Books/Authors

Sunday 3/5

Jefferson Navicky book launch: “Head of Island Beautification for the Rural Outlands,” 3-5 p.m., live music. Meetinghouse Arts, 40 Main St., Freeport. Free; registration encouraged. meetinghousearts.org

Wednesday 3/8

Alternative Writers’ Party: Featuring five debut authors of 2023, hosted by the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance. 7 p.m., Space Gallery, 538 Congress St., Portland. Free; register online or at door. space538.org

Ongoing

Blurb Club in Mechanics’ Hall: Noon, every other Thursday in Mechanics’ Hall, 519 Congress Street, Portland. Informal book discussions for adults and seniors. Hosted by Portland Public Library, Riverton Branch, 1600 Forest Ave. portlandlibrary.com

Books a la Carte: 2 p.m., third Tuesday of the month. Book and author discussions, no assigned reading. People Plus, 35 Union St., Brunswick. peopleplusmaine.org

Books and Brews: 6 p.m., first Wednesday of the month, Flight Deck Brewing, Brunswick Landing, 11 Atlantic Ave., Brunswick. curtislibrary.com/book-groups

Books on Tap: 4:30 p.m., third Monday of the month, Nonesuch River Brewing, 201 Gorham Road, Scarborough. Hosted by Scarborough Public Library. tcorbett@scarboroughlibrary.org, scarboroughlibrary.org

Casco Bay Writers’ Project at the Hall: 10 a.m. to noon, Thursdays. Registration preferred. COVID records required. Maine Charitable Mechanic Association, 519 Congress St., Portland. mechanicshallmaine.org

Civil War Book Club: 7 p.m., second Monday of the month, People Plus, 35 Union St., Brunswick. peopleplusmaine.org

Free E-Books: Free military history, African-American history and Latino history downloads at ebooksforstudents.org.

Great Books Discussion: 10 a.m. to noon, second Saturday, Topsham Public Library, 25 Foreside Road. emma@topshamlibrary.org, topshamlibrary.org

Guerilla Poetry Whoop: 6:30 p.m., second Thursday of the month via Zoom. Registration required. Hosted by Thomas Memorial Library in Cape Elizabeth. thomasmemoriallibrary.org

Just Desserts Mystery Group: 6:30-7:30 p.m., second Tuesday of the month, Curtis Memorial Library, 23 Pleasant St., Brunswick. curtislibrary.com/book-groups

Monday Afternoon Book Group: 1 p.m., first Monday of the month, hybrid on Zoom and at Curtis Memorial Library, 200 Maine St., Brunswick. curtislibrary.com/book-groups

Race and Equity Book Group: 6:30-8 p.m., second Wednesday of the month on Zoom. Registration required. Hosted by Prince Memorial Library. princememorial.org

South Portland Public Library Writers’ Group: 2-4 p.m., first and third Saturdays via Zoom. No experience necessary. Registration required. southportlandlibrary.com/writers-group

Thursday Afternoon Book Group: 3-4:30 p.m., last Thursday of the month. To register, email emanning@cumberlandmaine.com. Prince Memorial Library, Cumberland. princememorial.org

Write On Writers: 1 p.m., Wednesdays, People Plus, 35 Union St., Brunswick. peopleplusmaine.org

Bulletin Board

Sunday 3/5

“Fine Print” artist talk: Noon, Casco Bay Artisans, 68 Commercial St., Portland. cascobayartisans.com

Tuesday 3/7

Armchair Travel: Panama: 5 p.m., Freeport Community Library, 10 Library Drive, Freeport. freeportlibrary.com

Wednesday 3/8-Sunday 3/12

Carnaval ME: Food, music and activities. Noon to 8 p.m.; 6 p.m. Sunday. 25 Long Wharf, Portland. Buy tickets online. Kids 10 and under free. carnavalme.com

Ongoing

Adult Chess Drop-In: 3 p.m., Saturdays. Bring your own chess board if you have one. Prince Memorial Library, 266 Main St., Cumberland. princememorial.org

Bingo: 7 p.m., Mondays, Portland Maine Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6859, 687 Forest Ave., Portland. facebook.com/vfwportlandmaine

Bridge: 1 p.m., Mondays, People Plus, 35 Union St., Brunswick. peopleplusmaine.org

Cafe en Français French Conversation Club: 2:30 p.m., fourth Tuesday of the month, People Plus, 35 Union St., Brunswick. peopleplusmaine.org

CareerCenter Services: 1-5 p.m., every other Tuesday. Book an appointment at 883-4723, option 4, or email askSPL@scarboroughlibrary.org. scarboroughlibrary.org

Chess Club: 6 p.m., first Wednesday of the month, Curtis Library Chess Club. All ages; children under age 8 must be accompanied by adult. Curtis Memorial Library, 23 Pleasant St., Brunswick. curtislibrary.libcal.com

Citizens Climate Lobby Portland Chapter: 9-10:30 a.m., first Saturday of the month at Coffee by Design, 1 Diamond St., Portland. Email portlandme@citizensclimatelobby.org or visit citizensclimatelobbymaine.weebly.com.

Connected: 7 p.m., first Monday of the month, nondenominational social group for widowers, widows, divorced and singles 55 and over. St. Charles Borromeo Church Hall in Brunswick, 132 McKeen St. Guest speaker, light refreshments. 725-1266 or 725-8386, allsaintsmaine.com

Critical Home Repair program: Habitat for Humanity partners with low-income homeowners who require safety and structural repairs, including accessibility issues, unsafe roofing or flooring, lack of heat, and electrical or plumbing hazards. Cumberland County residents only. habitatportlandme.org/critical-home-repair

Down East Ship Model Guild: 1 p.m., second Thursday of every month, 200 Congress St., Bath. 751-2453, groups.io/g/DESMG

Freeport American Legion: 6:30 p.m., every second Thursday of the month, Freeport Masonic Lodge, 33 Mallot Drive. mainepost83@gmail.com

Hair Cuts with Margarita: 9 a.m., Fridays, People Plus, 35 Union St., Brunswick. $10, proceeds go to the center. Appointments required. peopleplusmaine.org

Live Tech Help: 1-3 p.m. Tuesdays, Topsham Public Library, 25 Foreside Road, Topsham. topshamlibrary.org

Loosen Up with Bea: 9 a.m., Mondays, People Plus, 35 Union St., Brunswick. peopleplusmaine.org

Loosen Up with Suzanne: 9 a.m., Fridays, People Plus, 35 Union St., Brunswick. peopleplusmaine.org

Mah-Jongg: 9 a.m., Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, People Plus, 35 Union St., Brunswick. peopleplusmaine.org

Maine Irish Heritage Trail: Self-guided historical Portland and South Portland tours, map at maineirishheritagetrail.org.

Portland ReStore: 659 Warren Ave. restoreportlandmaine.org

Scarborough 55-plus Games and Gather: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesdays and Fridays. Coffee, snacks, games and camaraderie. Free. No registration necessary. SCS Hub, 418 Payne Road, Scarborough. scarboroughmaine.org

Senior Bingo: Noon, Mondays, Scarborough Community Center Hub, 418 Payne Road, Scarborough, 55-plus, $2 at door, no registration necessary. scarboroughmaine.org

Sketcher Group: 10 a.m. to noon, always second Friday of the month; often fourth Friday. Scarborough Public Library, 48 Gorham Road, Scarborough. scarboroughlibrary.org

Stump Trivia: 6 p.m., Thursdays, Sea Dog Brewing Company, 725 Broadway, South Portland. sporcle.com/events

Topsham ReStore: 126 Main St., 504-9340.

Trivia Night: 6:30-8 p.m., Thursdays, Byrnes’ Irish Pub, 38 Centre St., Bath. 7 p.m., Wednesdays at 16 Station Ave., Brunswick. byrnesirishpub.com

Vigils for Peace and Justice: 5-5:30 p.m., Fridays, Brunswick Town Mall, Maine Street at Park Row. peaceworksbrunswickme.org

Crafting

Ongoing

A Common Yarn: 1-3 p.m., Thursdays, 5 Lunt Road, Falmouth Memorial Library. A textile craftsmanship group. Email lnorman@falmouthmemoriallibrary.org to join. falmouthmemoriallibrary.org

Calico Quilters: 7 p.m., first and third Mondays, North Yarmouth Congregational Church, Route 115, 7-9 p.m. Contact lclark@bates.edu. nyccucc.com

Craft Meetup: 4:30-6 p.m., Mondays, Curtis Memorial Library, 23 Pleasant St., Brunswick. curtislibrary.libcal.com

Fiber Arts Club: 10 a.m., Mondays, People Plus, 35 Union St., Brunswick. peopleplusmaine.org

Library Knitting Group: 10 a.m. to noon, Saturdays, hybrid on Zoom and in-person at Scarborough Public Library. Email ljnorvell@scarboroughlibrary.org or call 883-4723, option 5. scarboroughlibrary.org

Dining

Ongoing

Brunswick Meals on Wheels: Call Casey Henson at 729-0757 or visit People Plus, 35 Union St., Brunswick. peopleplusmaine.org

Freeport Community Services Food Pantry: In-person shopping Mondays 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesdays 9:30-11:30 a.m., Wednesdays 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. 55 Depot St., Freeport. fcsmaine.org

Mid Coast Hunger Prevention Program: 12 Tenney Way, Brunswick, 725-2716. mchpp.org

Scarborough 55+ Program Senior Lunch: 11 a.m., Wednesdays, SCS Hub, 418 Payne Road, Scarborough. scarboroughmaine.org

Souper Supper at St. Mary’s: 5-7 p.m., second and fourth Fridays, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 43 Foreside Road, Falmouth. Free meals. smary.org/souper-supper

The Sharing Table: Food For All: 11:30 a.m., Tuesdays, Curtis Memorial Library, 23 Pleasant St., Brunswick. curtislibrary.libcal.com

Wayside Meal Program: 5:30-6:30 p.m., Thursdays, Deering Center Community Church, 4 Brentwood St., Portland. To volunteer or learn more, call 773-2423. deeringcentercommunitychurch.org

Health

Ongoing

Dempsey Center: Health and wellness workshops such as yoga, acupressure, massage and meditation. dempseycenter.org

Free Age-Friendly Yoga Class: 9:30 a.m., Mondays, Freeport Community Services, 53 Depot St., Freeport. fcsmaine.org

Gentle Chair Yoga for Seniors: 1 p.m., Thursdays, Freeport Community Services, open to all. fcsmaine.org

Living Well with Chronic Pain: Group workshop by Healthy Living for Me. Registration required. Contact 800-620-6036, info@healthylivingforme.org or healthylivingforme.org.

Medicare 101 with Spectrum Generations: 12:30-2 p.m., second Tuesday of every month, People Plus, 35 Union St., Brunswick. peopleplusmaine.org

YMCA: Free online workout videos at ymcaofsouthernmaine.org/videos and ymca360.org.

Kids

Through 3/5

“Jack and Phil, Slayers of Giants INC.”: Shadow puppet show, 3 p.m., Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine, 250 Thompsons Point Road, Portland. Pay-what-you-can or $15. kitetails.org

Tuesday 3/7

Rollercoasters and robots 6-week workshop: Ages 5-7, 3:45 p.m. Tuesdays from March 3 to April 11, Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine, 250 Thompsons Point Road, Portland. kitetails.org

Wednesday 3/8

“Mighty Women Makers,” featured artist Bisa Butler: Fabric collages like quilting, 12:30 p.m., Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine, 250 Thompsons Point Road, Portland. kitetails.org

Ongoing

Children’s story time: 10:30 a.m., Saturdays, during the school year, Chebeague Island Library, 247 South Road. cheblib.wixsite.com/chebeaguelibrary

Dangerous Thinking Club: 5-6 p.m., third Thursday of the month, Merrill Memorial Library, 215 Main St., Yarmouth. For teens who like to think, read and discuss. Email joconnor@yarmouthlibrary.org for more information or visit yarmouthlibrary.org to register.

Music Fun with Miss Teresa: 10:30 a.m., Fridays, Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick. curtislibrary.libcal.com

OUT Maine free youth programs: Free youth LGBTQ+ programs, registration required at outmaine.org/programs/youth.

Paws and Read with Therapy Dogs: 3:30-4:30 p.m., Mondays, Freeport Community Library, 10 Library Drive. All ages. Call 865-3307 to sign up for a 15-minute session or go to freeportlibrary.com.

Portland Stage Play Me a Story Education Program: 10:30 a.m., Saturdays, Portland Stage, 25A Forest Ave, Portland. $15 for a month, or specific date options. Professional performances and workshops for ages 4-10. portlandstage.org

Story Time for Children: 10:30 a.m., Tuesdays, Downtown Library, 5 Monument Square, Portland. portlandlibrary.com

Story Time With Miss Robyn: 10:30-11:15 a.m., Wednesdays, Curtis Memorial Library, 23 Pleasant St., Brunswick. curtislibrary.libcal.com

Storytime with Taylor: 10:15 and 10:45 a.m., Mondays and Thursdays, Freeport Community Library, 10 Library Drive, Freeport. freeportmaine.libcal.com

Teen Video Games: 2-5 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays, open to teens at the downtown Portland Library, Riverton Branch, 1600 Forest Ave. portlandlibrary.com

Toddler Storytime: 10:15 a.m., Thursdays, Merrill Memorial Library, 215 Main St., Yarmouth. yarmouthlibrary.org

Libraries

Ongoing

Chebeague Island Library: open Mondays 4-8 p.m.; Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Thursdays 10 a.m. to noon. Closed Sundays. cheblib.wixsite.com/chebeaguelibrary

Cundy’s Harbor Library: open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, 935 Cundy’s Harbor Road, Harpswell. cundysharbor.me

Curtis Memorial Library: open every day. 23 Pleasant St., Brunswick. Curbside available Monday through Friday. curtislibrary.com

Falmouth Memorial Library: 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday; 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday. 5 Lunt Road. Masks required. falmouthmemoriallibrary.org

Freeport Community Library: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and Thursday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. FCL To Go 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday. freeportlibrary.com

Merrill Memorial Library: open Monday through Saturday; curbside pickup available. Free access for Yarmouth residents to the virtual library TumbleBooks at yarmouthlibrary.org. Digital Maine Library and cloudLibrary also available.

Patten Free Library in Bath: Monday through Saturday, 33 Summer St., Bath. Curbside pickup still available, call 443-5141 or go online. Access to cloudLibrary, the New York Times, TumbleBooks and more. patten.lib.me.us. Homebound Delivery Service to cardholders in Arrowsic, Bath, Georgetown, West Bath and Woolwich. 443-5141 ext. 23. patten.lib.me.us/new-homebound-delivery-service

Prince Memorial Library in Cumberland: Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 266 Main Street, Cumberland. CloudLibrary is accessible to check out eBooks. princememorial.org/cloudlibraryinstructions

Scarborough Public Library: Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. 48 Gorham Road, Scarborough. Digital services available. scarboroughlibrary.org

South Portland Public Library: Main Library open Monday through Saturday, branch open Tuesday through Friday, and Sunday. For more information, call 767-7660 or visit southportlandlibrary.com.

Thomas Memorial Library, Cape Elizabeth: open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays; open to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 6 Scott Dyer Road, Cape Elizabeth. thomasmemoriallibrary.org

Topsham Public Library: open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; open to 8 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays; open to 4 p.m. Saturdays. 25 Foreside Road, Topsham. topshamlibrary.org

Parks & Nature

Ongoing

Explore Scarborough Trails: explore local trails in Scarborough. scarboroughmaine.org

Falmouth Land Trust: guided hikes throughout the year, free and open to all. falmouthlandtrust.org/events

Guided Walks with Freeport Conservation Trust: Freeport Community Services, 53 Depot St., Freeport. freeportconservationtrust.org

Maine Audubon sanctuaries in Falmouth, Freeport, Scarborough and West Bath: free and open to the public from dawn to dusk. No pets. maineaudubon.org/news

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife: information about recreational opportunities, including fishing, riding, hunting, trapping and hiking at mefishwildlife.com.

Natural Resources Council of Maine: maps to explore the state. nrcm.org

Wolfe’s Neck Center in Freeport: hiking, gardening, workshops and more, free and open from dawn to dusk. wolfesneck.org

Recreation

Ongoing

American Legion Junior Archery Program: 6 p.m., Brunswick American Legion George T Files Post 20, 1 Columbus Drive, Brunswick.

Bicycle Coalition of Maine: 38 Diamond Street, Portland. Free safety classes and riding clinics, including off-road biking. bikemaine.org

Maine By Foot: maps of walking trails throughout Maine, including wheelchair-accessible trails. Can be filtered by town. mainebyfoot.com

Support

Ongoing

Al Anon: alcohol addiction, recovery resources. 1-888-4AL-ANON. findrecovery.com/alanon_meetings/me

Alzheimer’s Association, Maine Chapter: helpline at 800-272-3900 available 24/7. alz.org/maine

Dempsey Center: classes, workshops and groups to help and support in the fight against cancer. Free. Registration required. Email registration@dempseycenter.org or call 877-336-7287.

Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous: 8 a.m., Saturdays, 30 Liza Harmon Drive, Westbrook. Additional dates and meetings on Zoom. foodaddicts.org

Health Care and Frontline Workers: free confidential coaching, wellness workshops and connection groups for those who may be feeling down, disconnected or discouraged. Call 1-800-769-9819, see workforceeap.com/strengthenme or email strengthenme@northernlight.org.

Maine Coalition to Fight Prostate Cancer One2One Confidential line: leave a message at 441-5374 or 1-855-552-7200 ext. 801; a volunteer will call back. mcfpc.org

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI Maine) Teen Text Support Line: a mental health program for youths 13-24, text 207-515-8398, noon to 10 p.m. daily. namimaine.org/teentextline

OUT Maine: a nonprofit that serves LGBTQ+ youths throughout the state, connects staff with at-risk youth through the phone and social media. More information at outmaine.org.

Sexual Assault Support Services of Midcoast Maine: free and private virtual support groups at sassmm.org, or call ​1-800-871-7741.

Sweetser mental health resources: online exercises to cope with daily challenges, visit sweetser.org/online-wellness-tools-for-coping-with-covid-19 for titles such as Staying Connected While Social Distancing, Managing Time at Home with the Kids, and Parenting in Challenging Times and Changing Plans.

TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly): 729-6400, tops.org

The Yellow Tulip Project: support and community for those with mental illnesses, online resources at theyellowtulipproject.org.

Walking with Moms in Need: 3 p.m., Fridays. Unplanned pregnancy support group and services. Holy Martyrs Church, 266 Foreside Road, Falmouth. 847-6885 or kim.palli@portlanddiocese.org. pothe.org

Volunteer

Ongoing

Dempsey Center: Help make life better for people affected by cancer in Scarborough and Portland. Clayton’s House host in Portland, orientation ambassador, wig and headwear consultant, Reiki, community gardeners needed. dempseycenter.org/volunteer

Northern New England Region of the American Red Cross: Review the most urgently needed positions at redcross.org/volunteertoday or contact Volunteer Services at volunteerNNE@redcross.org or 800-464-6692.

Puppy raisers and sitters: Maine Region of Guiding Eyes for the Blind has ongoing need for people to teach basic skills and socialize puppies and for puppy sitters. maineregion@guidingeyes.net or visit guidingeyes.org/puppy-raising

Women Build: Habitat for Humanity program to construct affordable housing, details at habitatportlandme.org/womenbuild.

Workshops/Talks

Friday 3/3

Computer and internet safety: 10 a.m., Scarborough Public Library, 48 Gorham Road. scarboroughlibrary.org

Tuesday 3/7

Fisheries in Our Town, a Working Waterfront Panel: 5:30 p.m., hybrid on Zoom and at Meetinghouse Arts, 40 Main St., Freeport. Oyster bar reception after. Register online. freeportconservationtrust.org

Wednesday 3/8

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Certification 101: 11 a.m., virtual via Zoom, hosted by Women’s Business Center. Free. wbc.ceimaine.org

“Women and Conflict” panel discussion: 6 p.m., USM Hannaford Hall, 88 Bedford St., Portland. Free. partnersforworldhealth.org

Thursday 3/9

Science for Tots: “Life of a Frog”: 9:30 a.m., Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine, 250 Thompsons Point Road, Portland. kitetails.org

“Art, Education and Patriotism: 19th-Century Schoolgirl Maps”: Noon, virtual via Zoom, hosted by Pejepscot History Center. pejepscothistorical.org

Through 3/22

Free fly-tying class: 5 p.m. beginner, 7 p.m. intermediate, Wednesdays, L.L.Bean, 95 Main St., Freeport. Registration required. visitfreeport.com

Through 5/9

The Portland History Docent Program: Eleven-week training program for new volunteer tour guides, every Tuesday, 9 a.m. to noon, various locations. $50 registration. portlandhistorydocents.org

Ongoing

Career Building, Entrepreneurship and Money Management classes: online by New Ventures Maine. Free, monthly schedule at newventuresmaine.org/class-schedules.

Conversational Spanish Group: 1 p.m., Fridays via Zoom, hosted by South Portland Public Library. Open to all skills levels. Register at southportlandlibrary.com.

Free College Courses: For adult education students through Maine DOE and community college system. bit.ly/3qL5RwC

“From Farm to Table Fare”: Seven-video series about preparing locally sourced cuts from a whole chicken, selecting and grinding cuts of beef, and using prepared beef and chicken in recipes, free at extension.umaine.edu/livestock.

Healthy Living for ME: Classes on a variety of health topics, many are free. Visit healthylivingforme.org for schedule and registration.

Interviews with the Irish in Maine: Hosted by Maine Irish Heritage Center on youtube.com.

Maine Audubon: Nature and environment classes and workshops, many free. maineaudubon.org/events

Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Organization: Free newsletter at bit.ly/3ef1j9s. Resources and classes at mofga.org.

Songwriting Workshop: 6:30 p.m., first Tuesday of the month, Thomas Memorial Library Community Room, 6 Scott Dyer Road, Cape Elizabeth. Registration closes at noon the day of the workshop. Register at thomasmemoriallibrary.org.

Southern Maine Agency on Aging: Resources, services and education for healthy aging, in-person and remote. Call 396-6500 or email SMAAResource@yarmouth.me.us. smaaa.org

Support Maine Wildlife with Native Maine Plants: Maine Audubon online plant finder at mainenativeplants.org for plants best suited for specific sites, provide best ecological function and benefit, and complement the landscape.

Techspresso: Help with technology 2-3:30 p.m. every Tuesday, Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth. Schedule a 15-min appointment. Sign up at circulation desk or by phone. yarmouthlibrary.org

Wolfe’s Neck Farm: Educational environmental activities at wolfesneck.org/educational-activities.

World Affairs Conversation Group: 11 a.m., every other Friday, People Plus, 35 Union St., Brunswick. peopleplusmaine.org

To contribute an item to The Forecaster’s Community Calendar, go to theforecaster.net and click on Add Your Event under the Things to Do heading.

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