Willard Fest this weekend

The annual Willard Fest event, designed to celebrate the Willard Beach neighborhood in South Portland, will be held on Saturday, July 11, 3-6 p.m., in Willard Square, with a rain date of July 12.

Get to know your neighbors and enjoy live music, chow down on local food, see the work of local artisans, participate in children’s activities and more. See www.willardfest.org for more information.

Gardens starting up in Ferry Village

A new community garden is starting in Ferry Village and will turn vacant neighborhood lands into organic gardens that improve health, promote community, build skills and reap delicious results.

The gardens are part of The Ferry Village Neighborhood Conservation Association, a 30-year-old non-profit, and Joan E. Herzog, a local permaculture gardener and dietitian is founder.

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Ferry Village Community Gardens is looking for a half-dozen neighbors with community/home gardening experience and/or community organizing skills. Email Herzog at joanherzog11@gmail.com for location and more information.

Tall Ships Festival on tap

On Saturday, July 18, a fleet of magnificent tall ships, representing some of the most unique sailing vessels in the world, will sail into Portland Harbor for a three-day visit.

This special event is part of the Tall Ships Challenge, a series of races and public maritime festivals taking place up and down the East Coast this summer.

The ships will be docked at the Maine State Pier in Portland. The public is invited on board the various vessels, as well as to take part in daily sails, maritime exhibits and a variety of live entertainment.

All day boarding passes are $15 per person.

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See www.tallshipsportland.com for more information.

The festival schedule is as follows:

• July 18 – 1 p.m., Parade of Sail; 2:30 p.m., docking: and 6 p.m., public viewing, but no boarding.

• July 19 – 10 a.m.-9 p.m., public boarding, day sails, exhibits and entertainment.

• July 20 – 10 a.m.-9 p.m., public boarding, day sails, exhibits and entertainment.

In addition, the Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse Trust is selling tickets to watch the tall ships parade into the harbor for $50 per person.

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“Whether you’re on the top gallery or the bottom, you’re guaranteed an unparalleled view of the ships,” the lighthouse webpage states.

Guided tours of the lighthouse will also be available to ticket holders. The lighthouse will be open at noon on July 18. See www.springpointlight.org/tall-ships to order tickets or for more information.

Southern Maine Community College is also selling box lunches for pre-order. Go online to www.smccme.edu/static-content/events/sail-portland-bag-lunches to purchase lunch or for more information.

Alzheimer’s group to meet

The monthly meeting of the Alzheimer’s Support Group sponsored by the Maine Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association will be held on Monday, July 13, at the First Congregational Church at 301 Cottage Road in South Portland, Maine from 7-8:30 p.m.

The meeting is held on the second Monday of each month and provides a way to connect with others for support to those families, friends and individuals dealing with Alzheimer’s or other types of dementia.

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Flatbread to hold lighthouse fundraiser

The Flatbread Company restaurant in Portland’s Old Port will donate a portion of its sales to benefit the Spring Point Ledge Light Trust on Tuesday, July 14, 5-10 p.m.

The trust owns and maintains the Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse, which is located at the end of a breakwater at Fort Preble in South Portland.

The restaurant, which is located at 72 Commercial St., will donate $3.50 for each large flatbread and $1.75 for each small flatbread sold during the benefit.

In addition, trust volunteers will hold a raffle for lighthouse-related prizes. All proceeds will be used to maintain and preserve the lighthouse and keep it open to the public.

July events at the library

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July will be a busy month at the South Portland Public Library with a variety of special programs and other events on tap. All events are free and open to the public. Call 767-7660 or see www.southportlandlibrary.com for more information.

Once again this summer, the library will assist in raising monarch caterpillars, which will become beautiful monarch butterflies, after they hatch.

The caterpillars are already on view in the Children’s Room and for the month of July visitors will be able to stop by and check on their progress while learning about each step in the monarch’s life cycle.

Other events include:

• Wednesday, July 15, 2 p.m. – Come cool off and socialize with friends at the Teen Ice Cream Social at the Main Library. This special summer reading program is just for middle and high school students. There will also be games, prizes and a raffle, as well as plenty of ice cream.

• Friday, July 17, 10:30 a.m. – Chewonki presents heroes of the natural world. Many of the comic world’s beloved superheroes are inspired by the animals that live right in our back yards. Come enjoy a presentation by Chewonki about the heroes of the natural world.

During this program Chewonki staff will present two iconic superhero figures of the natural world and draw connections between superhero powers and the adaptations of their animal counterparts. The fun concludes with a close-up look at a third live animal and the opportunity for participants to enter into a statewide contest to create their own owl-inspired superhero. This program has a 75-person limit.

• Saturday, July 18, 11 a.m. – Meet a master beekeeper from the Honey Exchange, along with his honeybees. Participants will learn all about honeybees and how important they are. There will even be honey tasting. This program is all ages, but is recommended for children 5 and up.


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