They started at 11 a.m. but by 11:30 on Tuesday, June 9, dozens of blue and gold balloons had already been tied up, strung together and hung up in Porter Memorial Gymnasium. "They" were members of the BRHS Class of 2026, alumni, parents and other volunteers who were decorating the gym for the 2026 graduation ceremonies which get underway Wednesday, June 10 with Awards Night at 6 p.m., followed by the Grand March and Alumni Ball on Thursday at 7 p.m., and concluding Friday with Class Day at 8 a.m. and Graduation at 2 p.m.

Enjoy the display strung from the gym ceiling this week!

The Boothbay Harbor Yacht Club is hosting its second annual Marine Swap (Flea Market) on Sunday, June 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in the parking lot. Tables can be provided or bring your own. Clear out your gear, find hidden gems, and make some cash! We expect lots of cool gear! There’s no fee to participate, and you keep 100% of what you sell. You must man your table or space, no dropping off items.

Boothbay Region High School and George Washington University graduate Faith Blethen of Boothbay has joined the GWU Boards of Trustees. Blethen, B.S. '23, M.Acc. '24, and Luisa Borges, joined the board June 1.

“Hello Boothbay, I am overjoyed to be working at Shear Artistry. I have been doing hair for two years professionally. Ever since I moved to the US from Jamaica, I have had no one to take care of my hair aside from braiding it. I never realized I had a passion for styling hair until the opportunity fell into my lap.”

She was surprised by how passionate she was about doing hair when the opportunity to go to Bath Vocational Tech just fell into her lap.

The next Wiscasset edition of Ocean on Tap will take place on Thursday, May 14, 6 p.m. at Ækeir Brewing, 111 Main St. Wiscasset. Join Brigid Carr, a research associate at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, for a conversation about oil spills, plastic pollution and harmful algal blooms (a.k.a. what does a marine chemist do anyway?).

The next Boothbay Harbor edition of Ocean on Tap will take place on Thursday, May 21, 6 p.m. at Footbridge Brewery at 25 Granary Way. Join Lobsterman Eben Wilson of the F/V Lettie Elise to hear about his experience lobstering on Midcoast Maine for (nearly) 40 years and learn about how the industry has evolved and what it takes to make a living on the ocean today.

Join Boothbay Region Land Trust, in partnership with Boothbay Clean Drinking Water Initiative, Maine Forest Service, Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District, and Boothbay Region Water District, for a free, hands-on Live Staking Workshop at Oak Point Farm May 12 from 2 to 4 p.m. 

J. Edward Knight Insurance (JEK) is pleased to announce the acquisition of The David Chapman Insurance Agency, with an effective date of June 15, 2026.

Boothbay Harbor residents have many things they hope to see change in the town over the next decade. Following a public workshop to gather community feedback, members of VHB, Inc. presented initial findings April 30 to an advisory committee of elected town officials, business owners and residents as part of a year-long planning process to create a comprehensive plan.  

Weekly regular volunteers gathered Tuesday, April 14 at Brady’s for the Boothbay Harbor Community Lunch closing luncheon, marking the end of another successful season. Tancy ‘Momma T’ Mitchell welcomed the group and served a light lunch featuring Cheese Souffle, Avocado Salad, and a refreshing Limoncello dessert. Conversations centered on the number of lunches served each week, appreciation for the hosts, and plans for the 26/27 season.

After an extensive search and interviews with potential candidates, Geoff Smith has accepted the position of public works foreman for the Town of Boothbay Harbor. Effective May 11, 2026, Geoff will begin his new role, bringing both long-standing municipal experience and a background in construction management. 

The availability of homes for sale in Maine continues to be tight, though Realtors have reported positive trends happening in many counties. According to Maine Listings, the statewide figure for sales of single-family existing homes in Maine remained unchanged from last March, and the median sales price (MSP) of $375,000 stayed the same comparing March 2026 to 2025. The MSP indicates that half of the homes were sold for more and half sold for less.

The Boothbay Harbor lobster boat, J BUG, which sank at the town dock off Commercial Street on Wednesday, April 8, was recovered by friends of the boat owner, Steve Hodgdon, on Saturday, April 11, according to Boothbay Harbor Harbor Master Jeff Lowell.

Join scientists at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences for a behind-the-scenes tour of our campus in East Boothbay. Guided tours will run daily over school holidays, April 20-24, and will feature discussions about the science taking place in each wing and hands-on activities that are fun for the whole family!

When: Tours will run from 10:30 a.m. - Noon, daily April 20-24.

Boothbay Harbor Waterfront Preservation (BBHWP)’s East Side Park was the main topic April 8 for Boothbay Harbor’s planning board as members reviewed a motion to reconsider its request for a stormwater management plan from BBHWP.

BBHWP’s attorney, Anthony Muri, and the board, with questioning led by member Merritt Blakeslee, addressed each of the motion’s five arguments against the request: 

Boothbay Harbor Harbor Master Jeff Lowell got the call about a lobster boat sinking at the town dock off Commercial Street around 7 a.m. Wednesday, April 8.

When Lowell arrived at the dock, some local residents had already gathered and a plan was being made to right the situation to bring Steve Hodgdon’s boat out of the water.

April 1, around 30 residents filled the Boothbay Harbor Town Office to provide feedback on a Comprehensive Plan, which will help chart future town development. This first public workshop is part of a year-long planning process Boothbay Harbor has undertaken in partnership with Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (VHB) and a local advisory committee of elected town officials, business owners and residents.