July
EventsWESTERN FARE
Hang On
It's a sure sign that bull-riding has gone mainstream when a New York investment firm decides to get involved. Never fear, though: the money guys will fade into the background when you get a glimpse of the bucking bulls and the cowboys who ride them. See it all when the Professional Bull Riders - who are owned by a private equity firm - take over the grandstand at the Bangor State Fair. July 28 at 7 p.m. and July 29 at 4 p.m. $19.50-$37.50. Bangor State Fairgrounds. 207-990-4444. www.basspark.com
SPECTATOR SPORTS
Speed Boats
People compete to eat hot dogs, to climb mountains, to stand on one leg. So why not see who can build a boat the fastest? That's the concept behind the National BoatBuilding Challenge, which invites housing contractors, plumbing inspectors, professional wooden boat builders, and general layabouts - their words, not ours - to build a Monhegan skiff. The boats are then graded on time of build, quality of workmanship, and speed on the water against each other. Don't have the skills to participate? Show up to cheer on the pros (and serious amateurs) at the Belfast waterfront, starting at 9 a.m. July 28. Free. 207-338-3808. www.nationalboatbuilding.com
OUTDOORS
Otter My Way
Did you know that otter young are called kits, and that a group of otters is a romp? Or that July is a great time to catch a glimpse of the furry mammals? If not, considering signing on to York Land Trust's Otter Trek. The group's stewardship coordinator, Don Leuchs, will take up to twenty participants and their kayaks up the York River, with a stop at the Smelt Brook Conservation Area to search for otter slides along the riverbank and otter rolls in the grass. July 15 at 11:30 a.m. Free. 207-363-7400. www.yorklandtrust.org
Before making plans to attend any of these events, call ahead to confirm, since dates and times may be subject to change. To submit event listings to Down East, send an e-mail to editorial@downeast.com.
MUSIC AND DANCE
Alive at 5 Concert Series
As good for people-watching as they are for toe-tapping, the Alive at 5 Concerts attract office workers, hipsters, young families, and random passersby to Portland's Monument Square on Thursday evenings. July 12: Carbon Leaf (rootsy, Celtic-influenced rock). July 19: the Cat Empire (eclectic Australian band with influences ranging from jazz to ska to funk). July 26: Erin McKeown (folksy pop). All shows at 5 p.m. Free. www.989wclz.com
Bar Harbor Music Festival
Everything from classical to jazz in Bar Harbor, with the opening night sounds of Brass Venture. Various locations. June 30 - July 29. $15-$75. 212-222-1026. www.barharbormusicfestival.org
Bates Dance Festival
The Bates Dance Festival brings together an international community of choreographers, performers, educators, and students in a cooperative community to study, perform, and create new work. July 14 - Aug. 11. $12-$18. Bates College, 163 Wood St., Lewiston. 207-786-6381. www.bates.edu
Bay Chamber Concerts' Summer Music Festival
Award-winning international artists performing on Wednesday nights at the Strand Theatre in Rockland and on Thursday nights in the historic Rockport Opera House. The festival opens July 3 with Young Stars of Maine, representing the best and brightest young musicians from across the state. Rockport Opera House, 6 Central St. 207-236-2823 or 888-707-2770. www.baychamberconcerts.org
Blue Hill Pops
The seventeenth annual festival of "Sounds Around Blue Hill," presented by the Bagaduce Music Lending Library. July 3 at 7:30 p.m. $10-$500. George Stevens Academy gymnasium, Union St., Blue Hill. 207-374-5454.
Bowdoin International Music Festival
The Friday evening MusicFest series features the Aeolian Chamber Players, distinguished guest artists, and members of the festival faculty in performances held each week during the festival at 8 p.m. The Wednesday evening Upbeat!, at 7:30 p.m., is a faculty concert series that presents a mixture of contemporary and traditional works in a casual setting. Crooker Theatre at Brunswick High School, 116 Maquoit Rd. Through Aug. 4. $5-$30. 207-373-1400. www.bowdoinfestival.org
The County Bluegrass Festival
Aroostook County turns Kentucky with Blistered Fingers, Lonesome River Band, White Mountain Bluegrass, Borderline Bluegrass, and many more acts. July 27 - 29. $10-$40. West Limestone Rd., Fort Fairfield. 207-472-3802. www.countybluegrass.com
Kneisel Hall Festival Concerts
On Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons, classical music students and faculty from some of the finest musical institutions in the world delight Blue Hill audiences with Kneisel Hall's summertime concert series. June 24 - Aug. 26, Friday nights at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m. $20-$30. 207-374-2203. www.kneisel.org
L.L. Bean Summer Concert Series
Arrive early to grab a patch of grass for Bean's increasingly popular concert series. July 4: Robert Cray (contemporary blues). July 6: Rick Charette (children's music). July 7: Paula Cole (pop/rock). July 21: Portland Symphony Orchestra. July 28: Alisdair Fraser & Natalie Haas (Scottish fiddler). All shows at 7:30 p.m. Free. L.L. Bean Discovery Park, Main St., Freeport. 800-559-0747, ext. 37222.
Maine Celtic Celebration
Wales, Ireland, Brittany - and Belfast. Expect live Celtic music, storytelling, and dancing, as well as sporting events with Highland Games, a rugby scrum, golf tournament, and 5K road race. Mostly free, but a small entry fee charged for a few events. July 19 - 22. 207-338-4377. www.mainecelticcelebration.com
North Atlantic Blues Festival
Bernard Allison, Walter Trout, Lucky Peterson, and Smokin' Joe Kubec with Bnois King play the blues [see page B1]. July 14 & 15. $25-$60. Harbor Park, Rockland. 207-593-1189. North Atlantic Blues Festival
Stone Mountain Arts Center
One of Maine's newest venues, the two hundred-seat Stone Mountain is songwriter Carol Noonan's haven for roots and Americana artists in the foothills of the White Mountains. July 8: Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys (bluegrass). $45. July 13: Lucy Kaplansky (pop-folk). $20. July 20: Leon Redbone (rock-blues). $30. July 21: the Mammals (Appalachian-inspired rock). $20. 695 Dug Way Rd., Brownfield. 866-227-6523. www.carolnoonanmusic.com
Summer in the Parks Concerts
Portland Parks & Recreation and local businesses sponsor these free outdoor concerts held at Deering Oaks Park bandstand on Tuesday nights and Western Prom Park on Wednesdays. Tuesday night performers include July 10 at 7:30 p.m.: the Leftovers (punk); July 17 at 7:15 p.m.: Jerks of Grass (bluegrass); July 24 at 7:15 p.m.: zing! (jazz chorus); July 31 at 7 p.m.: Elizabeth Ross Band (contemporary folk). Wednesday night concerts include July 11 at 8 p.m.: Subject Bias (contemporary folk); July 18 at 7:45 p.m.: Will Gattis Trio (contemporary folk); July 25 at 7:45 p.m.: Lisa Bastoni (Americana). There's also Nostalgia Night at Fort Allen Park on the Eastern Prom, with the Chandler's Band, organized in 1833, and the second oldest continuing community band in the nation, on July 12 & 19 at 7:30 p.m., and July 26 at 7:15 p.m. 207-756-8275.
THEATER
All Shook Up!
The story of a square little town in the middle of a square state in the middle of a square decade where a lonely young girl dreams of hitting the open road and into her life rides a guitar-playin' roustabout who changes everything. July 5 - 14. $20-$25. Lakewood Theater, 76 Theater Rd., Skowhegan. 207-474-7176. www.lakewoodtheater.org
Crazy for You
This Gershwin extravaganza is an artfully constructed tale of boy meets girl in the Wild West, where they spread goodness and ultimately fall in love. July 24 - Aug. 4. $39-$43. The Ogunquit Playhouse, 10 Main St. 207-646-5511. www.ogunquitplayhouse.org
Grand Hotel
1928 Berlin. At the Grand Hotel the guests and staff are suffering from an excess of hope and optimism as the stock market booms and the city's decadent high life is in full swing. July 18 - Aug. 4. $27-$49. The Maine State Music Theatre, 22 Elm St., Brunswick. 207-725-8769. www.msmt.org
La Cage aux Folles
This musical comedy of errors won four Tony Awards in 2005. Renato and Albin, a gay couple, attempt to impersonate a straight married couple when their son announces he's going to marry the daughter of a bigoted right-wing politician. July 3 - 21. $39-$43. Ogunquit Playhouse, 10 Main St. 207-646-5511. www.ogunquitplayhouse.org
The Christmas Spirit
Julia Dowling has an unexpected visitor who intends to escort her off to the afterlife. July 19 - 28. $19-$25. Lakewood Theater, 76 Theater Rd., Skowhegan. 207-474-7176. www.lakewoodtheater.org
Thoroughly Modern Millie
Millie Dillmount leaves Kansas to become a flapper in New York with big hopes of marrying her wealthy boss - whoever he may be. Through July 14. $27-$49. The Maine State Music Theatre, 22 Elm St., Brunswick. 207-725-8769. www.msmt.org
ART MUSEUMS
Bates Museum of Art
Green Horizons. The cornerstone of this exhibition is Manifest Destiny, a large mural by Alexis Rockman and commissioned by the Brooklyn Museum of Art. The painting depicts the artist's apocalyptic vision of global warming's impact on the city. Through December. Free. 75 Russell St., Lewiston. 207-786-6158. www.bates.edu
Center for Maine Contemporary Art
Alan Magee: From the Underground River. Magee is best known for his meticulously executed renditions of stones, tools, envelopes, and paintbrushes. Much less known is a group of drawings, monotypes, collages, and sculptures of found objects expressing his concern for the ethical and spiritual well-being of our current society. Through July 21. u Altered Nature: Manipulated Photographs. A group exhibition of several photographs of natural environments that have been digitally altered. Artists include Marcie Jan Bronstein, Adam Bryant Chittenden, Jeremy Barnard, Jeffery Becton, John Paul Caponigro, Cyndi Prince, Claire Seidl, Scott Stoughton, and Alan Stubbs. Through July 21. u Joe Kievitt: Recent Drawings. Charcoal drawings and watercolor paintings on paper by the artist who won the 2001 Portland Museum of Art Biennial Purchase Prize. Through July 1. u Misuse. This small group show of approximately seven artists will look at how familiar, often domestic objects are made exotic, emblematic, or political. July 21 - Oct. 7. u Art Makes a Difference. Twenty-ninth annual CMCA benefit auction featuring works by more than a hundred contemporary Maine artists. July 27 - Aug. 4. $5. 162 Russell Ave., Rockport. 207-236-2875. www.artsmaine.org
Colby College Museum of Art
Bernard Langlais: Abstractions and Reliefs. While working in New York in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Maine-born Langlais (1921-1977) began to explore the medium of wood relief.Us ing found wood objects and scraps, Langlais developed a unique style of "painting with wood." This exhibition, co-organized with the Aucocisco Gallery, presents twenty-four of these evocative, early wood reliefs. Through July 2. Free. 5600 Mayflower Hill Dr., Waterville. 207-872-3228. www.colby.edu
Farnsworth Art Museum & Wyeth Center
Factory Work: Warhol, Wyeth, Basquiat. Factory Work examines the collaborative role Andy Warhol filled for two younger artists from opposite corners of the art world. Through Aug. 26. u The American Made Alphabet: Aerial Photographs by Margot Balboni. In this series of twenty-six large-scale color photographs, aerial photographer Balboni reveals the American landscape that lays "over the hedge" and "past the 'No Trespassing' " sign. Through Sept. 23. u The Constructed Landscape. This exhibition brings together work by five contemporary artists - Rackstraw Downes, Linden Frederick, Yvonne Jacquette, John Moore, and Dennis Pinette - who portray in their paintings the constructed, rather than the natural landscape. Through Oct. 7. u Andrew Wyeth at Ninety. In celebration of Andrew Wyeth's ninetieth birthday, the Farnsworth will present an exhibition of some of his best-known Maine works. Through Oct. 28. u Bo Bartlett: Still Point. Working in Seattle and on Matinicus and Wheaton Islands, Bartlett draws upon such richly diverse artistic sources as Renaissance fresco painting. Through Oct. 14. $8-$10. 16 Museum St., Rockland. 207-596-6457. www.farnsworthmuseum.org
Ogunquit Museum of American Art
Mainescapes: Paintings by Jamie Wyeth. Wyeth's first recognition came as a result of his exceptional portraiture works, including a celebrated posthumous portrait of President John F. Kennedy. Today, he is also as renowned for his portraits of the animals (such as pigs, chickens, dogs, cattle, rams, and seagulls) and the individuals who inhabit the rural Pennsylvania and Maine environments where he divides his time. July 1 - Aug 21. u Jacob Lawrence: Prints 1963-2000. Lawrence (1917-2000) spent his childhood in various locations until moving with his family to New York City in 1930. In 1940, he began work on what would become one of his most famous creations, a series of sixty paintings on "the great Negro migration during the World War." July 1 - Aug 21. u Connie Hayes: Pastels and Oils from France. In May 2006, Rockland painter Hayes traveled to the small French township of Courtonne-la-Meurdrac. For several weeks, during walks in the countryside, trips to local markets, and visits to nearby villages and towns, Hayes spent her time drawing and using pastels to make sketches for the landscape paintings that would be completed upon her return to Rockland. July 1 - Aug 21. $4-$7. 543 Shore Rd., Ogunquit. 207-646-4909. www.ogunquitmuseum.org
Portland Museum of Art
Vividly True to Nature: Harrison Bird Brown, 1831-1915. This exhibition features approximately forty paintings and a smaller group of works on paper by the late-nineteenth-century landscape painter Harrison Bird Brown. From the Atlantic to the Mediterranean and the White Mountains to the Alps, Brown's views both capture and communicate an abiding love for nature along with a fascination for humankind's place within it. Through Sept. 9. u Frank Lloyd Wright and the House Beautiful. This exhibition focuses on Wright's legendary skill in creating harmony between architectural structure and interior design while fulfilling the needs of a modern lifestyle. Featuring approximately one hundred original objects, the exhibition includes furniture, metalwork, textiles, drawings, and accessories from the collections of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation and other public and private collections. Through Oct. 8. $4-$10, and free Fridays 5 p.m. - 9 p.m. 7 Congress Square, Portland. 207-775-6148. www.portlandmuseum.org
The University of Maine Museum of Art
Millions Taken: Daily Photographs from Everyone and Everywhere. This exhibition explores the idea that photographs are an integral part of daily life and that we all have a hand in creating and collecting them. Displayed floor to ceiling in the museum will be photographs from all over the globe, submitted by the public. July 13 - Oct. 6. $3. Norumbega Hall, 40 Harlow St., Bangor. 207-561-3350. www.umma.umaine.edu
University of New England Art Museum
On Island: Women Artists of Monhegan. Works by thirty-five women who capture the essence of Monhegan and its role in the history of American art. Ranging in age from young to old, these artists cover the most recent fifty years on an island that has attracted its fair share of artists since 1850. July 26 - Sept. 23. Free. 716 Stevens Ave., Portland. 207-221-4499.
OTHER MUSEUMS
Owls Head Transportation Museum
Fabulous '50s, '60s, and '70s, and Antique Aeroplane Show. Features more than four hundred classic autos from the industry's most stylish decades. July 7 & 8. u Trucks, Tractors, Engines, and Antique Aeroplane show. More than 250 antique pickups, delivery vans, tractor trailers, and more behemoths of motoring. July 21 & 22. u New England All-Corvette Meet and Aerobatics Show. Corvettes of all years plus a world-class, high-performance aerobatic and antique aeroplane show. July 28 & 29. $6-$8. Route 73, Owls Head. 207-594-4418. www.ohtm.org
Penobscot Marine Museum
Through the Photographer's Lens: Penobscot Bay and Beyond. A celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the publication of Benjamin Mendlowitz's Calendar of Wooden Boats and a look at the work of noted photographers, past and present, whose work has captured the light and shadows of Penobscot Bay and beyond. Through Oct. 21. Church St., Searsport. $3-$8. 207-548-2529. www.penobscotmarinemuseum.org
FAIRS AND FESTIVALS
For a complete list of Maine agricultural fairs, visit www.getrealmaine.com
Acadian Festival
Head to the heart of the St. John River Valley for this fair celebrating the proud culture of Maine's own Cajuns. Through July 1. Free. Madawaska. 207-728-6250. www.acadianfestival.com
Bangor State Fair
An old-fashioned summer fair with spectacular entertainment, livestock, and sinful food. July 27 - Aug. 5. $3-$6. 100 Dutton St., Bangor. 207-947-5555. www.bangorstatefair.com
Bucksport Bay Festival
This family-oriented event offers a 5K fun run, canoe and kayak race, parade, all-day concerts, kids' center, teen talent night, Bucksport Community Theater and Riverbend Player productions, food, craft and artisan booths, an antique and classic car show, a pie bake-off, floral décor contest, and tours of a navy frigate. July 27 & 28. Free. 207-469-6818. www.bucksportbaychamber.com
Festival of Nations
In its fifth year, this festival promotes the understanding and appreciation of all cultures and features with nearly sixty booths showcasing ethnic food, crafts, and performances. July 28. Free. Deering Oaks Park, Portland. 207-761-9464. www.wini.us
Full Circle Fair
Sponsored by community radio station WERU, this alternative fair features open drum jams and workshops, contra dancing, artists, crafters, and a wide variety of foods and nonprofit exhibitors. July 28 & 29. $10-$15. Blue Hill Fairgrounds, Route 172. 207-469-6600. www.weru.org
Maine International Film Festival
Cannes, Sundance - and Waterville. Movie buffs descend on the Railroad Square Cinema to watch more than eighty films from around the world, representing the best of independent American and international cinema. July 13 - 22. $8-$10. 177 Main St., Waterville. 207-861-8138. www.miff.org
Maine Potato Blossom Festival
Aroostook County celebrates the spud with a parade, music, fireworks, and lots of starchy eats. July 18 - 22. Free. Fort Fairfield. 207-472-3802. www.potatoblossom.org
Moxie Festival
A festival in honor of Maine's official - and, you've got to admit, odd-tasting - soft drink. July 13 - 15. Free. Lisbon Falls. www.moxiefestival.com
Western Maine Gem, Mineral, and Jewelry Festival
You don't have to be a rapper to get into bling-bling. This show features a wide variety of jewelry and gems from dealers from Maine and across the United States. July 14, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., and July 15, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. $0.50-$2. Telstar Regional High School, 284 Walkers Mills Rd., Bethel. 207-743-8729.
Yarmouth Clam Festival
This celebration of the delectable mollusk includes a parade, amusement rides, entertainment, games, craft booths, and, of course, lots of clams - steamed, fried, and chowdered. July 20 - 22. Free. 207-846-3984. www.clamfestival.com
SPECIAL EVENTS
A Fourth to Remember
An afternoon and evening of free music, family gatherings, food at pre-World War II prices, contests and games for children, and a fireworks gala to cap the celebrations. July 4, 3 - 10 p.m. Town park and town landing, Blue Hill. 207-374-2069.
Bar Harbor Antiques Show and Sale
This show has been held since 1932 (making it quite venerable itself) and features dealers who like order to their presentation, thus the handsome, room-like settings. July 31 & Aug. 1. Early buying Tuesday 5 - 8 p.m., admission $15, Wednesday 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., admission $6. Holiday Inn, Ellsworth, 215 High St. 207-563-1013. www.pauldavisshows.com
Boothbay Harbor Antiques Show
Thirty-three exhibitors from several states offer jewelry, Oriental rugs, furniture, books, prints, paintings, pattern glass, china, and silver - all at the Boothbay Harbor YMCA. July 28 & 29. Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. $5. Rte. 27, Boothbay Harbor. 207-284-8657.
Camden-Rockport Historical Society Antiques Show
This summer event is sponsored by the Camden-Rockport Historical Society and is the premier show for eighteenth and nineteenth century furniture, Americana, glass, china, and accessories. July 21 & 22. Saturday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. $6. Camden Hills Regional High School, Rte 90, Rockport. 207-284-8657.
Cyr Auctions
Cyr holds auctions virtually every Wednesday night all through the summer. Its July 11 Americana Auction, beginning at 10 a.m., offers an interesting array of American antiques and cultch. Gray. 207-657-5253. www.cyrauction.com
The Downeast Antiques Fair
Perambulate this indoor and outdoor show and inspect wares brought by dealers from across New England and as far away as Texas and Florida. Hosted by the Katahdin Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America. July 7 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. $3. Early buyers can find a deal at 7 to 9 a.m. for a $15 fee. Blue Hill Fairgrounds. 207-866-2241.
Eastport's Old Home Week
The nation's easternmost mini-metropolis fetes the Fourth with contests, races, fireworks, and food. July 1 - 4. Free. 207-853-2930. www.eastport4th.com
Gallery on the Green
The Coastal Fine Arts Alliance of Maine's juried show features paintings and drawings by thirty-five artists in an outdoor gallery setting. July 28, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., and July 29, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Harbor House Green, 329 Main St., Southwest Harbor. 207-989-4655.
Lovell Antiques Show and Sale
This western Maine show is a gathering of twenty dealers offering a wide range of items on July 22 from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. $3. Early buyers get first picks from 7 to 8:30 a.m. $5. Kimball-Stanford House, Lovell. 207-925-2251.
Maine Antiques Paper Show
From throughout the Northeast, dealers of old maps, antiquarian books, trading cards, letters, and photographs bring their collectibles and treasures to Maine. July 1, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. $4. Holiday Inn West, 81 Riverside St., Portland. 207-828-8065.
Maine Bike Rally
With nearly thirty rides - both off-road and on-road; from ten miles to over a hundred - to choose from, cyclists from across the United States and Canada gather each summer for the Maine Bike Rally. July 6 - 8. Yarmouth. 207-623-4511. www.bikemaine.org
Maine Gardens: Nature and Design
This symposium explores the mingling of the natural and the carefully planned. Writers, artists, designers, and landscape architects debate the idea of an American paradise. July 12 - 14. Farnsworth Art Museum, 16 Museum St., Rockland. 781-259-9209.
Maine Lobster Ride & Roll
Hundred of bicyclists across the Northeast congregate for a show of pedals, speed, and Spandex shorts. The event features sixteen-, thirty-, fifty-, and hundred-mile rides along the midcoast. July 21. 207-623-4511. www.bikemaine.org
MuggleFest
Wizards and Muggles alike get to celebrate the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the final book in J.K. Rowling's series. Ride the Hogwarts Express (also known as the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad) to join your fellow Potter fans in a re-creation of Diagon Alley, the street where wizards meet (and shop!). And, of course, silly Muggles, pick up the new Potter book as the clock strikes midnight. July 20, 11 a.m. - 1 a.m. on July 21. $12. Portland Company Complex, 58 Fore St. 207-699-2755. www.mugglefest.org
Rockport Antiques & Art Show
The midcoast town next door to Camden hosts this show July 13 & 14, featuring more than fifty dealers. Friday 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. $6. Midcoast Recreation Center Ice Arena, Rte. 90, West Rockport. 207-563-1013. www.pauldavisshows.com
Union's Founders Day Weekend
Take a canoe trip on Seven-Tree Pond and enjoy a pie social and music on the Common on Friday. Then on Saturday tuck into a pancake breakfast followed by a flea market, cloggers, parade, Mason's chicken barbecue, free strawberry shortcake, and a benefit supper with music, silent movie, and country dance. July 20 - 22. Free, except for food. Located at Routes 17 and 235. 207-785-5444. www.midcoast.com
GARDEN TOURS
Brunswick Garden Tour
Tour eight exquisite gardens and support a good cause: all proceeds go to the Midcoast Hunger Prevention program. July 15, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. $12. 207-725-2716.
Camden Garden Club House and Garden Tour
This sixtieth annual tour of fine homes and fabulous gardens in the Camden-Rockport area is sponsored by the oldest garden club in the state. July 19, 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., rain or shine. $30. 207-236-7045.
Eartheart Gardens in Harpswell
Open garden invitation for a peek at Japanese irises as well as local artist Nancy Marstaller's paintings and cards for sale. July 8, 1 - 5 p.m. Free. South Harpswell. 207-833-6905. www.eartheartgardens.com
Gardens in the Watershed Tour
Sponsored by and to benefit the Georges River Land Trust, this self-guided tour will feature eight exceptional country gardens in Searsmont, Appleton, and Hope. A gourmet bag lunch is available by pre-order. July 15, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., rain or shine. $20-$22. 207-594-5166. www.grlt.org
Hidden Treasures of the Boothbay Peninsula House & Garden Tour
Visit seven fine homes and gardens in the Boothbay region with a special best-ever boutique at the Garden's visitor's center. Sponsored by Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. July 13, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. $20-$35. 207-633-4333.
The Maine Music Society's Garden Tour
This tour includes the most beautiful private gardens of Lewiston and Auburn. The event will also include artists in a garden, music, guest speakers, and raffle drawings. July 14. $10-$12. 207-782-1403. www.mainemusicsociety.org
Miles Memorial Hospital League House and Garden Tour
This tour features eight homes and gardens in Waldoboro. Sponsored by the Miles Memorial Hospital League. July 6, 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., rain or shine. $20-$25. 207-563-8791.
Munjoy Hill Hidden Garden Tour
Self-guided tours of hidden gardens and blooms in Portland. July 8, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. $15-$20. Tours begin at the Munjoy Hill Neighborhood Organization building, 92 Congress St. 207-541-3607.
Pittsfield Area Garden Tour
Eleven gardens and two homes open for the public in Burnham, West Pittsfield, and Pittsfield. Sponsored by the Pittsfield Garden Club and the trustees of the Pittsfield Library. July 14, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. $10-$12. 207-487-5670 or 207-487-5088.
Private Gardens of the Kennebunks
The thirteenth annual tour of eight classical, private gardens in Kennebunk to benefit the Child Abuse Prevention Council of York County. July 14, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. $15. 207-985-5975.
Southwest Harbor Public Library Open Garden Day
On the west side of Mount Desert Island, seven private gardens show off the blooms for the ninth biennial tour, A Festival of Flowers. July 22, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., rain or shine. $20-$25. Somesville and Southwest Harbor. 207-244-7065. www.swharbor.lib.me.us
Summer Garden Tour
Tour eight local gardens in Windham with refreshments and artisans. July 21, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. (rain date July 28). $15-$12. Tour starts at Windham Hill UCC Church, 140 Windham Center Rd. 207-892-4948.
Waldo County Hospital Aide Garden Tour
A self-guided walking tour that features seven gardens in Belfast. Sponsored by the Waldo County General Hospital. July 13 & 14, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. $12-$15. 207-338-3213.
