Biddeford watercolorist Mimi Gregoire Carpenter's new paintings of beach findings are on display at Portland's Roux and Cyr International Fine Art Gallery this month.

The mobile optometry clinic came to Portland Public Schools as school nurses found that students were not able to get the vision care they needed.

The South Portland-based nonprofit partners with over 40 schools in Greater Portland in addition to grocers, food pantries and other organizations to supply children and families in need with nutritious food.

The fund, run through the Maine Community Foundation, distributed over $222,000 in grants for a wide range of community-focused projects in 2024.

Photographer Barbara Peacock's "American Bedroom" is on display at the Maine Museum of Photographic Arts. The project took seven years and intimately depicts people in their bedrooms in every state of the U.S.

Portland restaurants Bissell Brothers and Regards offered seven-course seafood menus for the traditionally Italian American celebration of Christmas Eve.

The new Metro Connect aims to service areas where the Route 7 bus will no longer stop as of Dec. 29.

The nearly $2.5 million three-year federal grant for the project will make it so Maine is no longer the sole state to not inventory any sexual assault kits.

Print studios across the city open their doors Dec. 13-15 for the annual Portland Print Crawl, encouraging residents to support local printmakers with their holiday shopping and showcasing Portland's robust printmaking community.

At this monthly grassroots gathering, community members come together to repair a wide variety of broken objects and share their skills with both friends and strangers.

Facilitated by death educator Leona Oceania, Portland residents are coming together to speak frankly about the ins and outs of dying and death.

After raising $1.56 million over two years, the nonprofit bicycle and outdoor gear organization secured its location on Washington Avenue, allowing for an expansion of programs and continued accessibility.

Local holiday events in the Greater Portland region support local businesses and bring a sense of community cheer.

Bicycle groups came together for "Cranksgiving," a scavenger hunt to buy food across Portland to donate to the Westbrook Food Pantry.

Portland Public Schools Wabanaki Studies Coordinator Fiona Hopper and Indigenous Advisor Bridgid Neptune were honored with the Education for the Common Good Award for developing the new curriculum.

The nonprofit organization is looking to raise $1.5 million toward its new 16,000-square-foot building on Congress Street in Portland and to stock it for up to three years.

The project on Battery Steele was organized by Scout Malcolm Nelson for his Eagle Scout project.

The Portland-based nonprofit will take over running the low-barrier shelter in February 2025 as Penobscot Community Health Center can no longer afford it. It is the only privately operated low-barrier shelter in Maine north of Waterville.

Multimedia artist Lisa DiFranza facilitated the mural through an artist residency at the Children's Museum and Theatre of Maine that focused on the theme of belonging.

David Whitten was honored for his service at Maine Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6859, 57 years after he was injured in combat.

Families gathered at Payson Park to toss and smash old pumpkins into the compost at the event hosted by Portland's sustainability office.

The project aimed to increase tree canopy cover in the neighborhood that had distinctly fewer trees than the rest of the city and improve environmental equality.

The popular seasonal tours of the Wadsworth-Longfellow House are based on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem "Haunted Houses," and focus on those who lived and died in the Portland landmark.

Last week, a panel of local, state and federal representatives answered questions from 75 ESOL students at Portland Adult Education.

The National Historic Landmark on Danforth Street is undergoing three restoration projects that will bring it closer to its original appearance in 1860.

The art exhibit at the Francis Hotel shows creations from people currently incarcerated in Maine.

The nonprofit Finding Our Voices provided a platform for those who have experienced domestic violence to share their stories. It was the first time the touring event has come to Portland.

The forums, facilitated by the advocacy group Homeless Voices for Justice, served as a platform for constituents with experience in homelessness to engage with candidates for Portland City Council.

At the event hosted by Dark Harbor Tattoo Society, 114 people got inked in a fundraiser for local animal welfare groups.

Part of Portland and part of Westbrook

The Greater Portland Council of Government's program provides multilingual assistance to immigrants and refugees seeking to ride the bus.

Project FEED, which faced temporary closure due to upcoming year-long construction at Woodfords Congregational Church, has found a new location on Brighton Avenue.

Portland

Portland and part of Falmouth

Portland

On Oct. 9, over 100 Portland high school students saw the highest court in the state operate on the stage of their auditorium and got a look at the mechanics of the judicial branch.

The Greater Portland Council of Governments received a grant to help Casco Bay municipalities that are facing coastal erosion and gather more coastal bluff data.

The Casco Bay Trail Alliance, which seeks to alter the Berlin Subdivision rail corridor to add a trail looping from Portland to Lewiston/Auburn, is asking towns along the route to sign off in support. Cumberland recently voted to postpone a decision.

The exhibit in the Lewis Gallery opened on Oct. 4 and was curated by a local Portland illustrator.

On Oct. 1, Maine Trail Builders broke ground on a bike track in Riverton Trolley Park as part of an effort by the Portland Parks Conservancy and the city of Portland to increase usage of the park.

After struggles during the COVID-19 pandemic, La Leche League of Portland is growing in strength.

From Sept. 22-29, 16 Portland restaurants served creative lobster specials to support the lobster industry during the shoulder season.

With support from the Bicycle Coalition of Maine and two Portland neighborhood associations, Portland Trails installed paint and poles at six intersections to slow cars and increase their awareness of pedestrians and cyclists.

On Saturday, the festival showcased 27 animated shorts by artists from Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire, with the goal connecting artists of all experience levels.

Photographer Mark Rockwood reflects on both the Munjoy Hill neighborhood and on his life 50 years ago when he took the photos of children on the street.

The Portland-based band the Shank Painters performed sea shanties in Congress Square Park.

The shuttle service will run between the Eastern Promenade and the Arts District, and is intended to bring ship passengers to more areas of the city.

The day-long event focused on sustainable aquaculture and fisheries. It was the first time the annual event came to Maine.

Project FEED at Woodfords Corner must find a new location by the end of September or pause their operations for at least a year.

Portland Housing Authority’s 105-unit project replaced 50 public housing units that were built on a landfill in 1971.

Seven Maine nonprofits and communities received a total of $112,726 in grants through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

The young Portland director received the Emerging Maine Filmmaker Award for the project showing the community in one of Maine's most diverse neighborhoods.

The fundraiser for the Tunnels to Towers Foundation drew 300 runners to Payson Park.

Housing north of Portland has become too expensive for many people who work in those communities.

An estimated 19,000 Maine kids have attended Camp Susan Curtis over the past five decades.

The Maine Turnpike Authority estimates over a million drivers will be on the highways between Friday and Monday.

The route runs later on weekday evenings, and in the fall, Metro will pilot a micro-transit program to serve the portion of the route that goes to the Town Landing and OceanView.

The Army Corps of Engineers presented its findings on the impact of returning the river to its natural state.

Prince Memorial Library hosted a car maintenance session for teens, taught by a local auto professional.

Tom Bell's short film on the Portland radio station won the Tourmaline Prize for best Maine-made short film at the Maine International Film Festival.

What started out as a couple of young women taking a winter swim at a Scarborough beach is now "this wonderful group for people from all walks of life and people of all ages."

Julia Gagnon of "American Idol" fame and her fiance perform old and new songs for more than 350 fans.

This year's festival program, including multiple appearances by American Idol's Julia Gagnon, was a little harder to pull off because of a drop-off in the number of volunteers.

The 35-year-old poetry and arts journal this summer features the works of 17 Ukrainian poets and 12 Ukrainian artists "that reveal the depth of the Ukrainian soul in these trying times."

Portland artist Ryan Adams painted the mural with the help of students through the USM artist-in-residence program.

The Gorham campus has a 60-minute grace period for parking, and 30 minutes at the Portland campus.

Marcel Kombo, aka Mister Trecy, will perform as part of the free African Summer Concert Series.

The Turn the Tide Coalition, with members from throughout Cumberland County, seeks to put an end to phone-centered childhoods and get kids thinking creatively, playing and interacting again.

The business finds homes for rescue cats from across the state, hosts community events with cats and sells cat-related goods made by local artists.

The new facility on the Portland waterfront will provide a place for hardworking crews to connect with their families, take care of shopping and other personal business and relax, says the nonprofit Seafarers' Friend.

This is the third year Julie and Bryce Davis have organized the event to send veterans and their families on a retreat.

The show and sale, featuring 425 pieces of art, takes place this week.

The Cape Elizabeth Land Trust will celebrate its newly acquired Davis Parcel off Spurwink Avenue with a grand opening Sunday.

South Portland Adult Education's ESL programming has ballooned, serving 475 students, up from 25 two years ago.

The neighborhood market is open for the second year on Thursdays in the parking lot of Woodfords Church.

For Daniela Aldrich, dancing and farming have certain similarities: performance and connection.

More than 30 queer artists of color sell their clothing lines, accessories, ceramics and other work at the store.

A Maine ceramicist who lived in Palestine wants viewers to feel the impact of the thousands of young lives lost: 'We hear numbers all the time, but what do they mean? What do they look like? We get so deadened to that.'

The event Saturday afternoon is a fundraiser for Mayo Street Arts in Portland.

Victoria Mansion in Portland is tackling a shortage of tradespeople skilled in working on historic homes with workshops addressing the specifics of preservation.

Funds raised by the 21-plus event Friday will go toward the museum's Community Fund and other admission accessibility programs.

The show, featuring the work of 22 students, is sold out but can be viewed from the sidewalk during the First Friday Art Walk.

Karen Montanaro will perform her one-woman show Saturday in Freeport to honor her late husband and the life they had together.

A wreath is laid at the memorial to the USS Eagle, which was torpedoed off the coast 79 years ago.

The Cove Street Arts exhibition features photographers all connected to Maine showcasing the coast.

Charlie Moore and Nick Prato will perform Friday in a concert to benefit Greely High School's music department.

Seven recently renovated kitchens will be featured on the May 11 tour.

A community celebration with a parade, traditional music, dance and food will be held Saturday in Westbrook.

The GapTracks project analyzes the animal population in the unfinished section of the Eastern Trail between the Wainwright Recreation Complex in South Portland and Nonesuch River in Scarborough.

The library is also seeking a person of color to curate the show.

Project Home Trust provides the women with a monthly payment.

'When they put their own stories on stage, they understand on a different level what it’s like to put your story out there and the responsibility that comes with that,' said Isaac Kestenbaum, director of the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies.