Calming down after the Fourth
There seems to be a bit of a lull in Bridgton after the flurry of so much activity surrounding the Fourth of July. That’s certainly not to say there is nothing going on – just that the pace and volume has steadied and life is falling into a regular seasonal pattern. A few interesting events are taking place the day after this column comes out so read through the information carefully so you don’t miss out on something you want to attend.

Before I go further, I want to congratulate the 15 women who graduated from the Birthwise Midwifery School in Bridgton on the weekend of June 25. Best of luck and good wishes to you all as you sally forth to help bring new young lives safely into this world.

Author book signings
Bridgton Books, at 140 Main Street in Bridgton, will host a number of author book signings over the summer. Everyone is welcome to stop by the bookstore, meet the authors and maybe even pick up a good summer read or two.

From 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, July 9, Fran West will be signing her new book, “Oh Look, Baby Loons.” The book is aimed primarily at young readers, but the story of two loons raising their chicks, accompanied by amazing photographs, will appeal to nature lovers young and old.

R.S. Wilkinson will meet with the public and sign his humorous memoir, “The Black Cloak,” from 1-3 p.m. Saturday, July 16. He recounts nearly 80 years of exploits, antics and escapades from 1935-2015 that often earned him the “black cloak of disapproval” from others “who led more conventional lives.”

Call Bridgton Books at 647-2122 if you need more information.

Two new eateries in town
Fans of the Campfire Grill, previously located at the Pleasant Mountain Inn on Route 302 (west), will be happy to hear it has recently reopened at its new location, 518 Portland Road, Bridgton, in what used to be the old Colonial Restaurant (near MacDonald’s Motors and Portland Street Garage). It’s open daily for lunch and dinner beginning at 11 a.m. The menu has remained the same, with a few new additions, and Tuesday nights will still feature trivia competitions and beer specials. Check out www.thecampfiregrille.com to learn more.

Sammy’s Scoops ice cream stand is a fun new addition to Main Street, right next to the Corn Shop Trading Company and a couple doors down from Reny’s. Featuring over 20 flavors of hard serve ice cream as well as three soft serve flavors, they also offer sundaes, milkshakes, root beer floats and other frosty treats. Opening times are noon until 9 p.m., just right for a tasty break from shopping or a cool snack after dinner or a movie.

Poetry group start-up
Are you particularly partial to Poe or elated by Eliot? Does Whitman whet your whistle or do you prefer a nip of Frost? Perhaps you love to sail around the room with Billy Collins, or even pen your own vivacious verse. If poetry already piques your interest and ignites your passions, or if you just want to understand it a little bit more, why not join a meeting of the Pondicherry Poets Society at the Bridgton Library and see what it’s all about? Poet Nancy Schaefer will lead the group, which meets at the library every second Wednesday of each month from 4:30-6 p.m. The next meeting will be July 13. Poets, poetry-lovers, and anyone with an interest is encouraged to attend. Contact Nancy Schaefer at [email protected] for more information.

Look at the Bridgton Library’s website, www.bridgton.lib.me.us for a schedule of regular events and meetings, including the Pondicherry Poets Society, along with information about the other services it offers.

Feast for eyes, body
On Saturday, July 9, the Bridgton Art Guild presents a wonderfully “Palette-Table” gala event from 5-8 p.m. at Gallery 302, 112 Main St., Bridgton. Come enjoy an evening of good company and colorful artwork while sampling delicious foods produced by local restaurants, including Vivo’s, Black Horse Tavern and Beth’s Kitchen, among others. Tickets cost $20 per person and proceeds go to support the gallery and the Burr Chase Arts Center.

The Art Guild’s annual Art in the Park open air art show will be held on Saturday, July 16, in Shorey Park by the town beach. (Rain date Sunday, July 17) Dozens of local artists and artisans will show their works and local musicians will also perform during the day.

More information about both events can be found at gallery302.com.

Relive Bridgton’s past
If you have a home in Bridgton, or if you visit the town regularly, why not learn something about its history through the numerous family-friendly activities offered by the Bridgton Historical Society? The Historical Society Museum, featuring interesting local historical artifacts and exhibits, is located at 5 Gibbs Ave. downtown, next to the fire station, and is open Tuesday-Friday from 1-4 p.m.

Weekly guided walking tours of Bridgton are scheduled on Wednesdays from 10-11 a.m., beginning at the museum. Also, at the museum on Tuesday, July 19, there will be a talk, “Visiting Bridgton’s Past through Magic Lantern Slides and Period Photographs.”

The historic Narramissic Peabody-Fitch farmhouse, off Route 107 in South Bridgton, is open for tours Tuesday-Saturday, 1-4 p.m., and it’s also the venue for several events in July. On Saturday, July 9, at 1 p.m., take a walk to the quarry at the farm and learn how people obtained the massive granite slabs used as foundations for many homes in the area. At 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 12, historian Tom Keleher will bring a 19th century peddler to life at Narramissic in his presentation, “Peddling Your Wares: A Look at Itinerant Merchants in Early 19th Century New England.”

On Saturday, July 23, help discover clues to the story of the original 1797 farmhouse barn and have fun digging in the dirt at the “Archaeology for Kids of All Ages’ workshop.

Robert Sanford, author of “Reading Rural Landscapes,” will conduct a guided hike through Pondicherry Park in downtown Bridgton on Thursday, July 21.

For further details, prices, and more information about all Historical Society events, please visit www.bridgtonhistory.org.

The historic Narramissic Peabody-Fitch farmhouse, off Route 107 in South Bridgton, is open for tours and will host several special events this month.