Blueberry festival

offers yummy weekend

The South Freeport Congregational Church will once again welcome crowds to its annual Summer Blueberry Festival, Friday, Aug. 5-Sunday, Aug. 7, on the church grounds at 98 South Freeport Road.

The festival opens with an old-fashioned rummage and jewelry sale Friday at 3 p.m. in the church’s large community hall. There will be multiple tables of antique, vintage, contemporary, funky, artsy jewelry and accessories, sterling and plated silver, special glass items, ceramic and porcelain plates, fine china place settings for up to 12, children’s toys and clothing, games, furniture, and men and women’s’ clothing, including a section of vintage clothing. Also on sale are indoor and outdoor garden supplies, art work and vintage books.

Add to the preview night is a Down East lobster dinner from 5:30-7 p.m. and an evening outdoor concert by Maine’s own musical humorists, The Wicked Good Band, from 7-8. The dinner is $20, the band performance is $10. The cost for combined dinner and performance tickets is $25. For tickets call 865-4012 or email southfreeportchurch@gmail.com.

Saturday morning begins at 9 with homemade blueberry muffins, hot coffee, and Maine artisans and crafters. With Wyman’s of Maine contribution of blueberries and the church’s talented bakers and chefs, there are themed food items for sale, including pies, muffins, blueberry sauce, blueberry rhubarb cobbler, blueberry crisp, blueberry biscuits, scones, crumb bars, mini blueberry lemon cakes, and non-blueberry items including home-smoked salmon, and gluten-free “energy balls.” Starting at 11:30, there will be homemade lobster rolls, burgers and dogs cooked to order from the grill, homemade fresh squeezed and shaken lemonade and blueberry smoothies. Lunch prices vary.

The “Kidz Zone” opens mid-morning Saturday. From noon-1, miniature pony dress up and carriage rides, sack races and origami demonstrations are scheduled. The dunk tank opens at 1. Kids events on Saturday cost $5.

Sunday begins with an outdoor blueberry pancake breakfast from 8-9:30 a.m., featuring real local maple syrup, bacon, juice, and coffee before the outdoor worship service.

For additional information, contact Greg or Deborah Link at glink4371@comcast.net or at 869-5289

Dancing with Steel

Maine artists Alison Chase, director of Alison Chase/Performance, and her nephew Nigel Chase, director of Atlantic Clarion Steel Band, will present world-class dance and music in a series of site-inspired pop-up performances on the coast of Maine. Their Dancing with Steel performance is scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 4, at 5 p.m.,

at Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park in Freeport. Donations are welcome

After their successful Quarryography productions, the Chases again collaborate to merge their expertise of dance and music to create an innovative series of outdoor performances. Alison Chase/Performance, a company of six dancers, will present works that are part performance and part street dance. Those who attend should bring their own chairs.

Concerts continue

at Winslow Park

The Thursday Evening Concerts Series at Winslow Park features Zulu Leprechauns, music of the past and present; at 6:30 p.m. on July 28.

The schedule for the rest of the summer is: Aug. 4, Bishop Ave, acoustic rock and Americana; Aug. 11, Boneheads, roots; Aug. 18, Jimmy Junkins & Big Fat Cadillac, boogie woogie dancehall rock; Aug. 25, Greybeard, eclectic mix.

The cost is $2 for Freeport residents, $3 for non-residents; and free for campers and season pass holders. For more information on the park, see www.freeportmaine.com.

More shows for

‘The Odd Couple’

Freeport Players’ “The Odd Couple” (Female Version) continues on Friday, Saturday and Sunday through July 31 at the Freeport Performing Arts Center, 30 Holbrook St. Shows are Friday and Saturday 7:30 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $15 at the door, $10 in advance.

Unlikely friends Florence Unger (Leah Douglass) and Olive Madison (Jen Musick) take the stage in Neil Simon’s reworking of his contemporary comic classic. For tickets and more information, see www.fcponline.org.

College honors

Freeport residents Samuel Bennett and Wyatt McCurdy have been named to the dean’s list for the spring semester at the University of Maine at Farmington.

Hadley Gibson of Freeport recevied a with a bachelor’s degree in English from Tufts University, Medford, Mass., on May 22, during a university-wide commencement ceremony, with actor and comedian Hank Azaria, a Tufts alumnus, as the speaker.

Summer tours at

Pettengill Farm

The Freeport Historical Society is offering 90-minute tours to view and learn about the Pettengill Farm. Curator/Collections Manager Holly Hurd will describe the history of the farm and saltbox, which was built about 1800 and has been sustained over generations without the modern conveniences of central heating, running water, or electricity. The house is on 140 acres that supported a saltwater farm and dairy, most recently by Mildred Pettengill and her brother Frank. The tours are Thursday, Aug. 4, at 8 a.m., and

Wednesday, Aug.17, at 5 p.m. The cost is $12; $10 for historical society members.

Participants must register at least 24 hours in advance since at least four people (maximum 10) are required for the tour to occur. Go to www.HistoricFreeport.org or call 865-3170. Attendees meet at the gate entrance at the end of Pettengill Road.

Circus Smirkus

coming to town

“Up, Hup, and Away! The Invention of Flight,” the Circus Smirkus 2016 show, will stop at Maine Coast Waldorf School, 57 Desert Road, Freeport, on Tuesday, Aug. 2 and Wednesday, Aug. 3, with shows at 1 and 6 p.m. Every summer, a company of Smirkus Troupers, ages 10 to 18, takes to the road for a two-month performance tour of New England, with shows in their 750-seat, European-style, one-ring, big-top tent.

Tickets are $18-$21, and are available at Royal River Natural Foods, Freeport, or online at www.smirkus.org. For more information, call 865-3900, Ext. 113.

Maine Audubon

honors Gideon

Assistant House Majority Leader Sara Gideon, D-Freeport, is being honored by Maine Audubon as a 2016 Environmental Champion for her work on a bipartisan comprehensive solar measure, L.D. 1649. Supportors of the bill said it would have created 650 new jobs by growing new solar markets, protected 300 existing jobs, increased installation tenfold and created between $58 million and $110 million in ratepayer savings. The House fell three votes short of overriding the governor’s veto of the bill.

Two other legislators, Rep. Norman Higgins, R-Dover-Foxcroft, and Sen. David Woodsome, R-North Waterboro, also earned the distinction of Environmental Champion. Maine Audubon applauds the three lawmakers for their “tremendous efforts to pass comprehensive solar legislation.”

Tea tasting

Jacqueline’s Tea Room, 201 Main St., Freeport, is offering customers the chance to sample five varieties of tea while browsing the gift shop, Monday, Aug. 1, from 6-7 p.m. For more information, see www.Jacquelinestearoom.com or call 865-2123.

Prescription drug drop-offs

The Freeport Police Department has installed a secured permanent drug drop-off box in the lobby of the Public Safety Building. Residents can drop off expired, unwanted or outdated drugs during facility’s normal business hours, Sunday through Saturday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Program to list 10

signs of Alzheimer’s

Mark Pechenik, manager of community engagement and outreach with the Maine Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, will present a program, “Know the 10 Signs of Alzheimer’s,” Wednesday, Aug. 10, at 6 p.m., at Freeport Community Library.

The Alzheimer’s Association has worked with a wide range of experts to update its 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s in their efforts to help people distinguish between normal signs of aging and signs of dementia.

The 10 signs help promote early detection, diagnosis and intervention of Alzheimer’s and other dementia.

Museum, park passes

The Freeport Community Library provides museum and park passes, including daily passes for Portland Museum of Art, Maine Maritime Museum, Maine State Parks and discounted day pass for the Maine Wildlife Park. To reserve a pass, inquire at 865-3307.

Summer lunch

volunteers needed

Freeport Community Services is running the Summer Free Lunch for Kids program, Monday-Friday, through Sept. 2, from 11:30 a.m.-noon. Meals will be distributed at the Freeport Community Center, the Village View Apartments Community Room, Mast Landing School and Wildwood Acres on Elm Street. Volunteers are needed daily to prepare, deliver, serve and monitor lunches at lunch sites. Those interested in helping should contact Debbie Daggett, volunteer coordinator, at 865-3985, ext. 206, or email ddaggett@fcsmaine.org.

Library hosting

outdoor concert

The Freeport Community Library will host its only outdoor summer concert on Thursday, July 28, at 6 p.m., featuring OC and the Offbeats. The four members of the Portland-based band are Owen Conforte (guitar/vocals), Emma Stanley (trumpet/vocals), Colin Winsor (bass) and Tyler Arnold (drums.) The band pays tribute to early Motown/Stax Records greats and infuses this sound with the power and accessibility of modern music. The family-friendly outdoor concert is free. In the event of rainy weather the concert will relocate to the library’s community meeting room with seating for a maximum of 70 guests.

Those who bring a picnic dinner should plan on carrying their trash home.

Nomination papers

available Aug. 1

Nomination papers will be available beginning Monday, Aug. 1, the Freeport Town Clerk’s Office for residents interested in seeking the municipal offices in the town. Nomination papers are due back to the no later than 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 14.

Council seats up for re-election include a three-year councilor-at-large post; a three-year District 1 seat and a one-year District 3 seat. There are two three-year seats on the Regional School Unit 5 board, two three-year seats on the Sewer District and one three-year seat on the Water District.

For more information, call Freeport Town Clerk Christine Wolfe at 865-4743, Ext. 123, or email cwolfe@freeportmaine.com

Summer programs

at Wolfe’s Neck Farm

Farmer for the Morning takes place at the Big Red Barn, 184 Burnett Road, Freeport, Saturday and Sunday through Sept. 25, from 10-11 a.m. The cost is $5 per child. Help the farmer feed and give water to the animals, put out hay, collect eggs, sweep the barn, and make sure the animals are happy and healthy for the day. This is geared for families with toddlers or preschoolers.

Haywagon rides are offered Saturday and Sunday through Sept. 25, every 30 minutes from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., at $3 per person.

Farm fields and livestock tour take place Saturday and Sunday through Sept. 25, at 2 p.m. Check out the organic dairy, chickens and diversified vegetable fields via the haywagon, and learn how the farm is training new farmers, teaching youth about food and farming, and connecting visitors to sustainable agriculture. Recommended for young adults and adults.

Wagon Ride to the Past will be held Aug. 13 and Sept. 10, from 10 a.m.-noon.

Visitors can climb aboard the haywagon and travel through time as they hear stories of the ship captains, fishermen, farmers, teachers, and homemakers who have lived on Wolfe’s Neck over the past 250 years. Recommended for ages 12+. The fee is $10; $5 ages 12-18.

The farm’s Farm-to-Table “Family Farm Celebration,” with Fire and Co., is Sunday, Aug. 14, from 5-8 p.m., at the oceanfront wedding field on Burnett Road. The event supports the farm’s Teen Ag program, which provides an immersive education for local teens in sustainable agriculture while contributing thousands of pounds of fresh produce to local food pantries each year.

The wood-fired meal with Fire and Co., includes pizza with local garden toppings, and meats from Wolfe’s Neck Farm. Other menu items include spitfire roasted Wolfe’s Neck Farm chicken and local pork, wood-grilled beets, zucchini, squash, broccoli and red onions grown by the Teen Ag crew, grilled romaine salad with bleu cheese dressing, tomatoes and bacon, salad, peanut butter cup s’mores and ice cream sundaes for dessert.

Drinks include craft brews from Maine Beer Co., cocktails by New England Distilling, and a selection of wines and plenty of nonalcoholic options, too.

For more information on all these events and to register online, see www.wolfesneckfarm.org.

Atlantic Federal

CU honored

Atlantic Federal Credit Union has been named as one of the “Healthiest Credit Unions” in the country, by Deposit Accounts, a leading bank account comparison website. Atlantic placed in the Top 3 percent of more than 6,000 federally insured credit unions and the only credit union in the state of Maine to receive such a distinction.

“With strong oversight from the board and an amazing staff dedicated to serving our members, Atlantic is financially fit and continues to grow. We are committed to improving our members’ financial quality of life and we continue to work hard to help all members do better,” president/CEO Roger Sirois said in a press release.

Atlantic Federal Credit Union, a financial cooperative owned and operated by its members, has a growing membership of more than 20,000 Mainers, $300 million in assets and locations in Brunswick, Cumberland, Freeport and Topsham.

Committee openings

The Appointments Committee is seeking residents interested in serving on town boards and committees. Currently, there are vacancies on the Shellfish Conservation Commission and the Coastal Waters Commission. Other vacancies arise throughout the year and a reserve list of interested candidates is maintained to fill future vacancies. Application forms are available at the Town Office and can be downloaded from the town website.

Upcoming meetings

Shellfish Conservation Commission, Wednesday, July 27, 6:30 p.m., Freeport Community Center.

Board of Appeals, Monday, Aug. 1, 7 p.m., Town Council Chambers.

Town Council, Tuesday, Aug. 2, 6:30 p.m., Town Council Chambers.

A full listing of upcoming town meetings and agendas is available at

www.freeportmaine.com.

Devil got my woman jpg

Dancers Shane Rotkowski and Jessica Bendig dance “Devil Got My Woman,” which is among dances that will be performed outdoors Thursday, Aug. 4, starting at 5 p.m., at Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park in Freeport.