On Wednesday, Jan. 7, at 1 p.m., the Rockport Public Library will kick off its winter/spring series entitled “Let’s Feel Better in 2026.” The first presentation will be given by Cristina Lindsay, OTR/L, who, alongside her therapy dog Mango, will discuss “The Joy Prescription for Aging Well Through Connection and Meaning."

Folk rock singer-songwriter Griffin William Sherry and friends will take the Strand Theatre stage on Saturday, Jan. 31, at 7:30 p.m. Special guest Keenan Hendricks will open the show. 

BELFAST — Take a spin on the dance floor and let your shoes fly at the First Friday Community Dance & Contras, Friday, Jan. 2, at The First Church, 8 Court Street, in Belfast.

The intergenerational program begins at 6 p.m., when the All Comers Band warms up and chooses tunes with Maisie Newell. The band is open to all ages, instruments, and skill levels; a collection of tunes is posted at belfastflyingshoes.org. Chrissy Fowler calls the easy-to-learn Community Dance starting at 6:30 p.m.

Mi’kmaq storyteller Jennifer Pictou will present traditional Mi’kmaq and Wabanaki tales, Saturday, Jan. 17, at 2 p.m., at the Strand Theatre. Pictou bridges her studies of history, oral traditions and culture together, and invites listeners to hear these stories and learn more about Mi’kmaq history and culture.

With the new year on the horizon, members, friends, and staff of the First Congregational Church of Camden are ushering in a third season of weekly lunchtime gatherings called Cake and Community. An entirely volunteer-driven effort, Cake and Community was launched in January 2024 as a social gathering hub for citizens who seek conversation and companionship during the bleak months of winter, according to the church, in a news release.

ROCKLAND — The Metropolitan Opera’s 2025–26 Live in HD season continues at the Strand Theatre with a simulcast of Vincenzo Bellini’s “I Puritani” on Saturday, Jan. 10, at 1 p.m. An encore screening will be presented Thursday, Jan. 22, at 5 p.m. 

"For gorgeous melody, spellbinding coloratura, and virtuoso vocal fireworks, I Puritani has few equals," said the Strand, in a news release.

Coastal Recovery Community Center hosts a Gilead Science Hepatitis Awareness Event on Thursday, December 18, 2025, from 2-4 p.m.

"The public is invited to learn about this significant public health issue, which can lead to liver disease and cancer," said CRCC, in a news release.

Get information on testing and more at CRCC’s office at 11 White Street, Rockland. 

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Belfast annual Solstice Celebration will be Saturday, Dec. 20, at 4 p.m., at 37 Miller Street, Belfast. (Snow date: Sunday, Dec. 21, at 4 p.m.)

On Saturday, December 20, celebrate the return of the light at a special “Solstice Shine” Community Dance & Contra Dance presented by Belfast Flying Shoes, the Rockport Opera House, and the Town of Rockport.

The event includes simple community dances for all ages, contras and squares with gender-neutral role terms, waltzes and more. A unique cultural tradition, this intergenerational and chem-free program welcomes new dancers and experienced folks alike, according to Belfast Flying Shoes, in a news release.

Join the Lincolnville Historical Society for its annual Christmas program, December 19, at 7 p.m., at the Beach Schoolhouse. Rosey Gerry will host the program, which features musical acts, storytelling and cookies.

The LHS is located at 33 Beach Road in Lincolnville. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., and the museum will be open upstairs if you would like to look around prior to the show, according to LHS, in a news release.

The show is free, but donations are always accepted. 

Here is the list of award winning Gingerbreads in the annual Gingerbread Spectacular at the Opera House at Boothbay Harbor:

Most Spectacular: Carla Warren: "Under the Sea"

Best Traditional Gingerbread House: Katrina Dunsmore: "The Sweet Lil Christmas Inn"

Most Creative: Shawn of the Sheep: "Merry Christmas Two Ewes"

Best Representation of a Local Landmark: Hilary Allen and Eni Delisle: "Harbor Theater Movie Palace"

Best Youth Entry: A. Faulstich: "Ginger Dew Valley"

A community reading of Dylan Thomas' A Child's Christmas in Wales will be presented by Watts Hall Community Players, Sunday, Dec. 21, from 3 - 4 p.m., at the Federated Church, in Thomaston. The program benefits the AIO Energy Assistance Program.

The Parsonage Gallery launches its holiday season with two compelling exhibitions exploring themes of ecology, memory, and displacement. All are welcome to an opening reception, Saturday, Dec. 13, from 2 - 4 p.m., with seasonal treats. The event will feature a special reading by artist Anne Mourier from 2 - 2:30 p.m. Both exhibitions run through March 1.

BELFAST — "Belfast welcomes something new and exciting this winter," said The Underground Lounge, in a news release.

The Speed of Sound, the latest musical endeavor from longtime Maine musician Spencer Albee, whose decades-long career has shaped much of Maine’s live music scene, according to the Underground, in a news release, will perform at The Underground Lounge on Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. The show begins at 7 p.m.; doors open at 6:30 p.m.  

Update: Dec. 10, 2025: Due to emergency illness, the Community Christmas Chorus concerts scheduled for Dec. 12, 13 and 14 are postponed. Organizers plan to reschedule in January 2026, according to an updated news release.

Initial press release

Micaela Schweitzer-Bluhm will speak at the Belfast Free Library, Dec. 16, from 6:30 - 8 p.m., as part of the Camden Conference community event series.

On the morning of September 11, 2001 when hijacked jetliners brought down the World Trade Center towers, attacked the Pentagon, and killed, Micaela Schweitzer-Bluhm was in her first week of Arabic language training at the Foreign Service Institute in Arlington, Virginia.

Teens aged 11-17 are invited to create their own button or keychain on Tuesday, Dec. 16, from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m., at the Belfast Free Library, 106 High Street, Belfast.   

Draw a design or pick from supplied images, all supplies will be provided. 

Belfast Chamber Music (BCM) will hold its second-annual charity benefit concert, Home and Hearth, on Sunday, Dec, 21, 2025, at 3 p.m., at The First Church in Belfast UCC, 8 Court Street. BCM Artistic Director Philipp Elssner (violin/viola) will be joined by visiting artists Olena Kaspersky, violin, and Jacob Wang, piano. Admission is free; donations will be accepted in support of the Midcoast Maine Homeless Coalition and Waldo County Bounty.

The Mount View High School Chamber Singers will perform "Carols in the Round" on Sunday, Dec. 14, at the United Christian Church (UCC), located at 18 Searsmont Road, Route 173, in Lincolnville Center.