Corn chowder, saffron-infused seafood paella, Yellow Rose gelato, banana caramel bonbons,  limoncello spritz mocktails, plus yellow books, jewelry, clothing, and table setting accessories are some of what a record 91 Midcoast businesses are featuring through July for the fourth annual “Into the Light! Yellow Festival fundraiser for Finding Our Voices.

Participating businesses across 15 Midcoast Maine towns and two islands are promoting a special yellow menu or retail item for the entire month of July and donating all or part of the proceeds to Finding Our Voices. According to a FOV news release, all money raised from this event will help local women and children get and stay safe from domestic abuse with payments for shelter, transportation, and legal aid.

According to Patrisha McLean, CEO and founder of the statewide and Camden-based nonprofit, one third more Midcoast businesses are participating in July's 2026 Yellow Festival over last year, with added locations of Damariscotta (Rising Tide Co-op), Waldoboro (Waldoboro Inn), Vinalhaven (WindHorse Arts Studio), and the Rockland Lobster Festival (Three Suns Slush). A sister "Into the Light!" Yellow Festival is taking place on the Blue Hill Peninsula at 35 eateries and retail shops across 11 towns from Bucksport to Stonington.

The range of "Into the Light!" offerings “show the extraordinary creativity and generosity of our brilliant local business communities,” said McLean.

Ways the public can eat, drink, and buy yellow in Midcoast Maine to support local women and children in July include sushi-grade Yellowfin tuna at Graffam Brothers in Rockport; roasted cauliflower with curried aioli at The Causeway at the Craignair Inn; polenta cake with Sriracha shrimp at 40 Paper; and the pineapple pizza at Alexia's Pizza in Belfast, Owen's General Store in Lincolnville, and Camden House of Pizza. Lemon ice cream sandwiches are being offered at Portland Pie Place, with frozen treats also at Newty's 2, Vacationland Coffee, and the Dark Harbor Shop. Lemon curd menu delights are being featured at Bleecker and Greer, Aster & Rose, 18 Central, and Nina June. Union Street Sourdough in Camden, according to owner Bridget Mariner, is offering “Sourdough Lemon Sheet Cake with Lemon Buttercream and Candied Lemon Peel, bound to brighten anyone’s day.”

Arctic Tern Books in Rockland is featuring yellow linen-covered writing journals; The Tiny Bookshop, Virginia Giuffre's harrowing memoir; and from Owl and Turtle, Barnswallow, and Anodyne donating proceeds of books with yellow covers. The Camden Public Library will also be displaying yellow books throughout the month. Bananas and/or lemons are "Into the Light!" offerings at the community food co-ops in Damariscotta, Rockland, and Belfast. 

Michael Good Gallery, Windsor Chairmakers, and the new consignment store in the Reny's shopping center Camden Curated are hosting in-store raffles for, respectively, handcrafted signature hoop earrings, a yellow milk-painted stool, and bountiful baskets of themed collections. 

Full listings of participating businesses and their "Into the Light!" offerings in both Midcoast Maine and the Blue Hill Peninsula are at https://findingourvoices.net/into-the-light-2026.

“Not only is this the biggest fundraiser of the year for our grassroots nonprofit, but the wholehearted support of our business community signals to every domestic abuse survivor living in or visiting the region that they are not alone and that the community cares about them," said McLean. Yellow is the color of Finding Our Voices, because "we are led by survivors who have managed to cross over to the bright side of safety and freedom, shining a light for our sisters who are still in the dark."

First National Bank returns as the lead sponsor of Midcoast Maine’s "Into the Light!" event, joined by Rickey Celentano, Judy Sandler and Skip Klein, Liv Rockefeller and Ken Shure, Superior Restoration, Camden Whole Health, Cold Mountain Builders, Sotheby’s/Legacy Properties, Barnswallow Books, Allen Insurance, Viking Lumber. Media sponsors are Midcoast Villager, and the 106.9 and 105.5 radio stations. 

Capping this year's "Into the Light!" is a music festival fundraiser for Finding Our Voices on Saturday, August 1, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Glendarragh lavender farm in Appleton. Siblings Jackie and Wyatt McLean will be performing publicly together for the first time, followed by The Sugar Snaps and The Right Track band.  

Finding Our Voices is the grassroots, Camden-based nonprofit breaking the silence of domestic abuse across Maine and providing heart-healing and life-mending support and resources to women survivors and their children. Their programs include access to donated dental care through the award-winning Finding Our Smiles,  Get Out Stay Out funding, an online support group and Healing Together retreats, and Healthy Relationship residencies in middle schools and high schools. For more information visit https://findingourvoices.net.