TOP WEEKEND PICKS
Spend Saturday leisurely browsing the Vintage Pop Up Market at WaterDance Farms in Belgrade. Sunday attend the Balloon Festival in Lewiston/Auburn!
Read more here
Attend the annual film festival to celebrate! Get your tickets and more info here.
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Don’t you love finding a great local mom and pop shop? We are so lucky to have the Readfield Family Market where you can find just about anything you need. In fact, if they don’t carry it, you probably don’t need it. They make the best pizza and sandwiches around! Here is a very recent testimonial:
“The Readfield Family Market is THE place to go for more than your moneys worth on subs, pizza, and Dagwoods, as well as home made deserts, you know the kind that don’t need 50 ingredients to make a batch of chocolate chip cookies. It’s a mom and pop style store out in the country where you can find just about anything you need, and there’s not another place like it in the world. The guys I mentioned treat me like a king, friendly and having a work ethic not seen today in most young people. The Dagwoods they make me weight about 3 lbs apiece, the ham neatly held out and served from a plastic bag for my Rottweiler Laila. Even though I don’t get there that often, they still recognize my voice on the phone each time I do. (I tip them handsomely)
I grew up amidst 90 family markets in Augusta, and trust me when I say you’ll never beat the privilege of doing business where the owner is in the store. Sadly, these unique stores are being replaced with big corporate places where you’d never get to sell your home made cookies, muffins, pickled eggs, or fudge there. Plus, the money you spend stays in the community, not taking a ride out of state where whoever owns the store and never have you met, lives….
So if you’re going through Readfield, Me, stop in if you want a great lunch you won’t forget. Tell the boys the guy who has them hold the ham sent you. They’ll know who you’re talking about. You won’t be disappointed” - Craig
LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS
opening days vary, make sure to check the link for detailed info
Augusta: Tuesday’s Mill Park 2-6PM
Belgrade: Sunday’s 8-1, 7 Lakes Alliance
Hallowell: Saturday’s: Stevens Commons 9-12PM
Waterville: Thurs: Downtown Waterville @ Head of Falls Park 2-6
Winthrop: Thurs:(June 4-Sept10) 2-6, Municipal Parking Lot
HIKE OF THE WEEK
Sanders Hill Loop
Looking for a hike that delivers a lot without taking up your whole day? Sanders Hill Loop in the Kennebec Highlands winds through classic Maine woods, passes the pretty Beaver Brook cascades, and climbs to views overlooking Watson Pond. At just under 3 miles, it's a great late-summer adventure that's close to home but still feels tucked away.
NEWS & INFORMATION
Maine State Cake Decorating Championship. Register to enter a cake for a HUGE cash prize, or go to see and taste test the cakes - all for FREE! In South Paris, Aug 22nd - more details here
Are you a car enthusiast? Here ya go! More info here
Meet Laurie Leahy. She is renovating Waterville homes to preserve history. Read her story here
Bao & Beyond was named a 2025 Kennebec Journal Readers’ Choice finalist for Best International Restaurant https://www.instagram.com/baonbeyond/p/Db9OPLBR0z5/
FREE TICKETS & THINGS TO DO! FIND YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY, THEY ARE A GREAT SOURCE
Lithgow Library - Augusta, Hubbard Library - Hallowell. Cumston Library - Monmouth, Bailey Library - Winthrop, Waterville Public Library - Waterville, Readfield Community Library - Readfield, Belgrade Public Library - Belgrade
MOVING TO MAINE? LOOKING FOR INVESTMENT PROPERTY OR A CAMP?
Jessica Fike at Brookewood Realty can help you discover local homes, lake properties, and communities that fit your lifestyle. Visit here for updated listings.
LOCAL EVENTS
Belgrade
Aug 22nd: Vintage Pop Up Market with rare and unique finds 9-1 @ Water Dance Farm with the Belle of Belgrade (this is rescheduled rain date)
Lewiston/Auburn
Aug 21-23: Balloon Festival ! Book your ride today!
Winthrop
Aug 21-23rd: Art Park Festival @ HomeGrown Acres. This is a 3 day celebration of music and large scale art. Looks really cool!
FARTHER OUT EVENTS WORTH NOTING
Windsor
Aug 29-Sept 7th- Windsor Fair is back! Demolition derbies, stunt show, great music! Read the schedule here.
WORTH THE DRIVE
Biddeford
Aug 21-23rd: Vacationland Film Festival
North Anson
Aug 22nd: A Music Festival @ The Land. Dead of Summer Graveyard Shift.
Portland
Aug 21-23rd: Jurassic Quest. A dinosaur and lego quest! Get tix here!
Aug 22: Portland Fine Craft Show @ Lincoln Park 10-5PM
Skowhegan
Aug 13-22nd: Skowhegan State Fair - LAST CHANCE to go!
Epping, New Hampshire
Aug 29th: NH Muscle Cars Summer Sizzler: Car Show, Burnout Contest, Slalom Competition at Star Speedway. 9-2PM.
SUMMER CONCERTS SERIES
Gardiner: Waterfront Concert Series, every Fri 6-8:30 (starts mid June)
Augusta: Waterfront Concert Series, every Wed 6-8
Belgrade: Lakeside Listening at the 1958 Cafe Every Friday 4-6:30
Hallowell: Plenty of local music concert venues
Bowl in the Pines, Sidney - you HAVE to check out this little local gem
Waterfront Concerts, Bangor - Not in Kennebec, but an amazing line up!
Winthrop - Norcross Point, Sunday
LOOK UP! SKY HAPPENINGS
Star Gazers - In case you didn’t know, the Southern Maine Astronomers in Cumberland holds a Star Party and Ice Cream Social. The next event is scheduled for August 22nd. Check it out here.
There’s also Blueberry Pond Observatory that holds star gazing guided tours! They are located in Pownal. Read more here.
Aug. 20–21 Moon near Antares: The Moon passes close to Antares, the distinctly reddish "heart" of Scorpius. Look generally south/southwest during the evening.
Partial Lunar Eclipse + Full Moon: THIS is the other one I'd definitely put in the newsletter.A partial lunar eclipse occurs overnight as we head into the Aug. 28 full moon. Unlike a solar eclipse, no special glasses are needed to watch a lunar eclipse. NASA lists the eclipse at about 04:14 UTC Aug. 28, which corresponds to just after midnight EDT here in Maine on the night of Aug. 27–28.
Full Sturgeon Moon: Even if someone misses the eclipse, the August full moon follows immediately. It should make a gorgeous late-summer moonrise if the Maine weather cooperates.
Moon meets Saturn: The month finishes with another very easy naked-eye sight: the Moon and Saturn appearing close together. They'll rise in the east and travel across the sky overnight.
WANT TO PARTNER UP OR HAVE A UPCOMING EVENT? GET IN TOUCH!