This week, I’m continuing our summer preview by highlighting some of the fun, family events that you won’t want to miss this summer. My hope is that this helps our local families plan for staycations and when to have friends visit, while also helping the businesses know when events are happening that may affect their traffic and staffing.
Over the last two weeks, we’ve already highlighted several upcoming events including:
• May Chamber After Hours at The Highlands, May 24 (tonight, under their large tent!).
• Bowdoin College Commencement, May 27.
• Maine State Music Theatre season opens with “Titanic,” June 7 (other main stage shows opening nights this season are “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story,” June 28; “9 to 5: The Musical,” July 19; “Something Rotten!”, Aug. 9).
• High school graduations (Brunswick, June 9; Morse and Mt. Ararat, June 11).
• Gazebo Park Concerts in Bath begin June 20 (Main Street Bath for full schedule).
• Music on the Mall begins June 28 (Brunswick Downtown Association for full schedule).
• Waterfront Concert Series begins July 8 (Main Street Bath for full schedule).
Additionally, we announced two new tourism publications that will be available in June (depending on printing and delivery). These are key pieces that we mail out to tourists and relocators. Also, these guides are distributed through tourism information centers, both in our area and around the state. The first is our “2023 Eat Play Stay: Companion Guide to Bath-Brunswick and Midcoast Maine.” The second is the tourism council’s Maine’s Midcoast & Islands Guidebook and Lighthouse Map produced by our regional tourism council of the same name, of which our chamber is a major contributor. Both pieces highlight things to do and are great for trip planning.
Here’s another handful of events that you can’t miss, including a big race this weekend:
Miles for Mills returns to Brunswick Landing, Sunday, May 28
Memorial Day weekend is a very appropriate time, as this race is a major fundraiser for the Travis Mills Foundation that supports recalibrated veterans and their families. Travis has been a mentor and leader to other recalibrated warriors. The foundation has created a fully accessible retreat for combat-injured veterans and their families, located in Rome.
The foundation is expecting between 1,000 and 1,500 racers (while others participate remotely around the globe at military bases and in their communities). Setup begins at 5 a.m., registration is from 7:15-8:30 a.m. and the 5K will start at 9 a.m. and end around 11 a.m. This will be its second year on Brunswick Landing, and it will again start and finish at the Brunswick Parks and Recreation building on Neptune Drive.
The event will have children’s activities, food trucks, a beer tent, military presentations and more. Spectators are welcome and encouraged to root on the racers along the route. Look for which parking lots have been designated for event parking (though it will be many), and please respect that the businesses that are open on Sunday would like to keep the parking near their businesses for their customers, if possible.
All businesses on Brunswick Landing will be able to access their properties as needed and no roads will be closed. There is a new route this year, as racers will run alongside the runway (which also means they won’t be crossing Admiral Fitch like last year or racing through the housing on Neptune Drive near Coastal Landing). The best spots to watch racers will be on Neptune Drive near the start/finish area (between Neptune and Orion), on Orion Street where it intercepts Neptune (the course runs past there three times) or on Admiral Fitch Avenue as the racers will be running up past the Brunswick Naval Museum and Memorial Gardens before crossing on Pegasus and running back down Burbank.
WILL Power Speed Networking, June 7 at The Highlands
Our chamber’s Women in Local Leadership team has been highlighted here before as they have run three events in the past five weeks, and they have another one on June 7 at The Highlands in Topsham. This group is all about women business leaders connecting and supporting one another, and this next event is another great example of that.
Speed networking is just like speed dating, but instead of dates, it’s businesspeople sharing about what they do. It’s a very effective and simple concept, and it should be very popular. Due to space, we can only have three dozen attendees, so if you’re interested you must pre-register on the chamber website at midcoastmaine.com. You will find the event on the event calendar under June 7. Chamber members and non-members are equally welcome to attend.
3 events Father’s Day weekend, June 16-18
With schools getting out the week before, Father’s Day weekend is always a popular time for summer programs to launch, and this year is no different. In fact, this year, our region will host one longtime event, one event returning for its second year and one brand-new event.
• Trek Across Maine, June 16-18, Thomas Point Beach, Brunswick – The American Lung Association’s 39th Annual Trek Across Maine will once again be starting on June 16 and ending on Father’s Day, June 18, at Thomas Point Beach in Brunswick. This race includes over 1,000 riders who head out for the three-day race with two overnight stops Friday and Saturday. For more information, check out the ALA website at lung.org.
• Maine Blues Festival, June 17, Lisbon – For just the second year, our neighbors in Lisbon will be hosting the Maine Blues Festival with over 20 acts on five stages in one fantastic day. Tickets are $16 in advance or $20 at the gate. For a list of acts and event details, check out mainebluesfestival.com.
• Wings & Wheels, June 17, Brunswick Executive Airport – This brand-new event will feature classic cars, airplanes, helicopter rides, airplane rides and more. It promises to be a great, family-friendly day, which will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information or to register your plane or car, check out blwingsandwheels.com.
Cory King is executive director of the Bath-Brunswick Regional Chamber of Commerce.
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