Inn by Sea offers free concert

The New England Quintet will perform a free concert on the lawn at the Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth at 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 7. The rain date is Thursday, Sept. 10.

Bring a beach chair or picnic blanket and enjoy the music. The hotel will provide a cash bar and grilled food will be for sale. Call 799-3134 for more information. The inn is located at 40 Bowery Beach Road.

Gym Dandies to hold bake sale

On Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 5 and 6, the Gym Dandies Children’s Circus will hold a bake sale at the Sam’s Club in Scarborough, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. both days.

All proceeds will go toward the group’s trip to Washington, D.C., in mid-April of 2016 to participate in the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival. The Gym Dandies will be one of the units featured in the festival’s parade.

Library offers evening book reading group

This fall the Scarborough Public Library will begin offering a new monthly book group, to be held in the evening to better accommodate those who are busy during the day.

The first meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 9. The book to be discussed will be “Orphan Train,” by Christina Baker Kline.

At the first meeting, the group will also have the opportunity to decide which titles to read in the coming months. Call 883-4723, ext. 4, for more information. This group is free to join.

Church to host Sparks Ark show

Sparks Ark, based in Windham, will be providing an animal-focused program for children of all ages on Saturday, Sept. 12, at 10 a.m. at Peoples United Methodist Church, 310 Broadway, South Portland. The event is free.

After Hours concerts return

The South Portland Public Library’s After Hours Concert Series is back for a fourth season starting Saturday, Sept. 19, at 7 p.m. with the Bellamy Jazz Band, an upbeat New Orleans- and Chicago-style jazz group playing traditional jazz and swing tunes.

The lineup continues with Seagrass, a five piece, high energy bluegrass and roots band on Saturday, Oct. 3.

Cul-de-Sax returns featuring music written by immigrants with a program titled “Coming to America” on Saturday, Nov. 7.

The Pelonzi Duo, a versatile classical ensemble will perform on Saturday, Dec. 5, with a mixture of holiday/winter-themed selections. Other shows include Choro Loco, a Brazilian choro band, Maine Marimba Ensemble, and Britta Pejic et sa Band de Cons, performing an array of popular French standards.

All concerts are free and open to the public and take place at the library’s main location at 482 Broadway. The concerts are held outside of the library’s usual hours of operation. The library will be closed for regular business during these times. The programs are made possible thanks to the generous support of the Friends of the South Portland Public Library. For more information, visit www.SouthPortlandLibrary.com or call 767-7660.

Drive Electric Day is Sept. 13

This month South Portland will once again host the local Drive Electric Day celebration, which caps off National Drive Electric Week. Pre-registration is requested at www.nrcm.kintera.org/DriveElectric.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place on Sunday, Sept. 13, from noon to 4 p.m., at the South Portland Community Center, which is located at 21 Nelson Road.

Attendees can view electric car models or take them for a spin, talk to real Mainers who drive electric vehicles and learn more about the newest, cleanest ways to cut spending on gasoline while cutting air pollution.

The day also includes food, a raffle with a variety of prizes, including a brand new Level 2 car charger from Clipper Creek worth more than $600, and a chance to chat with electric vehicle professionals.

South Portland was one of the first communities in Maine to offer a free, community charging station for electric vehicles. The charging station is located at the community center and is open to any electric vehicle owner.

Cape school holds mum fundraiser

The Parent’s Association at Cape Elizabeth Middle School begins its annual mums fundraiser on Tuesday, Sept. 8. All proceeds from the sale of the fall flowers will benefit the school’s teacher-grant program.

The sale features yellow, white or burgundy mums and will run through Friday, Sept. 18. Mums in 8.5-inch pots are $8 apiece or $7.50 if purchasing at least six pots.

Order forms are available from CEMS students, the school’s front office, or at www.capemspa.org, under the events and fundraising tab. Fundraising co-chairwoman Tammy LaBonty can also be reached at twlabonty@gmail.com.

Order forms with cash or checks made out to “MSPA” should be put in envelopes marked “MSPA mums,” and returned to the front office or sent to the school at 14 Scott Dyer Road, Cape Elizabeth, Maine 04107.

Pickup is at the Community Center from 2-6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 24.