24, at 6:30 p.m., author Steve Pinkham will read from his book, “Old Tales of the Maine Woods,” at the Freeport Community Library. The stories are gathered from a collection of some 22,000 articles and stories about the Maine woods. Pinkham has selected many of the oldest and most exciting hunting and fishing tales, as well as stories of animal encounters, lumbering, canoe trips, and even a few ghost stories.

Local author Clinton C. Smith will read from his recently published novel, “Mirror Image,” on Thursday, Sept. 25, at 1 p.m. The book focuses on three college students in the fictional western Maine western college town of Westcreek who discover the past holds the key to their future. The phenomenon of past lives will come back to haunt them in “Mirror Image.” Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing.

Freeport author Gar Roper returns to the Freeport Community Library on Wednesday, Oct. 8, at 6:30 p.m., to read from his newly published novel, “Deadly Hypocrisy: Brenna Should Have Died.” His first foray into the crime/detective genre, the book was published in July. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing.

Trivia Challenge coming up

The Greater Freeport Chamber of Commerce will be holding its second Freeport Trivia Challenge on Thursday, Oct. 9, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Freeport Grill, 175 Lower Main St. Trivia Master Cole Tamminen will again be the master of ceremonies for the event.

Teams of four can enter for $150. The winning team receives $200 cash. General questions will be interspersed with those about Freeport’s past and present. There will be door prizes and free light snacks.

Teams can register by contacting Sande Updegraph, 847-5240, ext. 1, or emailing [email protected].

Nominations sought for service award

Freeport Community Services is now accepting nominations for the Carol Kaplan Memorial Community Service Award named after the long-time general services director for the town of Freeport. It is given annually to an individual who embodies the mission of Freeport Community Services, and who has had a positive impact on client services and/or the organization. Stephen Cogswell of Freeport won the award last year.

The deadline for nominations is Oct. 15. Nomination forms are available at the Freeport Community Center, 53 Depot St., Freeport, or at www.fcsmaine.org. For more information, contact Melanie Sachs, executive director, at 865-3985, ext. 204.

Animal blessing set for Oct. 4

The 12th annual Blessing of the Animals, in honor of St. Francis’ Feast, will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4, at Sacred Heart’s church yard, 326 Main St., Yarmouth. The event is sponsored by the parish’s Church & Family Life Commission, which includes St. Jude Church of Freeport, as well as Sacred Heart Church of Yarmouth, Holy Martyrs Church of North America in Falmouth, and St. Gregory the Great Church in Gray.

All pets and/or pet lovers are invited to attend this prayer service and blessing, with or without an animal friend present. For more information, contact the Pastoral Office at 847-6890.

Harvest dance on Saturday

Wolfe’s Neck Farm’s annual Harvest Dance is Saturday, Sept. 27, at the historic Mallet Barn, Wolfe’s Neck Road. Music will be provided by The Ghost of Paul Revere. From 6:30-7:30 p.m. there will be a contra dance, followed by the featured band. A cash bar from Gritty’s and an assortment of local food trucks and vendors will be available.

Wolfe’s Neck Farm has a busy lineup of fall events and activities, including pumpkin hay rides, veggies and lamb for sale at the farm stand, school field trips, a fall festival and after-school programs. For more information on all the farm’s programs, see www.wolfesneckfarm.org.

Dr. Susan Linn