Maybe you’ve lived in Maine your entire life. Or maybe you moved here from elsewhere during the pandemic.
Either way, it’s time to plan for an extraordinary, fun, action-packed and entertaining year. To that end, we’re offering up one quintessentially Maine event or activity for every month of the year.
Consider this a snapshot, because there’s a whole lot more than these activities going on in Maine. We just wanted locals and those “from away” to be reminded just how much there is to do here all year long.
JANUARY
The “A Flying Flock” toboggan team walks across the ice of Hosmer Pond after their run at the Camden Snow Bowl during the U.S. National Toboggan Championships on Feb. 3. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald
The U.S. National Toboggan Championships is three days of pure fun, during the heart of winter.
Even as a spectator, it’s quite a thrill to watch toboggan riders whiz down the giant chute at breakneck speed onto frozen Hosmer Pond.
The racing categories are two-person, three-person, four-person and experimental. Maybe this is the year you decide to put a team together and compete. Costumes are optional, but the crowd sure does love to see them.
DETAILS: U.S. National Toboggan Championships at Camden Snow Bowl. Jan. 31-Feb. 2. camdensnowbowl.com.
FEBRUARY
Musicians performing the music of the Grateful Dead during Fire on the Mountain. Photo courtesy of Sugarloaf
Skiing in Maine during wintertime is a huge thing for many, and February is always a busy month. With places like Pleasant Mountain, Camden Snow Bowl, Lost Valley, Sunday River and others, there’s plenty of places to hit the slopes, and many spots offer plenty of other things to do including live music and special weekends. At Sugarloaf, the sixth annual Grateful Dead-themed Fire on the Mountain music festival runs from Jan. 31-Feb. 2. And on Feb. 8, The Mallett Brothers Band will perform.
DETAILS: Sugarloaf is in Carrabassett Valley. Visit sugarloaf.com for complete details.
MARCH
A view from behind the scenes at Pep’s Pure Maple Syrup in Sabattus on Maine Maple Sunday Weekend in 2021. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
How sweet it is to be in Maine during Maine Maple Sunday. Sugarhouses across the state open their doors for tours so you can see how the delicious liquid gold is made. More than 100 sugarhouses and farms around the state participate in the festivities.
Several of the sugarhouses make an entire weekend out of it, so be sure to check the Maine Maple Producers website for complete details, as well as a map. Some stops have farm animals you can visit with, while others feature live music and activities for kids.
Best of all, every sugarhouse will be well-stocked with enough syrup to keep your pancakes happy for months.
DETAILS: Maine Maple Sunday. March 22-23. Statewide. mainemapleproducers.com.
APRIL
Instructor Laurie Sproul of Canton, back, paddles with a student during a clinic for beginner whitewater slalom paddlers at Kenduskeag Stream in Bangor in May 2014. Carl D. Walsh/Portland Press Herald
The Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race, which starts in the town of Kenduskeag and finishes at its confluence with the Penobscot River in downtown Bangor, has been taking place for nearly six decades and is always held on the third weekend in April.
The annual paddling event, hosted by the Bangor Parks & Recreation Department, is the largest of its kind in New England, and is high on the list of largest races in the country. Paddlers cover a total of 16.5 miles.
The three registration classes are beginners, recreational and open, with a minimum participant age of 12 (with an adult in the craft) or 16 (if no adult is present). Keep in mind, April in Maine means the water temperature will be extremely cold, and likely the air as well. Check online for appropriate clothing and gear recommendations.
Since its inception in 1967, the number of participants has grown and in recent years has hovered between 800 and 1,000 or more paddlers.
DETAILS: The Kenduskeag Stream Canoe Race is on April 19. kenduskeagstreamcanoerace.com.
MAY
Alex Katz’s painting ‘Kym on White,’ 2004, at the Farnsworth Art Museum in Rockland. Derek Davis/Portland Press Herald
May is an ideal month to visit one of Maine’s many art museums and galleries. It’s not summer yet, so the crowds are likely to be on the smaller side.
From institutions like the Portland Museum of Art, the Farnsworth in Rockland and the Ogunquit Museum of Modern Art, to galleries and museums on college campuses including Bates, Bowdoin, Colby and the University of New England, there is no shortage of exhibits from Maine artists, as well as artists from around the world. Choose your own art adventure and feast your eyes.
DETAILS: A handy guide to art museums in Maine can be found at maineartmuseums.org.
JUNE
Eddinson Paulino dives back to first well ahead of the tag during a game against the Akron Rubberducks at Hadlock Field in Portland on June 6. Gregory Rec/Portland Press Herad
Since 1994, the Portland Sea Dogs has been drawing fans of America’s favorite pastime to Hadlock Field. In 2003, the team became a Boston Red Sox affiliate, which means you’ll sometimes see star players playing in some games while they’re rehabbing from an injury.
Sea Dogs games are always a fun time, but once June rolls around, the nights are longer and warmer, and a Sea Dog biscuit ice cream treat is all the more delicious.
Mascot Slugger the Sea Dog offers a constant flow of silly shenanigans, and you’ll find yourself performing the Village People’s classic “Y.M.C.A.” like an absolute champ.
DETAILS: The Portland Sea Dogs season runs April-September. Tickets and info at milb.com/portland.
JULY
Steamer, Yarmouth Clam Festival’s mascot, offers high-fives to children sitting on West Elm Street during the annual parade in 2024. Ben McCanna/Portland Press Herald
The Yarmouth Clam Festival is closing in on its 60th anniversary, and always draws thousands of enthusiastic attendees. One of the quirkiest traditions is the setting up of chairs well in advance of the festival’s parade through town. There’s also a huge craft fair, all sorts of entertainment, a 5-mile road race, carnival and a wide range of activities for families and kids.
Then of course, there’s the clams! The Maine State Clam Shucking contest is always a thrill and you can get your fill of clams, along with french fries, steak and cheese sandwiches, lime rickeys and much more.
DETAILS: The Yarmouth Clam Festival, July 18-20. Downtown Yarmouth. Info at clamfestival.com.
AUGUST
An artist sketches laundry hanging out to dry in late June on Monhegan Island. Michele McDonald/Portland Press Herald
Monhegan Island, in the Gulf of Maine, is situated 12 miles off the coast and can be reached by ferry from Boothbay Harbor, New Harbor and Port Clyde. There are stunning views to be enjoyed during cliff walks.
Be sure to also check out the Monhegan Island Light. August is a prime time to visit, when shops and places to eat are open. Restaurants include Monhegan Brewing Company, The Island Inn Dining Room and Monhegan Fish House, among others.
During your visit, you’re likely to spot artists at work and can visit a handful of galleries.
DETAILS: Monhegan Island can be reached by ferry via Monhegan Boat Line (Port Clyde), Hardy Boat Cruises (New Harbor) and The Balmy Days II (Boothbay Harbor). Find details at monheganwelcome.com. Those arriving by private boats should contact the harbormaster at (207) 542-9345.
SEPTEMBER
People view tables filled with prize-winning produce at the Common Ground Country Fair in Unity. Derek Davis/Portland Press Herald
Next year will mark the 50th anniversary of the Common Ground Country Fair in Unity. You won’t find carnival rides at this fair, but you will find a whole lot of livestock, educational lectures and demonstrations, live music, food and so much more.
The Common Ground Country Fair is presented by Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners (MOFGA) as one way that the nonprofit highlights its mission to educate and advocate for organic culture.
DETAILS: Common Ground Country Fair, Sept. 19-21. Unity. mofga.org/the-fair.
OCTOBER
A crowd gathers on the top of Cadillac Mountain to watch the sun set at Acadia National Park. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald
Acadia National Park is a huge feather in Maine’s great outdoors cap, with just under 50,000 acres of territory.
It’s where you’ll find Cadillac Mountain, along with endless miles of hiking trails to explore. Campgrounds include Blackwoods, Seawall, Schoodic Woods and Duck Harbor. October is a particularly perfect time to visit, when you can take in the crisp fall air and peak foliage.
With mountains, woodlands, ponds, lake and an ocean coastline, there’s eye candy everywhere in Acadia.
Acadia National Park encompasses parts of the Schoodic Peninsula, Isle au Haut, Bear Island, Thompson Island and Baker Island. It also includes Bar, Sheep, Bald and Long islands, among many others. The majority of the park can be found in the town of Bar Harbor.
DETAILS: Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Mount Desert Island and Isle au Haut area. nps.gov/acad/index.htm
NOVEMBER
Portland Stage on Forest Ave in Portland. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald
November is an ideal month to see a theatrical production in Maine as many theaters are knee-deep in their fall seasons. Summer and early fall seasons at places like the Ogunquit Playhouse and the Maine State Music Theatre have wrapped up, but there are still plenty of shows to see. Portland Stage always has a fall production; in 2024 it was “Angels in America Part 2: Perestroika.”
Other theaters that usually offer fall plays and musicals include The Public Theatre in Lewiston, Saco River Theatre in Bar Mills, City Theater in Biddeford, The Hill Arts in Portland, and Portland Players and Mad Horse Theatre Company (both in South Portland) among others. Let’s also remember to keep an eye on Good Theater. After many years at The Hill Arts, Good Theater is now the theater-in-residence at Stevens Square Theatre in Portland and the season kicks off in the fall of 2025.
DETAILS: Head to individual theater websites for schedule details.
DECEMBER
Gardens Aglow attendees walk across a footbridge. Ben McCanna/Portland Press Herald
It’s glorious to visit Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens during the spring and early fall because the 300 acres of grounds feature 17 lush gardens, and there’s even a waterfall. But come the holiday season, when most plants aren’t in bloom, the gardens burst with an entirely different palette of color. Gardens Aglow, which has been taking place for more than a decade, is a spectacular display that features more then 750,000 high-efficiency LED lights. You’ll stroll around for over a mile and will come across more than 300 lighted sculptures, a whimsical fairy house village and giant wooden trolls.
DETAILS: Gardens Aglow is typically mid-November through Dec. 31. For details, head to mainegardens.org.
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