Now through March 15: “Maine in the Movies,” a statewide bicentennial film festival celebrating movies with Maine ties. Features range from the 1945 classic, “Leave Her to Heaven,” starring Oscar-nominated Gene Tierney, to “Aquaman,” released in 2018. Visit mainefilmcenter.org/mainemovies200 for a full schedule and to buy tickets in advance.
Now through May: “Bangor 1820: Maine’s Bicentennial – past, present, future,” art exhibit, Bangor Public Library, 145 Harlow St. Bicentennial-themed works produced by local artists, on display during regular library hours.
Now through May: “Rufus Porter’s Curious World: Art and Invention in America, 1815-1860,” Bowdoin College Museum of Art, 245 Maine St., Brunswick. Exhibit on the famous artist, inventor and publisher who grew up in Maine and painted murals across New England. Free. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; until 8:30 p.m. Thursday; and 1-5 p.m. Sunday.
Ongoing: “A Walk Through Time in Portland,” two- to three-hour walking history tour, offered daily. Trained docents take a leisurely stroll through downtown Portland, from the home of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and the Old Port to the Eastern Cemetery and the Abyssinian Meeting House. Cost is $29.95 per person and $1 goes to the Maine Historical Society. Visit Maine History Tours online to buy tickets.
March 8: “Maine’s 200th: Music of Early Maine,” the DaPonte String Quartet’s tribute to Maine’s bicentennial, 2-3:30 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Church, Brunswick. Joined by Eric LaPerna on percussion, the quartet performs a program that highlights significant events before Maine became a state and reflects the cultural influences of indigenous people and newcomers.
March 9: “Maine’s French and Indian Wars: A Mobile Museum,” 6:30-7:30 p.m., Lithgow Public Library, 45 Winthrop St., Augusta. From 1675 to 1760, the Maine frontier was ravaged by a series of six wars between indigenous Wabanaki tribes and English newcomers. Explore this 80-year conflict with presenters Mark Rohman, Mike Dekker and Craig Young, who don period attire and use documents, images and items of the era to provide an interactive, educational experience.
March 10: “Maine’s Bicentennial and the Ongoing Battle for Suffrage,” 6-7:30 p.m., Bangor Public Library, 145 Harlow St. Presented in partnership with the Maine Multicultural Center, historian and educator Trudy Scee recalls the political landscape in 1820, when women, women, Native Americans, African Americans and men without property couldn’t vote. Snow date March 11.
March 13-January 2021: “State of Mind: Becoming Maine,” a major bicentennial exhibition, Maine Historical Society, museum gallery, 489 Congress St., Portland. Follow the path to statehood through the experiences of the native Wabanaki, the earliest European settlers and others. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday through April 30; starting May 1, Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday noon-5 p.m. Admission free for society members; $8 for adults; discounts for seniors, children and AAA members. Special monthly one-on-one curator tours offered noon-1 p.m. March 18, April 15, May 20 and June 17.
March 14-March 2021: “Regional Struggle-National Story: Maine’s Path to Statehood,” a major bicentennial exhibition, Maine State Museum, 230 State St., Augusta. Through artifacts and documents, the exhibition reveals the relationships and conflicts that existed among the various peoples who lived here in the centuries before statehood. Open free of charge 10 a.m.-4 p.m. March 14 and March 15, which is Statehood Day. Regular hours and admission fees: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday; $3 adults, $2 seniors and children 6-18, free for school groups and children under 6, $10 family maximum.
March 14: Bicentennial Birthday Bash in Rockland, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., sponsored by the Farnsworth Art Museum, the Center for Maine Contemporary Art and The Strand Theatre. The multi-venue event will feature art trails, art making, storytelling and a traditional Maine bean supper from 12:30-5 p.m. at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. Visit farnsworthmuseum.org for more information.
March 14: “Happy Birthday, Maine!” Book Celebration, 11 a.m.-noon, Bangor Public Library, 145 Harlow St. Author Lynn Plourde and illustrator Mark Scott Ricketts will share their new picture book wherein Paul Bunyan and a Maine moose throw their beloved state a huge birthday party.
March 14: Bicentennial Tea, 1-3 p.m., Little Meetinghouse, 719 Roosevelt Trail, Windham. Join your neighbors for tea, birthday cake and conversation about our shared history. Afternoon will include craft and trivia activities, as well as displays of historical photos and photos from the Maine 200 Scavenger Hunt. Free.
March 14: “The Proprietors of the Kennebec Valley: Good Guys or Bad Guys?” 1 p.m., Asa Gile Hall, 8 Old Kents Hill Road, Readfield. Conservationist and amateur historian Jym St. Pierre will explain how two competing groups of speculators from Massachusetts acquired vast land holdings along the Kennebec River, including Augusta and surrounding communities.
March 14: Bicentennial Preparty Party, 2-4 p.m., Old South Congregational Church, 135 Second St., Hallowell. A doubleheader featuring museum consultant Ron Kley discussing Benjamin Vaughan and the creation of the Maine state seal and State Historian Earle G. Shettleworth Jr. telling the Tale of Two Capitals: Hallowell vs. Augusta.
March 14: Bicentennial Community Bean Supper, 4-6 p.m., Thorne Hall, Bowdoin College, Brunswick. Enjoy music performed by Pejepscot Station and a short program presented by the Pejepscot Historical Society. Tickets for sale online are $7.50 for adults and $4.50 for children.
March 14: Bicentennial Baked Bean Supper, 4:30-6:30 p.m., Bath Freight Shed, 27 Commercial St., Bath. Menu provided and served by local celebrity chefs and volunteers. Please bring a canned goods for the Bath Area Food Bank or contributions to the Bath Area Backpack Program.
March 14: Bicentennial Community Supper, 4-6 p.m., United Methodist Church, Route 236, Eliot. Baked bean contest, raffles and door prizes. Cost: Bring a pot of beans for the contest or contribute canned goods or cash to the Footprints Food Pantry.
March 14: Birthday Dinner for the State of Maine, 5 p.m., American Legion Williams-Brazier Post No. 037, 10 Watts Ave., Thomaston. Traditional New England boiled dinner, $8 for adults, $5 for children.
March 14: Bicentennial Baked Bean Supper, 5-7 p.m., 142 Main St., Ellsworth. Salute our beloved state with traditional food, live music, family games and a cash bar. Sponsored by Heart of Ellsworth, $7 for adults, $3 for kids 12 and under.
March 14: Bicentennial Potluck Supper, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Alfond Dining Commons, Kents Hill School, Main Street (Route 17), Readfield. No charge, but guests are encouraged to bring a hot dish or salad to share. David Cheever, vice chairman of Maine’s Bicentennial Commission, will be the featured speaker.
March 14: MaineMadeMusic presents Dirigo Rocks!, 7:30-10:30 p.m., Camden Opera House, 29 Elm St./Route 1, Camden. Maine bands ThunderHeart Lion, The Rugged and Shirttail Kin perform a mini music fest endorsed by Maine’s Bicentennial Commission. Tickets are $14 in advance, $16 day of show; available via camdenoperahouse.com, by calling 236-3154 or at door an hour before show time.
March 15: Statehood Day Celebration, 1 p.m., Augusta Armory, 179 Western Ave. The public is invited to an afternoon of music, poetry reading and speeches from dignitaries including Gov. Janet Mills, Maine’s congressional delegation, Wabanaki leaders, State Historian Earle G. Shettleworth Jr. and Maine Poet Laureate Stuart Kestenbaum. An orchestra and choir will perform. The U.S. Postal Service will unveil Maine’s bicentennial stamp and Hannaford will provide birthday cake. Admission is free. Visit maine200.org for more information.
March 15: Portland Symphony Orchestra celebrates Maine’s Bicentennial, 2:30 p.m., Merrill Auditorium, Portland. The PSO presents a special concert featuring the premiere of a commissioned work by Maine-based composer Daniel Sonenberg, titled “First Light: A Fanfare for Maine.” Visit portlandsymphony.org for more information or to buy tickets.
March 15: “Maine’s 200th: Music of Early Maine,” the DaPonte String Quartet’s tribute to Maine’s bicentennial, 3-4:30 p.m., St. Patrick’s Church, Newcastle. Joined by Eric LaPerna on percussion, the quartet performs a program that highlights significant events before Maine became a state and reflects the cultural influences of indigenous people and newcomers.
March 15: Star Lighting on Statehood Day, 9 p.m., Historic Fire Station, 11 Church St., Presque Isle. To officially start the bicentennial celebration in Presque Isle, the Star City of the Northeast, join the Presque Isle Historical Society as it lights up the 3-foot-tall star atop the station’s hose tower.
March 16: Bicentennial Celebration at Saint Joseph’s College, 3:30-5 p.m., Alfond Auditorium, 278 Whites Bridge Road, Standish. The college will recognize the instrumental roles that people who once lived where the campus is located played in the journey to statehood. Period artifacts unearthed from campus sites will be on display. Free and open to the public. Will be followed by a regular-priced dinner featuring menu items from the 1820s and a bicentennial birthday cake.
March 18: “The Currier Family and the founding of the Readfield Community Library,” 1-3 p.m., 1151 Main St., Readfield. Shortly after the town was incorporated, a young Dr. Samuel Currier and his new wife, Patience, moved built a grand home where they raised a large family, he treated patients and they hosted community gatherings. Local historian Dale Potter-Clark uses vintage photos to tell the story of the Currier family and how their home became the town library.
March 19: “Maine’s 200th: Music of Early Maine,” the DaPonte String Quartet’s tribute to Maine’s bicentennial, 7-8:30 p.m., Maine Jewish Museum, Portland. Joined by Eric LaPerna on percussion, the quartet performs a program that highlights significant events before Maine became a state and reflects the cultural influences of indigenous people and newcomers.
March 21: “Happy Birthday, Maine!” Book Celebration, 3-4 p.m., South Portland Public Library, 482 Broadway. Author Lynn Plourde and illustrator Mark Scott Ricketts will share their new picture book wherein Paul Bunyan and a Maine moose throw their beloved state a huge birthday party. Plourde will read from the book and Ricketts will do a drawing demonstration.
March 21: “Maine’s 200th: Music of Early Maine,” the DaPonte String Quartet’s tribute to Maine’s bicentennial, 2-3:30 p.m., Rockport Opera House, Rockport. Joined by Eric LaPerna on percussion, the quartet performs a program that highlights significant events before Maine became a state and reflects the cultural influences of indigenous people and newcomers.
March 26: “The Beans of Readfield, Maine,” 6:30-8:30 p.m., Maranacook Community High School, Millard Harrison Drive, Readfield. The Beans were significant landowners, manufacturers and farmers in Readfield in the 18th and 19th centuries, with mills and farms concentrated around Main Street and Thundercastle Road and stretching to Kents Hill and Readfield Depot. Presenter will be Dale Potter-Clark. To register, contact Maranacook Adult and Community Education at 685-4923, ext. 1065.
March 27: “Maine Statehood and the Bicentennial,” an illustrated presentation by Liam Riordan, University of Maine history professor, 6:30-8 p.m., McArthur Library, 270 Main St., Biddeford. A special birthday cake made by Reilly’s Bakery will be served after the talk.
March 28-Oct. 25: “20×20: Marking 200 Years of Maine History,” Portland Museum of Art. The museum will present 20 stories reflecting Maine’s past, present and future featuring art from its collections. Modeled after “A History of the World in 100 Objects” exhibit at the British Museum, which used objects from its collections to highlight aspects of human history. Visit portlandmuseum.org for more information.
March 28: Maine Spring Ring, handbell ringers’ concert featuring music for the bicentennial, 4:30-5:30 p.m., Auburn Middle School gym, 38 Falcon Drive. The concert concludes a day of workshops and rehearsals for handbell ringers from across Maine. A free-will offering will be collected, for those who wish to help with expenses.
March 29: “Maine’s 200th: Music of Early Maine,” the DaPonte String Quartet’s tribute to Maine’s bicentennial, 2-3:30 p.m., Belfast Free Library, Belfast. Joined by Eric LaPerna on percussion, the quartet performs a program that highlights significant events before Maine became a state and reflects the cultural influences of indigenous people and newcomers.
April 9: “Schooner Bowdoin: From Arctic Explorer to Maritime Teacher,” 6-7 p.m., 243 Washington St., Bath. Eric Jergensen, assistant professor of marine transportation at Maine Maritime Academy, shares his knowledge of navigation on board the historic arctic schooner, its icy arctic history and present role as an educational classroom.
April 9: “An Architectural Legacy: Buildings from the Time of Statehood,” 6:30-8 p.m., Gardiner Public Library, 152 Water St. Kirk Mohney, director of the Maine Historic Preservation Commission, will deliver an illustrated presentation on the architectural features of the built environment near the state capital in 1820, using drawings, paintings and photos of buildings in Litchfield, West Gardiner, Gardiner, Farmingdale, Randolph and Pittston.
April 18: “Maine Statehood in 1820: Hard Won and Controversial,” 10 a.m.-noon, Maine Lighthouse Museum, 1 Park Dr., Rockland. Carolyn Hardman, who taught Maine history and government, explains why so many coastal communities opposed to gaining independence from Massachusetts until 1820 and why Maine’s statehood part of the controversial Missouri Compromise.
April 19: “Capt. Anders Anderson: A Penobscot Bay Schooner Captain,” 2-3:30 p.m., Camden Public Library, 55 Main St. Capt. Anderson’s grandson, John Anderson, will relate interesting details of the life of this immigrant Swedish-American captain, whose sailing life spanned nearly 50 years, from the late 1800s to the early 1900s.
April 23: “Maine’s 200th: Music of Early Maine,” the DaPonte String Quartet’s tribute to Maine’s bicentennial, 2 p.m., Farnsworth Art Museum, Rockland. Joined by Eric LaPerna on percussion, the quartet performs a program that highlights significant events before Maine became a state and reflects the cultural influences of indigenous people and newcomers.
May-December: “200 Years of Sport Fishing in Maine: 1820-2020,” 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery, 306 Hatchery Road, East Orland. An interactive exhibit reveals the cultural influences and material advances that have affected the history of sport angling in the state of Maine during its first 200 years. Open daily except for federal holidays. Hatchery tours are self-guided, but larger groups may call the Friends of Craig Brook at 469-7300 to schedule a guide.
May 9: “Magical History Tour: Bicentennial Edition,” 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Maine Historical Society, 489 Congress St., Portland. A popular annual event, this year the self-guided, family-friendly excursion will feature bicentennial-related sites in Greater Portland. Visit fascinating historical places that aren’t usually open to the public. Trolley service will be offered to many tour stops. Tickets on sale now at mainehistory.org or the society’s Museum Store. Prices before March 31: $25 society member, $35 adult, $5 children to 18; after March 31: $30 society members, $40 adult, $10 children to 18. On the day of the tour, ticketholders may pick up bracelets and tour maps at the society’s Brown Research Library starting at 9:45 a.m.
May 16: State of Maine Bicentennial Parade, 10 a.m., through Auburn and Lewiston. Celebrate Maine’s people, culture, landmarks and history with floats, bands and participants from across our state. Staging will be from the Rollodrome, 12 Riverside Drive, Auburn, starting at 8:00 a.m. Parade route, parking and best viewing areas to be announced. Visit maine200parade.com to learn more about participating, volunteering or attending.
May 30-Oct. 24: Presque Isle Historical Society’s Bicentennial Exhibit, The Maysville Museum, 165 Caribou Road, Presque Isle. Grand opening celebration May 30, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., including samples of Moxie, Maine’s state drink, and samples of whoopie pies (as long as supplies last). Admission is free. Visit pihistory.org for more information.
June 26-July 19: Maine Bicentennial Sailing Ships Festival, featuring land activities and dockside access to vessels at several host ports. Begins June 26 in Boothbay Harbor and continues July 2-4 in Rockland, July 8-10 in Bangor and Brewer, July 10-12 in Bucksport, July 12-14 in Castine, Searsport and Belfast, and July 16-19 in Portland. Parade of Sail will be held July 16 in Portland with vessels conducting sail-away excursions through the weekend. Visit maine200.org for more information.
June 27-Nov. 15: “At First Light: Two Centuries of Artists in Maine,” Bowdoin College Museum of Art, 245 Maine St., Brunswick. For the bicentennial, an exhibit featuring some of the most outstanding artistic treasures created in Maine in the last 200 years. Free. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday; until 8:30 p.m. Thursday; and 1-5 p.m. Sunday.
Aug. 5-7: National Governors Association 2020 Summer Meeting, annual conference to be held in Portland, bringing governors from across the country to Maine for the first time since 1983.
Oct. 10-12: State of Maine Innovation Expo in Bangor, hosted by the Maine Technology Institute and Maine’s Bicentennial Commission. Held on Indigenous Peoples’ Day weekend, it will showcase ingenuity and expertise among Maine businesses and academic institutions, including interactive displays on shipbuilding, forest products, agriculture, aquaculture, military defense, research and technology. Location and other details to be announced at maine200.org.
Nov. 27-Jan. 3, 2021: “A Maine Christmas: Victoria Mansion Celebrates 200 Years of Statehood,” daily guided tours, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Victoria Mansion, 109 Danforth St., Portland. As it has for four decades, Victoria Mansion opens its doors for six weeks during the holiday to showcase its original 1860s interiors with decorations by areas designers and florists. This year, the mansion marks the bicentennial of statehood with Maine-themed decor, special events and programming evocative of the history, culture and beauty of the Pine Tree State. Admission ranges from $16 for adults to free for kids under age 6. Tickets sold at the door. Groups of 8-12 should call 772-4841 in advance to arrange a tour. Visit victoriamansion.org for more information. Closed Christmas and New Year’s Day.
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