This Week in Lincolnville

Sun, 09/06/2026 - 7:45pm

Pen Bay sunrise from Rocky Top. (Photo by Mig Case)

LCS-PTO Clothing Swap

Pen Bay sunrise from Rocky Top. (Photo by Mig Case)

LCS-PTO Clothing Swap

I am not working tomorrow. As a self-employed small business owner, this is not an easy decision. While I have never regretted my choice to strike out on my own on September 1, 2014, the vacation and sick time benefits are a bit lacking. Maybe I should say nonexistent.

Labor Day feels like a non-negotiable day off, though. It was hard fought for by the trade unions, the people who brought you the weekend, who sometimes paid for the rights of workers in blood. In much of the world, Labor Day is celebrated on May 1, but here in America, we set aside the first Monday in September. There is interesting history in the reasons why, but I will leave that to the other columnist in my family.

Labor Day marks the unofficial end of summer, and by extension, the unofficial start of autumn. By far, my favorite season. I could never live long term in a place without strong seasonal changes. I love the first snow, the first shoots of green in the spring, the first truly hot day. It is, however, the cool crisp mornings and evenings, the first splashes of color in the maple trees, the final garden harvests that really inject me with waves of nostalgia and happiness.

I can do without pumpkin spice, but pumpkins, fat and orange, I love them. Crisp apples, picked off the tree, oh my. I can be a little picky about apples from the store most of the year, but give me a huge Cortland from an orchard in late September, a paring knife, and a wedge of sharp cheddar and I am a very happy boy.

Driving home on a breezy autumn afternoon, through a hail of falling leaves, the acrid smell of woodsmoke. My goodness.

Football — when did that happen? I used to occasionally and mostly disinterestedly watch the Patriots with my dad as a kid, but then I married a woman with a love of the game. Cooking snacks for her and my kids on Sunday afternoons. Starting last year, my own boys started playing, and I am considering investing in one of those bleacher seats, so that I can yell for the Camden Hills Regional High School team in relative comfort. Following their domination of the eight-man league last season, they have moved back to 11-man, where they are going to face much more intense competition.

There are a lot of Lincolnville boys on the team. I have told my own boys that they need to look out for each other, and report any hard hits on their respective brother. This family has had enough brain trauma for one lifetime.

Which reminds me that September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness month. Pink is the color of breast cancer awareness, and following their death of her twin brother from neuroblastoma at the age of 11, Annie Bartosz led the effort to make September the month and gold the color to talk about pediatric cancer.

I am very much looking forward to not going to work tomorrow. I think I will make a batch of cookies to send off to the missing girl, my daughter off at college in far away Massachusetts. I am already planning a trip, post football season, with my high school junior to start checking out potential colleges. I have been talking up all the great schools here in Maine, but I completely understand if he wants to spread his wings further. I know I did.

LCS-PTO Clothing Swap

The Parent Teacher Organization of Lincolnville Central School is planning for its autumn clothing swap, which will be held on the 23-25 of October at the Tranquility Grange this year. This is an amazing event, and such an incredible way to upcycle the clothes you or your kids have outgrown, and get some new stuff. Leave your clean donations at the box outside the LCS front doors, and volunteers will sort and organize them for the October sale. Thank you so much to the Tranquility Grange for offering the space.

Community Pasta Supper

On Friday, September 11, from 5-7 p.m. there will be a pasta dinner held at the Lincolnville Community Building, 18 Searsmont Road. For those ambitious enough to be running the 10k, 20k, or 50k(!) races over the Camden Hills at the Megunticook Trail Festival on September 12, this is your opportunity to carbo-load for the big race. For the rest of us, it is a chance to gather with community and just gobble pasta.

The event will be benefiting Lincolnville kids participating the CHRHS sponsored Spain trip in spring of 2028. An opportunity for our young people to see the world beyond our idyllic shore. Get your tickets here .

Library Happenings:

Needleworkers will meet from 3-6 p.m. on September 8. Join the cribbage players on September 10 from 2-5 p.m., and learn how to play Mah-Jonng from 12-2 p.m. on September 11. As the afternoons get cooler and darker, the Library is bright and warm. Your neighbors would love to see you.

Happy September, Lincolnville. I just remembered that there is still some wood that needs to fill the woodshed. Not as appealing as crisp apples and turning leaves, but part of the season all the same.

Start closing the windows at night, but don’t put away the fans yet, there are always a few more hot days to come. As we approach November elections, try not to be a jerk to your neighbor with the “wrong sign” in their yard. Just smile, say hi, complain about the weather and ask about the family, and shake your head at their ignorance later.

If you have an event, or just a cool Lincolnville story, reach out to me, ceobrien246@gmail.com.

Municipal Calendar:

Monday, September 7

Labor Day, Town Office Closed

School House Museum open, 1-4 p.m., 33 Beach Road

Tuesday, September 8

Library open 3-6 p.m. 208 Main Street

AA Meeting 12:15 p.m., Community Building, 18 Searsmont Road

School Committee, 6 p.m., Town Office

Wednesday, September 9

School House Museum open, 1-4 p.m., 33 Beach Road

Library open 2-5