ROCKLAND — The 50th edition of PechaKucha Night Midcoast, an evening of visual storytelling, will take place Friday, Oct. 16, at the Strand Theatre in Rockland. Doors open at 6:15 p.m. and the program begins at 7 p.m. A reception to celebrate the milestone will immediately follow the event at CMCA on Winter Street. 

The evening’s presentation topics will range from the theatrical arts, small-press publishing and visual arts, to ways to grow communities of all shapes and sizes, according to organizers, in a news release.

Participants for PechaKucha Midcoast’s October 2026 edition are: Joseph Cote, Film Actor, Speaker & VP of Coastal Senior College; Brittany Parker and Mélissa Smith, Theater Makers, STEMmersive, science-based theatrical adventures for young audiences; Abby Brammell, Actor and Mental Health Advocate; Stefan Bishop, Artist and Woodworker; Liv Rockefeller and Ken Shure, Publishers of Two Ponds Press; Dana Clark, Arts Writer and Photographer; Addison Godine, Managing Partner of Lantern Camp; Craig Watson, Arts Advocate, Creative Placemaking; and Aladar Nesser, Veteran of Global Engagement.

The evening’s emcee will be Hanna DeHoff, one of the original organizers to bring PechaKucha to the Midcoast in 2009. 

Admittance is $10 (includes fees), with advance tickets available through the Strand Theatre, at www.rocklandstrand.com. Any remaining available tickets will be sold at the door the night of the event. Advance purchase is recommended; the event routinely sells out, according to the news release. 

The PechaKucha format is a unique presentation style where eight individuals share their work, ideas, and creative process with a 20-second-per-image, 20-image slideshow. Each of the evening’s presenters will provide a six minute and 40 second glimpse into their craft. 

PechaKucha Night Midcoast Maine’s organizing partners include 2A Architects; Center for Maine Contemporary Art; Farnsworth Art Museum; Magpie Creative; Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors; Strand Theatre; and various creative community members. The poster design was done by Rafi Baeza. 

“PechaKucha Night” was conceived in 2003 in Tokyo as a place for young designers to meet, network and show their work in public. It is now an international phenomenon, with events held in more than 1,300 cities around the world. For more information, visit pechakucha.org. 

For information about presenting at one of the local events or about sponsorship opportunities for organizations and businesses, email pechakuchamidcoast@gmail.com.  

The Strand Theatre is located at 345 Main St., Rockland.

For tickets or more information about this event, visit RocklandStrand.com or call 594-0070.