Dagney Ernest, who has been Camden Opera House's promotions and box office manager for the past six-and-a-half years, has retired. Kathleen Payton Brown has assumed that position as of the new year. 

Before joining the COH staff, Dagney had a long and colorful history with the theater, singing and acting on the Opera House stage with local performance groups, including Camden Civic Theatre and the Everyman Repertory Theatre, swing quartet Fascinatin' Rhythm, and the Arthur Hall International Dance Company. 

“Thirty-five years is a long time,” said Boneheads’ keyboardist Bob Colwell in a recent interview. “Bands are generally pretty ephemeral things, and it's highly unusual to last that long.”

Right! I say ... longer than The Beatles, not as long as The Stones. Hey, it got an appreciative chuckle ...

"Wintersong: A Midcoast Gathering of Voices" will take place Tuesday, Jan. 13 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in Porter Hall at Skidompha Library, Main St., Damariscotta with a snow date of Tuesday, Jan. 20. The event is free and open to the public. Please enter via the Elm Street side (rear entrance) of the library, as the event will be held after regular hours.

Thursday, Feb. 5

Get out of the house and listen to some beautiful music while supporting Maine musicians. Doors for seating will open at 6:30 p.m., concert at 7 p.m. 86 Townsend Ave., Boothbay Harbor. Ticket purchase through the Portland Symphony: https://porttix.com/whats-on/pso-chamber-series-strings/

Gingerbread Spectacular baker/designer/architect Rimar Reed’s entries have long been part of the much anticipated event held at the Opera House. For this year’s 19th show she decided to challenge herself by creating an interactive game gingerbread, Candy Drop. To her delight and surprise, judges Alyssa Allen, Wendy Bellows, Margaret Branch and Pandy Dickinson selected it for the Best Holiday Spirit award.

In corroboration with the weekly crowds of No Kings protesters on the Damariscotta-Newcastle bridge, Jean Kigel presents "Displacement: Immigrant Portraits" at Skidompha Library during January. A year ago, Kigel began painting faces of immigrants as ICE ramped up deportations. She has researched current immigration facts, which accompany each portrait. 

Twenty-seven bakers were inspired to enter this year’s Gingerbread Spectacular held at the Opera House for 19 years now. Their designs always charm, amaze and delight us all leaving us to wonder how did they do that? What went on in those kitchens?

Well, that’s exactly what I asked Eni DeLisle and Hilary Allen who constructed the fabulous Harbor Theater in gingerbread, including an audience of wee gingers watching “White Christmas!” Recently, we met at the theater to look back at their experience – and their were some surprises.

River Arts is pleased to announce an exciting opportunity for artists to kick off the New Year by participating in an upcoming “Members’ Show.” All current and new members are invited to submit one piece for this non-juried exhibition. The deadline for entries is Saturday, Jan. 10 at 4 p.m. 

Take Two is a series from reporters (and movie buffs) Fritz Freudenberger and Isabelle Curtis to review entertainment options in the region. This Christmas season, our pick is the 2005 foreign language film, “Joyeux Noël,” written and directed by Christian Carion, starring Benno Fürmann, Guillaume Canet and Daniel Brühl. It is available on Netflix under the title “Merry Christmas.” 

The film industry is an equation. There's the director with a vision, the crew who make it come to life, and the audience members who hang on the edge of their seats, but there's an often overlooked variable: the regional cinemas that disperse that movie magic to the masses. 

Although existing in some form at the Meadow Mall since the 1980s, the Harbor Theater, as it's known today, gained non-profit status in 2017 and continues to show new releases, indies, documentaries and fan favorites with the help of its 14 part-time employees.    

While the pandemic temporarily put a halt to activities for residents across Maine, in some cases it opened new doors. Musician and carpenter Scott Elliot turned his time without music gigs and other work into a time to explore painting and ever since has spent hours every day in his studio creating and selling much talked about works of art. The Opera House in Boothbay Harbor welcomes an exhibit of his most recent paintings this January.

The Lincoln County Community Theater is ringing in the season with a lively and heartfelt holiday production the whole family can enjoy. Opening Dec. 19, LCCT presents "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever," Barbara Robinson’s beloved comedy about a small-town church pageant turned delightfully upside down. Performances will take place at Lincoln Theater on Friday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 20 at 7 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 21 at 2 p.m.

Lovers of the annual Gingerbread Spectacular at the Opera House here in Boothbay Harbor saw 27 imaginative, gingery structures this past weekend. Among them was the Burnt Island Lighthouse with two  deer in the scene. In case you didn't read the accompanying story next to the entry, read on.

The Waldo Theatre is presenting works by Friendship artist Pam Cabañas, in the Bill and Joan Alfond Gallery, through Feb. 22.

“Friendship Inspired” is a collection of  works by this well respected Maine artist born of her life in the fishing village of Friendship, Maine.  Works range from large format paintings in acrylic and charcoal to small sgraffito on porcelain works emblematic of coastal Maine. 

Stonehenge. I feel as though I’ve always known about Stonehenge; there isn’t one singular moment in my time I can recall; of course there a great many years to sift through! But seriously, I believe my knowing of Stonehenge is a soul memory. And for decades, and I mean decades, my soul longed to return there. The people I have friended on Facebook have been viewing my posts of Stonehenge photos taken by a variety of photographers across The Pond. Some might say I have been obsessed – and they would be right.

Following a successful inaugural year that resonated with the local creative community, the Boothbay Region Art Foundation (BRAF) is pleased to announce the return of its themed, non-juried exhibition: “Wintering.”

Now in its second year, this exhibit invites artists to explore the multifaceted nature of the season. BRAF seeks unique interpretations of the winter experience—showcasing the quiet beauty, the stark wonder, and the distinct challenges of the colder months.

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"