The new documentary film “Love Flows” depicts passion for rivers and fish from people around the globe.

Once upon a time, massive fish migrations were observed every year around the globe. Civilizations and wildlife revolved around these natural wonders and depended on them for survival. For millennia, we have relied on rivers as a source of food, recreation and energy. Unfortunately, many of these natural, free-flowing rivers have deteriorated as generations pass. 'Love Flows' brings to life the challenges that voiceless rivers and fishes face against threats but more importantly, what we are doing to help improve the situation. It captures the growing passion of thousands of people from across the globe that join together to celebrate their love and work for rivers and fishes.

Join the Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder Restoration at the 12th annual Alewife Festival as we host Herman Wanningen, founder of World Fish Migration Day, and Joshua Royte, senior scientist for The Nature Conservancy in Maine (and film narrator), for a special screening of the film Love Flows. The showing will be held at George and Susan Mason’s big yellow church, located at 123 Borland Hill Road, at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 25. All are welcome to attend.

The film, an official selection of the DC Environmental Film Festival, directed by Francisco Campos-Lopez, highlights our evolved understanding of the impacts of dams and the people who are working to make positive differences for rivers through World Fish Migration Day. This is a one-day global celebration, coordinated by the World Fish Migration Foundation, where individuals and organizations from around the world coordinate their own event around the common theme of: Connecting Fish, Rivers and People. The Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder Restoration participated in the three events that have taken place so far — in 2014, 2016, and 2018 — and will continue our participation at the next event on May 16, 2020.

Wanningen notes that “Celebrations of migratory fish, like the Damariscotta Alewife Festival, allow people to see the beauty of rivers first-hand and understand the importance of reconnecting these rivers to allow for fish migration. These amazing stories and challenges need to be told to ensure that a balance between the use and protection of river ecosystems is achieved, from local to global.”

For further information about the film, visit worldfishmigrationday.com. 

For information about this special Love Flows screening event, contact Deb Wilson at deb.wilson1028@gmail.com or 207-380-6997.

The 12th annual Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder “Alewife” Festival on Saturday, May 25, from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., is filled with fun, laughter, adventures, live music and puppeteer, fish printing, face painting, educational exhibits, touch tank courtesy of the Darling Marine Center, the famous osprey game, breakfast sandwiches, hamburgers and hot dogs, crab and lobster rolls, goods and gear, a bake sale, a silent auction with a local artists flare and of course the historic fish ladder which features the star of the day alewives and the river from which they travel to the lake where they migrate to their historical spawning grounds to tantalize and intrigue the entire family.

And of course throughout the weekend, there will be alewife viewing up and down the beautifully restored fish ladder. For more information about the 2019 Alewife Festival contact David Brydges, Manager Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder Alewife Festival Planning Committee at db5d@math.ubc.ca or (207) 832-1792.

Stay in touch with this year’s festival and fish ladder happenings by going to and bookmarking https://damariscottamills.org/