Community Events Calendar

The Festival offers a supportive atmosphere aimed at fostering a creative exchange of ideas, encouraging exploration of new ground and providing opportunities to experience a wide spectrum of dance/movement disciplines. Artists, students and audiences share their knowledge and inspiration through workshops, jams, discussions, informal showings and performances. The Bates Dance Festival is comprised of four interwoven programs: two professional training programs including the Young Dancers Workshop (YDW), a rigorous three-week program serving pre-professional dancers ages 14-18; the Professional Training Program (PTP) serving dancers ages 18 and up; a main-stage performances series featuring renowned contemporary dance artists from around the world: and community outreach activities including the Youth Arts Program serving local youth ages 6-17 with dance and music training, and the Community Dance Project that invites local residents to participate in an intensive creative collaboration with a choreographer and Festival dancers which occurs on alternate years. Commissioning and residency projects support new works by established companies, emerging choreographers and international artists. Beginning June 30 tickets may be purchased over the phone with a credit card. To order call our Box Office at (207) 786-6161. Box Office Hours: Open June 30-August 11, Monday through Saturday, 1-5 p.m.

Interior Visions: Selections from the Collection by Alex Katz - Colby Museum of Art. Interior Visions, the third installation of Rediscoveries, is curated by the artist Alex Katz. The Rediscoveries exhibition series invites members of the Colby College community to select and arrange artworks from the Museum's collection. For Interior Visions, Katz has selected a group of modern and contemporary paintings and works on paper that he describes as "relevant to our times and to each other." Free and Open to the Public Tuesday Saturday 10 am 5 pm, Sunday 12-5 pm and Closed Mondays. The Museum is closed during the following holidays Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.

Presented by Bossov Ballet Theatre. Andrei Bossov's magical choreography puts a fresh spin on this story about the gentle girl with the broom, her wicked stepmother and her comic stepsisters, the Fairy Godmother, the Prince and his lavish ball, and, of course, the lost glass slipper. Set to Prokofiev's masterful score and featuring Bossov-trained dancers from across the nation, audiences of all ages will love this performance. Tickets: $15 Adults, $13 Seniors and Youths.

AUGUSTA: Farmer's Market at MILL PARK, 1 North Water Street, the old Edwards Mills site. May-November Tuesdays 2-6pm, www.farmersmarketmillpark.org. Augusta Farmers Market @ TURNPIKE MALL, Western Ave/Whitten Road June-October, Wednesdays and Saturdays 9am-12pm (noon). VILES ARBORETUM Farmers Market, 153 Hospital Street May-November, Fridays 2-6pm. GARDINER: GARDINER'S FARMER'S MARKET, On the Commons, Route 201, May-October Wednesdays 2-6pm. HALLOWELL: HALLOWELL MARKET DAY at the foot of Winthrop Street on Water Street (Route 201)May to October, Sundays 11am-3pm. MANCHESTER: MAYFLOWER FARMERS MARKET, Route 17, next to Post office at the big red barn, May-November, Wednesdays 3-6pm Saturday 10am-2pm. WAYNE: WAYNE'S FARMERS MARKET, Bridge Street, in the park between the mill stream and the general store. July-September Sunday Mornings. WINTHROP: WINTHROP FARMERS MARKET, location: TBD, May-October Tuesdays and Saturdays 9am-1pm.

Downtown Augusta has been transformed into an outdoor museum with the installation of 31 signs in "The Museum in the Streets" Program. The signs, years in the planning and making, are written in both French and English, and tell the history of the building of Augusta, the city from 1625 to the present. All 29 signs and two large maps are within walking distance of each other on both sides of the Kennebec river. Another 9 Museum in the Streets signs have been installed along Canal Street in Mill Park. They tell the story of Edwards Mill, Edwards dam and industrial Augusta. The tour begins at City Center, proceeds behind Old Fort Western, moves down to Willow Street's W.H.Gannett's Comfort magazine printing house. On to a 10th sign at the east end of Calumet Bridge, then cross to the west side of the river, the 11th panel as at the corner of Bridge and Water Street. It's called "Seeing the Elephants" and shows a parade of elephants marching down Water Street. Proceed south on Water Street to Panel 13 that recounts the Great Augusta Bank robbery of New Year's weekend in 1850. On to the Great Augusta Fire of 1865 that destroyed 81 buildings on both sides of Water Street. Continue on and follow the tour to the end at Canal Street in Mill Park! The signs will be removed each November and replaced each spring. Maps of Augusta's Musuem in the Streets will be availalbe at Augusta City Center. Patrick Cardon, originally of France and now of Cushing, originated the idea in France.

Tourists, history buffs or those looking for something to do can now enjoy the newest version of The Museum in the Streets. City Historian and others have put together 19 signs that are part of the tour. The tour, which takes about an hour, begins at the waterfront, heads up Winthrop Street. The bulk of the signs are in the heart of downtown along Water Street. The panels (signs) reveal stories, events and traditions that helped shape the area. Hall-Dale French students were part of the translation team that made French subtitles so the panels could be bilingual. Visitors to Hallowell can find maps of the city's Museum in the Streets at City Hall, KV Chamber of Commerce or the Hubbard Free Library. Other Maine communities with a Museum in the Streets include Augusta, Waterville, Thomaston, Biddeford, Belfast and Searsport.

RIDE TILL YOU DROP, VISIT ALL THE ANIMALS AND MARVEL AT THE THRILLING SHOWS AND EXHIBITS ALL FOR ONE LOW, LOW PRICE. THE PERFECT WAY TO SPEND A SUMMER'S DAY - OR TWO. SEARCH HIGH AND LOW, BUT YOU'LL NEVER FIND A BETTER DEAL THAN THIS ONE, SO JOIN US AT THE FAIR'S 161st CELEBRATION, YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO MISS IT!! A large family fair featuring a midway, animal exhibits, crafts, commercial exhibits, flowers, animal pulling events, and harness racing. Cost/Cover: $10. The State Fair you can features a midway, a demolition derby, backyard circus, concerts, great food, a petting zoo, pony rides, exhibits, fireworks and fun blown family entertainment. Admission $10.00 per Person, per Day! See all the shows, Check out all the exhibits, Visit with the cows, sheep, goats and horses and....... Ride all the rides as often as you like.......all for this one low price! Truly the deal of the Summer! Children under 3 are FREE, but no rides. Parking On Site ~ $5.00 Per Vehicle.

Details: Please bring your car seat instruction manual and your vehicle owner's manual, if available. Car Seat Inspection Stations are open year-round inside heated buildings. Please be aware of the event end time. Because an inspection can take 20 to 30 minutes depending upon corrections needed and incompatibility issues between the vehicle and the car seat, the last vehicle is taken 30 minutes prior to closing. Due to the popularity of the inspection station, there may be a wait time before the inspection can begin. If there are several vehicles waiting during the last hour of operation, we may have to turn vehicles away. We will strive to accommodate your needs but your patience and understanding is appreciated!Cost/Cover: All car seat inspection stations and car seat checkup events are free. No appointment is necessary.

Auditions for 17th Annual Johnson Hall / Riverfront Festival Talent Show.Got talent? Want to compete for a $200 prize? The 17th Annual Johnson Hall / Riverfront Talent Show is looking for you! Hosted this year by Johnson Hall s new Executive Artistic Director Mike Miclon, this tradition of providing an outdoor showcase for area talent continues. Auditions will be held on Thursday, May 2, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm and again on Saturday, May 4, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm at Johnson Hall Performing Arts Center, 280 Water Street in Gardiner. All ages and all talents are welcome to try out. Please arrive by 5:45 pm on Thursday and 1:45 pm on Saturday to get your audition number. Please contact Johnson Hall to advise which day you will be auditioning. A limited number of acts will be chosen to perform at the Talent Show, to be held on June 22 at 6:30 pm on the Gardiner Waterfront (rain date June 23 at 3:00 pm). Four prizes will be awarded at the Talent Show: Best Overall Prize is $200; Adult is $100, Teen (13-17) is $100 and Junior (12 & under) is $100. Audition applicants should bring their accompanying music, if required. Karaoke will not be allowed, so any CDs or MP3s should have the music only. Audition pieces should be presented complete with costumes and/or props, exactly as you would appear at the Talent Show itself. All acts are welcome bands, poets, storytellers, variety acts, dancers, magicians the sky s the limit. No one will be accepted into the talent show without an audition, however. This is an amateur event. We are looking to identify the area s next star. Performance slots will be open to anyone, but prizes are limited to those who do not primarily support themselves as a performer. Audition applications are available at Johnson Hall walk in, email info@johnsonhall.org or download from their website at www.johnsonhall.org. Applications can be brought to the audition or filled out at the audition. Please call 582-7144 for more information, assistance, or to sign up for an audition day.