Last week, over 250 friends and supporters of Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences came together for an evening of discovery and inspiration. Through the Big Splash fundraiser, the institute raised over $800,000 in sponsorships and bids — far exceeding the original fundraising goal — all of which will go to support the institute’s “bold science for our blue planet.”

Midcoast Conservancy is pleased to announce it will be hosting the State of the Lake on Thursday, Aug. 20, 4-6 p.m., at the Jewell Lodge at Wavus Camp in Jefferson. 

The community is invited to Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District’s annual Banquet and Conservation Awards Celebration on Thursday, Aug. 13 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Our banquet will be held at Beaver Lodge in Hope with dinner by Megunticook Market from Camden, and homemade pies from D-Zerts by Daphne from Westport Island.

Come join us at the Southport Memorial Library located at 1032 Hendricks Hill Road in Southport Wednesday, July 29 from 10 to 11 a.m. as we explore Tails and Scales with Chewonki.

It’s been 26 years since photographer Robert Mitchell selected a dozen favorite photos and created his first Around Boothbay Harbor calendar, and now the 2027 edition is here. While this is an eminently practical wall calendar with plenty of room to keep track of dates and appointments, the pleasure comes from turning the pages and living each month with a stunning photo of our much-loved region.

The Maine Lobstermen’s Association (MLA), in partnership with the Maine Lobster Community Alliance (MLCA), today launched the Billion Egg Challenge, a statewide team competition among Maine lobstermen to protect one billion lobster eggs through the industry’s longstanding V-notching conservation practice.

Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences is opening its doors next month to the public for its annual open house. Visitors are welcome from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, July 10 at the Bigelow Laboratory campus along the Damariscotta River in East Boothbay.

Visitors to the Farmers’ Market on June 11 would have had heard the happy sounds of music made by the Newagen Crew, Tim Hanley, Skip Simonds, Gerry Gamage and Tom Churchill singing and playing guitar, harmonica and keyboard to raise money for Boothbay Region Food Pantry. They were joined by Presley Crommett on the violin. Altogether they raised $70 for the pantry and show us one more way that we can support our neighbors. They will be performing again on July 9 and Aug. 20.

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.

Pier 1 Pizza & Pub bartender Winter Page is hosting her third annual birthday fundraiser to benefit Underhound Railroad Rescue, a nonprofit rescuing dogs from overcrowded shelters and who are at risk of being euthanized. The organization serves communities from Maine to the Carolinas.  

Imagine if you can, a 118-foot, 12,000-pound tree lying on the ground with all sorts of branches dangling from the top one third of its length. Now, visualize lifting that tree from the ground, by its top, to a totally airborne vertical position. Then take that tree another 50 feet into the air so it can be aligned perfectly to fit in a hole just under two feet in diameter. It's an almost incomprehensible process. Then, once that tree is in place, do it all over again with another tree!