CAMDEN, Maine — The Camden Area Business Group is hosting Camden's annual Fourth of July Fireworks Celebration on Saturday, July 4.

The fireworks display will begin at 9 p.m., launching from the Curtis Island barge location and illuminating Camden Harbor in one of Midcoast Maine's most anticipated Independence Day traditions, said the Group, in a June 30 news release.

Spectators are encouraged to enjoy the show from a variety of public viewing locations, including Camden Harbor Park, Camden Public Landing, Steamboat Landing, Laite Beach, and Lyman Morse boardwalk.

Due to expected warm temperatures, the Union Town Office Meeting Room, located at the back of the building at 567 Common Road, will serve as a Cooling Center on Wednesday and Thursday, July 1-2, 2026, from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Visitors will have access to:

Air conditioning

Seating

Restrooms

Mushrooming author and teacher Greg Marley will lead an indoor presentation on "Foraging for 'Foolproof' Edible Mushrooms," Tuesday, July 21, at 12 pm., at Merryspring Nature Center.

Saturday, July 11

The Maine State Fire Marshal's Office reminds everyone planning to celebrate the 250th Independence Day celebration with consumer fireworks to do so safely and responsibly.

The Fire Marshal's Office provides the following information:

Legal Hours for Consumer Fireworks

 Most days: 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

 Extended holiday hours: On July 4 and the weekend immediately before and after July 4, consumer fireworks may be used from 9:00 a.m. until 12:30 a.m. the following day.

For the 2026 Independence Day Holiday:

On Saturday, July 11, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m., two gardens on the street above Front Street Shipyard will be featured as part of the Belfast Garden Club’s Open Garden Days. 

Christine Solet's garden at 22 Bridge Street fills a dramatically steep hillside. This difficult-to-work space provides blooms and color throughout the seasons, according to a Belfast Garden Club news release. The view from the home's porch takes in viburnums, Kolkwitzia, and hydrangeas, all providing habitat for many species of birds.

The Warren Historical Society Dr. Campbell House and Museum will have an open house, Saturday, June 27, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., for Warren Day.

Location: 225 Main St., Warren. 

A groundbreaking ceremony was held June 25, 2026 for Sweetser's new youth psychiatric residential treatment facility in Saco. The new facility in Saco will provide 24/7 intensive care to Maine youth under 21 with acute behavioral health care needs, according to a news release from Governor Mills' Office.

In celebration of the country’s 250th Anniversary, the Damariscotta Historical Society, the Chapman-Hall House, and the Newcastle Historical Society have come together to offer the public a celebration of displays and activities.  

Roughly 50 people decked out in rainbow garb streamed out of First Parish Unitarian Universalist in downtown Portland last Saturday morning as music director Benjamin Holbrook led them in song. “I believe in the power of equality,” the attendees sang as they gathered on the church steps. “I believe in the power of love.”

The Pen Bay Amateur Radio Club (W1PBR) will participate in ARRL Field Day on June 27-28, 2026, at the Owls Head Transportation Museum, 117 Museum Street, Owls Head.

Field Day is the nation's largest amateur radio event and combines emergency communications training with public outreach, according to the Radio Club, in a news release. During the 24-hour exercise, amateur radio operators will set up temporary stations and demonstrate how communications can be established when traditional systems are unavailable.

Reader Gallery 13 continues a tradition of sharing photos that are taken by readers — locals and visitors who take joy in the always soul-nourishing landscape of Maine.

SEARSPORT — Join Coastal Mountains Land Trust (CMLT), MaineHealth’s Community Health program, and Friends of Sears Island for a Happy Wanderers hike on Thursday, July 2, at 10 a.m., on Sears Island.

This hike will offer options ranging from 1 to 4 miles, with routes that wind through forested trails, along the shoreline, and out the island’s road. Wanderers are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch and linger a bit longer to enjoy the magic of the island after the hike concludes around noon.

John Fromer will lead an outdoor presentation on "Growing Flowers to Dry"on Tuesday, July 14, at 12 p.m., at Merryspring Nature Center.

MaineHealth Surgical Care Rockport has earned dual reaccreditation from the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) in both vascular testing and vascular interventional services, reflecting their continued commitment to providing high-quality vascular care to patients throughout the midcoast region. 

MaineHealth has received a five-year, $1.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support mentorship and research focused on the health impacts of the so-called “forever chemicals” known as PFAS in children and adolescents. The award will help MaineHealth expand environmental health research in Maine while supporting the development of the next generation of clinician scientists studying environmental health risks.