ROCKLAND—A recent post on the Rockland, Maine, Facebook page asked, "What is there for teens to do in the winter that locals can afford?" which received more than 200 comments offering suggestions. Outside of the local high school programs, there quite a few activities to do for teens around here. PenBay Pilot did some digging, and here are the opportunities broken down by category.

Arts

• The Rockland Public Library has a free teen book club, which meets on the first Tuesday of the month. FMI: Book Club

• The Camden Public Library has a YA Book-Lovers Club that meets on a Tuesday once a month from 4 to 5 p.m.  You don’t have to be a teen to like YA books; anyone can attend. FMI: Book Club

• The Belfast Public Library has a specific teen room (BFL Teen Room) where kids (11-17) can check out their Young Adult book collection, use computers, and have comfortable places to work and socialize. They are currently doing a "Call for Artists" for artwork to hang in the YA Gallery. FMI: Library

• The Belfast Public Library offers its last Tarot Deck workshop for teens (11-17) on February 4 from 3 to 4 p.m. "There you will find an inclusive group of teens who love making art and talking about tarot." FMI: Library

• The last session in the Belfast Public Library Teen Art series will take place February 24 on learning about and making Street Art, from 3 to 5 p.m. FMI: Library

• A Valentine's Day card-making event for teens will take place at The Belfast Public Library February 10 from 3 to 5 p.m. FMI: Library

• Center for Maine Contemporary Art (CMCA) in Rockland has a a creative drop-in workshop called ArtLab that's all ages. FMI: ArtLab

• The Camden Public Library offers virtual art classes. FMI: Library

• The Farnsworth Museum offers free admission on the first Fridays of the month, beginning at 4 p.m. They also will be offering a series of pottery, printmaking, and eco-printing over February break. FMI: Farnsworth

• Waterfall Arts in Belfast will be hosting an all-ages art happening called “CBARF: Cardboard Boxes Are Really Fun!” January 25 from 1 to 3 p.m. FMI: Waterfall Arts

Film

• Flagship Cinemas in Thomaston often provide teen-centered movies. They also offer a Film Fanatic Club and a free movie on your birthday. FMI: Flagship Amenities

• The Strand Theatre has a family matinee series for only $5, screened on the last weekend of the month, though it skews toward younger teens. FMI: The Strand

• The Colonial Theatre in Belfast is also offering free family matinees this winter. Check back for their schedule. FMI: The Colonial

• The Banff Mountain Film Festival, short films on outdoor adventure, mountain culture, and the environment will be showing at the Camden Opera House from January 31 to February 1. FMI: Banff

Social

• The Landing Place in Rockland has multiple programs for highly resilient and often marginalized middle and high school students living in Midcoast Maine. Their drop-in center hours are Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. On Tuesday & Thursday afternoons from 2 to 4:30 p.m. teens can get a warm meal, a chill space with WiFi, or to socialize. On Wednesdays from 2 to 4:30 p.m., three programs rotate weekly from community service to the Rainbow Room for LGBTQ+ teens to hang out and relax to The Creative Collective, which hosts a guest artist. Young artists and makers can use the art supplies to work on projects. Check out PenBay Pilot's original story on The Landing Place's opening and core mission. FMI: The Landing Place

• Youthlinks in Rockland offers community service, leadership, and enrichment programs for youth ages 11-17. FMI: Youthlinks 

• Out Maine is a welcoming community for LGBTQ+ with programs for tweens and teens, including an online group Fruit Loops for tweens, and ayouth engagement coordinator who participates in The Landing Place's Rainbow Room teen drop-in. FMI: Out Maine

• The Coastal Recovery Community Center has been a member of the RSU 13 Youth Alliance for year and offers a safe, supportive space for people of all ages. This month they are hosting a free valentine making event on Feb 7 at 11 White Street Rockland from 1 to 5 p.m. FMI: Rockland Recovery

archery range have your own gear 8:30-6 m-f 8:$8 hour to rent three lanes.

Outdoors

• Camden Snow Bowl offers a $32 daily rental ski or snowboard package for teens up to 18 years old,  a toboggan chute, and tubing. In addition, several local schools have partnered with the Camden Snow Bowl on group discounted lift tickets and rates for students as well as bus transportation. Call your local school to inquire about more details.

• If you have your own skates, want to buy second-hand skates at a decent price, or rent them, here is a PenBay Pilot list of all the best ice skating outdoor spots in the Midcoast. Maine Sports Outfitters also offers free ice skating on their rink with skate rental. Midcoast Recreational Center additionally has an outdoor rink.

• The Rockland Breakwater is an 8/10 of a mile from Jameson Point each way if teens want to get some steps in, a good TikTok video, or an excellent vantage point for photography.

• Maine Sport Outfitters offers an intro to every Sunday on lakes and locations local to Camden and Rockport for only $20 and will provide all the gear.

 Indoor Sports & Fitness

• Midcoast Recreation Center has an indoor skating rink (with lessons), hockey and figure skating program open to teens, junior tennis, open play pickleball, three indoor virtual golf simulators, and a fitness center.

• Though most of Penobscot Bay YMCA's youth programs are geared toward younger kids, some options exist for teens, including group fitness and aquatics. Its Rockland location, Rockland Harbor YMCA, also has a state-of-the-art fitness Center.

• Planet Fitness in Rockland has a $15 monthly membership, which teens can join for only $1 in a special offer.

• Waldo County YMCA also has a youth membership up to age 18 for $22 monthly with a $50 join fee.

• The Flanagan Community Center, also known as the Rockland Rec Center, offers youth programs, basketball, volleyball, a and a weight room.

• The Rockland Police Department Youth Mentorship drop-in happens every Thursday from 5 to 6 p.m. at the Flanagan Community Center. Teens are welcome to attend the group if they like also playing dodgeball or kickball in the gym.

• The Belfast Curling Club is actively seeking youths aged nine to 18 to participate in lessons and games from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday afternoons. The cost is nominal and the ratio of instructors to students  is generally one to four. FMI: Belfast Curling Club

• Johnson's Sporting Goods has three lanes of archery open whenever the store is open for $8 per session. Users have tobring their own equipment, however. FMI: Johnson's

Indoor Entertainment& Games

• The Game Loft in Belfast is a center for teens to play recreational non-electronic games and has become a welcoming teen hangout. It's offered free of charge to all teens. They also do role-playing campaigns and magic tournaments monthly and provide specific road trips to gaming conventions. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays are for teens (6th to 12th grade). FMI: The Game Loft

• The Flanagan Community Center has a game room located on the lower level, with a concession stand, many table games, arcade games, board games, and a living room with a play station, T.V., and a stereo. 

• Trapt, Inc. in Rockport has trap rooms, billiards, ping pong, arcade games, food, and snacks.

Volunteering

• Lots of teens enjoy working with animals, and Pope Memorial requires volunteers to be 15 years old while PAWS Animal Adoption Center requires teens to be 16 years old for general duties and 18 years old for dog walking.

• Guide Dog Foundation is looking for weekend puppy raisers in the Thomaston and Warren areas, providing vital socialization experiences for puppies. The puppies are currently being placed at the Maine prison, where they live with inmates during the week and receive intensive training targeted for these puppies to become service dogs for veterans with disabilities.

• The Game Loft is always looking for youth volunteers to serve their communities as junior staff, mentors, and volunteers. FMI: The Game Loft.

• The Telling Room, based in Portland, would love to work with teens 18 and over to volunteer with their younger writers.

Jobs

ª Teens can post for jobs they are looking for on Midcoast Maine Job Search/Help Wanted Facebook Page

• The Simply Hired website with the keywords "teens" and "Midcoast" have generated a list of potential jobs for teens. FMI: Simply Hired

If we missed a listing in any of these categories specific to the Midcoast, please email us at news@penbaypilot.com with your listing formatted with dates, times, and relevant details, as seen above.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com