And in the near future.

Dec 29, 2025

Silhouettes of three hikers on a scenic trail during sunset, with a colorful sky and text overlay promoting local events in the Mount Desert Island region.

QUICK NOTE: We’ve moved the list of organizations and links to the bottom of this article. If you are receiving this via email, you may have to click through to see it all.

THINGS TO DO

It’s our weekly round-up, and we may have missed some things, so apologies! If you have something you’d like in here, please let us know.

Also, you may have to click through to see everything. There are so many things that this email is a bit long for a lot of inboxes.

We hope you have some great adventures this week!

To check out our news stories and briefs from the past week, click on the archive section, and you’ll see them in chronological order.

WHERE CAN YOU EAT?

You can check out the list of all the restaurants at our new site, ACADIA ADVENTURES.

The restaurants are here!

If you’re an owner/manager/employee of a restaurant that isn’t on the list yet, please let us know and we’ll get you there, but please be kind about it and know that any lack of mention is not intentional.

And, the list of all the restaurants currently open in the winter season (this changes a lot) is here, compiled by Jennifer DuBois Cough of First Express in Bar Harbor. We are using it with her permission and with many thanks to her for doing this.

A detailed list of restaurants in Bar Harbor and nearby areas, including their operating hours, services offered, and contact information.

William’s on the Green (www.williamsonthegreenbarharbor.com) over at the Acadia Hotel is also open all year long! Open 3 p.m.- 11 p.m. (closed Tuesday and Wednesday).

Red Sky, which is not in the list, is another local restaurant, though it is closed for the winter, it is not closed for good! They’ll likely be placed on the master list soon.

ALL MONTH/ONGOING

DECEMBER — PLEIN AIR PAINTERS OF ACADIA

Promotional poster for the 'Plein Air Painters of Acadia' art exhibit, featuring a watercolor painting of coastal cliffs and trees. Event details include dates, reception time, and location at Southwest Harbor Public Library.

MONDAY, DECEMBER 29

DECEMBER 29 —WINTER BREAK MOVIE MATINEE

Graphic promoting December events at Southwest Harbor Public Library, featuring a holiday cookie party, a winter break movie matinee screening of 'The Grinch,' and a kids reading challenge.

2 p.m. Looking for something fun to do during winter break? Come by the library on Monday, December 29 for a 2 p.m. showing of “The Grinch” (2018, PG). Enjoy popcorn, hot cocoa, and some fun winter crafts. Register for this event at www.swhplibrary.org

LEGO CLUB!

Divine Play Yoga at the Neighborhood House

Mon/Wed; 9:00-10:00 a.m.

Cost: $15/class

with Mike Bouscaren

Monday events via the Bar Harbor Chamber:

Which Stitch?

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 30

CRANE FOLDING

STORY AND PLAY

PLAY-DOH PLAYTIME

THE WAY OF BEING

Move Free Run Club

BAR HARBOR—The runs take place every week of the year and meet Tuesdays at 6 p.m. from the Bar Harbor Village Green and Sundays at 7:30 a.m. from Choco Latte.

The Move Free Run Club (Acadia Chapter) meets every Tuesday evening at 6 p.m. from the Bar Harbor Village Green and every Sunday morning at 7:30 a.m. from Choco Latte! Hope to meet more members of the community!

TWO SHOES LINE DANCING!

Promotional flyer for a new line dancing class called 'Two Shoes Dance', featuring colorful graphics and details about class times, location, pricing, and contact information.

Tuesday events via the Chamber:

Baby and Toddler Time

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31

DECEMBER 31 — A COMMUNITY GATHERING

On New Year’s Eve, there will be an informal gathering at Hadley Point for a fire. It’s open to anyone and is not an official, town-sanctioned event.

There will be a paper-mâché ball, where people can write down things they want to “let go of” and not carry into the new year. The ball is tossed into the fire.

It’s very much BYO: bring a chair if you want one, a thermos of whatever you like (though people often share), a blanket if you need it, etc.

Building the fire begins around 3:30 p.m. Sunset is at 4 p.m., and the burning of the ball usually happens around 4:30–4:45 p.m. after the colors fade from sunset. It’s meant to be an early, cathartic moment before everyone goes on with their evening plans. Firewood is welcome.

DECEMBER 31 — NEW YEAR’S EVE CARNIVAL

A colorful promotional poster for a New Year's Eve carnival at the First Baptist Church, featuring balloons, popcorn, and festive decorations. The event is scheduled for December 31st from 5-7 PM at 46 Ledgelawn Ave, Bar Harbor, inviting the community to enjoy food, games, and fun.

DECEMBER 31 — THAT MAINE BAND AT FINBACK

Event poster for 'That Maine Band!' featuring their Mega Maine Mini Tour dates, showcasing locations and times for performances at Shipyard Brew Haus, Finback Alehouse, and Black Moon.

DECEMBER 31 — NEW YEAR’S EVE AT SIDE STREET

Promotional poster for a New Year's Eve party at Side Street Cafe in Bar Harbor, featuring festive graphics, event details, and ticket pricing.

DECEMBER 31 – YOUTH CHESS CLUB

Promotional graphic for the Youth Chess Club at the Southwest Harbor Public Library, featuring a chessboard with chess pieces and information about meeting times.

DECEMBER 31 — NEW YEAR’S EVE AT TIMBERLAND ACRES

A New Year's Eve celebration event poster featuring a countdown to 2026, details about activities such as dinner, live band, raffles, and a champagne toast, along with pricing information.

MUSIC BINGO WITH MATTY P AT THE FINBACK!

Promotional poster for a Music Bingo event featuring Matty P. The design includes elements like a vinyl record, vibrant colors, and playful fonts, highlighting details such as date, time, and a special food offer.

BAR HARBOR BIKE SHOP RENTALS ALL WINTER LONG

Bar Harbor Bike Shop is renting bikes to walk-ins Wednesday through Saturday from 10-4 this winter season. Hours are also posted on its website.

The shop also has Fat Tire Bikes to Rent with Stud Tires for this winter season which are a lot of fun when there’s snow and ice.

WEDNESDAY BOOK CLUBS

Northeast Harbor Library

Love reading? Join us for Readers Unite! Reading Club. This will be an opportunity to read together, share books we love, and have quiet independent reading time. Grades 3 and up are welcome. Come every week, or pop in anytime! Link to register is here.

Somesville Library

SOUTHWEST HARBOR

A colorful promotional image for storytime events featuring a caterpillar reading a book, an owl reading, a house, and a rainbow. It announces storytimes for babies on Wednesdays at 10:00 am and for families on Fridays at 10:00 am.

GIRLS WHO CODE

JUST THIS MEDITATION

Just This Meditation: sitting, walking and seeing just this.

Promotional poster for a guided meditation session at Somesville Library, featuring details about the event, including the time, location, and a description catering to both beginners and regular practitioners.

CHRONICLES OF YARNIA

BLOCK PARTY!

Baby Storytime at Southwest Harbor

10:00 a.m. Southwest Harbor Public Library. Stories, songs, rhymes, bubbles. www.swhplibrary.org. 207-244-7065.

Library hours 9-5, Mon., Tue., Thu., Fri., 9-8 Wed., 9-1 Sat.

Divine Play Yoga at the Neighborhood House

Mon/Wed; 9:00-10:00 a.m.

Cost: $15/class

with Mike Bouscaren

Wednesday events via the Chamber:

None listed.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 1

JANUARY 1—TREMONT POLAR PLUNGE!

Please join the Tremont Fire Department crew on Back Beach in Bernard on New Year’s Day, promptly at 10 AM for a refreshing plunge into Bass Harbor. Members of the public are encouraged to participate and spectators are always welcome too.
The location is 98 Lopaus Point Road. Limited Beachside parking spots are available
Weather permitting we will have a bonfire and provide hot chocolate.

Expect a short walk down the beach to the water’s edge, beach footwear is recommended.

Enter this event at own risk. Lifeguard will be onsite via Kayak or SUP.
In the event of a weather postponement, updates will be announced via this event page.

STITCHES KNITTING AND CROCHET GROUP!

A colorful knitted piece with knitting needles and yarn, promoting a knitting group that meets on Thursdays from 3 to 5.

Stitches Knitting & Crochet Group meets on Thursdays from 3-5 p.m. at the Trenton Town Office. The town office is located at 59 Oak Point Road, Trenton, ME 04605. We will meet through mid-May, then take a break for the summer. All levels are welcome. Please join us. You don’t have to live in Trenton to come knit with us.

ADULT LINE DANCE CLASS

FIGURE DRAWING AT ARTWAVES

A figure drawing class at ArtWaves, featuring participants sketching a live model. The scene includes multiple easels and individuals seated while drawing.

Thursday events via the Chamber:

None listed.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 2

JANUARY 2 — PAINT AND SIP FOR KIDS

A promotional flyer for a 'Paint and Sip' event for kids aged 6 and up at the Southwest Harbor Public Library, featuring a snowman painting, a cute penguin character holding a mug, and details about registration and event specifics.

THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE

BIRDERS’ CAFE

Our hope is to bring together local and visiting bird watchers and lovers for a social event. Join us every other Friday morning from 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM. Our museum shop will be open, offering a selection of baked goods from local cafes, restaurants, and caterers, along with coffee. Feel free to explore the trails as early as you like! After, relax in our courtyard and chat. The Oceanarium (museum and aquarium) opens at 9 AM.

FAMILY STORY TIME AT SOUTHWEST HARBOR

Graphic promoting storytime events for babies and families, featuring a caterpillar reading, a house under a rainbow, and an owl with books.

10:00 a.m. Southwest Harbor Public Library. Interactive books, puppets, songs, movements, bubbles.

Library hours 9-5, Mon., Tue., Thu., Fri., 9-8 Wed., 9-1 Sat.

Friday events via the Chamber:

None listed.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 3

THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE

Greek Dance Party!

Leave the winter cold and be transported to the Greek islands! The Downeast Folk Dancers will feature authentic dances from the mainland and the islands of Greece, 7-9 pm on Saturday January 3 at the YWCA 36, Mt. Desert Street, Bar Harbor. Live music by the Kotwica Band playing Greek village tunes, rebetiko, and music from the Black Sea and beyond. Dances will be taught by Carolyn Rapkievian – no experience and no partner is needed. Admission is $10 at the door. For more information, visit Downeast Folk Dancers on Facebook.

SATURDAYS! BABY AND ME YOGA!

An illustration for a Saturday Story Time event at the Northeast Harbor Library. The graphic features watercolor clouds and hands holding an open book. The event is scheduled for 1:00 PM weekly in the children's room starting March 22, and it states that all ages are welcome with no registration required.

A flyer promoting "Baby and Me Yoga" classes at Harbor House, featuring details about class schedules, age groups, and instructor information.

PRAYER SHAWL MISSION GROUP

Promotional flyer for a Prayer Shawl Mission Team start-up event, featuring a blue header with event details and images of people knitting.

Prayer Shawl Mission from 10 a.m. to noon at the church located at 29 Mount Desert Street.

The intention of the group is to create a flow of Prayer Shawls for distribution for those in need due to illness, loneliness, loss or in need of comfort and to create a sense of community with those who have a shared interest.

Supplies and instruction will be provided to those with skills for knitting and/or crocheting and for those with a desire to learn. For more information contact Pat by calling (203) 770-0063 or email: pgdizazzo@yahoo.com.

Saturday events via the Chamber:

None listed.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 4

THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE

JANUARY 4 – WINTER MARKET

A poster for a Winter Market at YWCA MDI in Bar Harbor, featuring a shopping bag filled with a baguette, vegetables, and other items. It promotes the market every other Sunday starting November 9 from 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM.

KIDS CHESS CLUB AT CHOCO-LATTE

A close-up image of a chessboard featuring black and white chess pieces, with a focus on the fallen white king and a horse piece in the background. The text overlay reads 'Chess Clubs for Kids.'

Our chess club is great for beginners (at least know how the pieces move) and also intermediate level. All are welcome. We meet most Sundays from 4-5:30 p.m. at Choco-latte in Bar Harbor.

Move Free Run Club

BAR HARBOR—The runs take place every week of the year and meet Tuesdays at 6 p.m. from the Bar Harbor Village Green and Sundays at 7:30 a.m. from Choco Latte.

Sunday events via the Chamber:

None listed.

FUTURE EVENTS!

MONDAYS FROM JANUARY 5 — MAKE YOUR OWN COMIC BOOK

Promotional poster for a comic book creation event at the Southwest Harbor Public Library, featuring an image of instructor Mike Duffy with paint on his shirt. The event is open to kids aged 8 and up, running from January 5th to February 9th on Mondays from 3:30 to 4:30 PM.

JANUARY 6 — HISTORY HAPPY HOUR

The Mount Desert Island Historical Society and Acadia Senior College will kick off the new year with a potluck trivia night at the Neighborhood House.

Are you a master of historical trivia, a lifelong learner, or a novice know-it-all? Join us at 5:30 p.m. on January 6, 2026, at the Neighborhood House, 1 Kimball Rd in Northeast Harbor for a special potluck History Happy Hour!

JANUARY 6 — WHAT’S THE RUSH

From 1 – 3:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Ellsworth.

What’s happening to all our pollinators and why should we be worried about it? Attend this video event to learn more about what we can do starting in our own yards.

Doug Tallamy, founder of Homegrown National Park and popular author and speaker, shows how creating healthy ecosystems can help restore biodiversity. His groundbreaking research on how insects, birds and plants have evolved together provides a foundation for understanding concrete solutions. In a time when the biodiversity crisis looms ever more threatening to life on Earth, Tallamy’s work shows that we each have the power to do something about it. And it starts by planting native wildflowers.

The one-hour movie will be followed by a Q&A. Attendance may be in-person or virtual. Register at bit.ly/rushtbg

JANUARY 7 — PERSPECTIVE AT ARTWAVES/ACADIA ART CENTER

A poster for a workshop titled 'Perspective: Creating the Illusion of Depth' featuring an illustration of a house and perspective lines indicating a left and right vanishing point, scheduled for Wednesdays, January 7, 14, 21, and 28 from 10 AM to 1 PM in the Kaleidoscope Studio.

JANUARY 9 — FAMILY FRIDAY NIGHTS

Colorful promotional poster for Family Friday Nights at Camp Beech Cliff, featuring illustrations of playing cards, a basketball, and popcorn. The event runs from January 9 to March 20, 5-7:30 PM, includes climbing wall, open gym, and board games, with a participation fee of $5.

JANUARY 12 MDI Biological Laboratory’s Online Science Café

MRI scan image of a human brain with text overlay indicating an online science cafe event on January 12, 2026, hosted by MDI Biological Laboratory.

Topic: Vascular Contributions to Age-Related Cognitive Decline

January 12, 2026, 5-6 p.m.

Online Only, Registration: https://mdibl.org/event/vascular-contributions-to-age-related-cognitive-decline/

JANUARY 14 — SUNDAY SESSIONS

A group of six musicians posed together for a promotional image for a live music event at the Northeast Harbor Library. The band is called 'Sunday Sessions Sextet' and includes members Matthew Lawson, Shane Ellis, Dan Granholm, Greg Snakard, Will Miller, and Beau Lisy. The background features colorful vertical stripes.

JANUARY 28 — DOG MAN NIGHT

Colorful poster for a 'Dog Man Trivia Night' at Southwest Harbor Public Library featuring a cartoon dog character wearing a blue police uniform, set against a light blue background with clouds and stars. Event details include date, time, and QR code.

MARCH 9 — MDI Biological Laboratory’s Online Science Cafe

An open book with pages fanned out, showcasing crisp white pages against a dark background.

Topic: The Science of Storytelling

March 9, 2026, 5-6 p.m.

Online Only, Registration: https://mdibl.org/event/the-science-of-storytelling/

ONGOING:

LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR EVENTS

THE ABBE!

For a list of Abbe events, click here.

ACADIA CHAMBER

For a list of Acadia Chamber events, click here.

ACADIA NATIONAL PARK

For a list of events at the park, you can visit the National Park Service’s calendar or Ranger Programs web pages.

ACADIA SENIOR COLLEGE

Acadia Senior College offers interesting talks, informative classes, lively discussions, field trips, retreats, and fun gatherings. For a list of its events, head here.

ACADIA TRAD FESTIVAL

Promotional image for the Acadia Festival of Traditional Music & Dance, featuring musicians and dancers. Text includes festival dates, location, and information about classes and scholarships.

ARGOSY GALLERY

For the gallery’s newsletter and offerings, please visit www.argosygallery.com. In Bar Harbor at 6 Mt. Desert St.

ARTEMIS GALLERY

For a list of openings!

ARTWAVES CLASSES AND EVENTS

ArtWaves often has classes, a variety every week. For the updated selection, check out its website here.

BAR HARBOR CHAMBER

For Bar Harbor Chamber’s calendar, click here.

BOOM—BAROQUE ORCHESTRA OF MAINE

For a list of upcoming concerts, click here.

THE COLLEGE OF THE ATLANTIC

A list of events is here. Make sure to choose “open to the public” on the side bar.

THE CYGNET GALLERY

For a list of events, click through here.

DOWNEAST PILATES

FRIENDS OF ACADIA

For a full list of Friends of Acadia events, click through here.

EVENTS AT THE GILLEY

For a full list of Gilley events, click here.

THE FINBACK ALE HOUSE!

The Finback usually has local musicians, open mic nights and karaoke all summer long. Its Instagram is here. A typical line-up looks like the one below. Usually, the Finback updates its list on Tuesdays.

A chalkboard sign listing live music events for the week, featuring a whale design. Events include 'Industry Night' on Tuesday, 'Open Mic' on Wednesday, 'Rob Reid' on Thursday, 'Karaoke' on Friday, 'Square Roots' on Saturday, and 'Stephen Vecchioni' on Sunday.

FOGTOWN (In Ellsworth, but by request)

Weekly events schedule at the Ellsworth Taproom highlighting Open Mic Night on Wednesdays, Trivia Night on Thursdays, and Live Music on Fridays.

There is an open mic night Wednesday evenings, trivia nights on Thursday evenings and live music in the beer garden on Friday evenings.

The Ellsworth farmers market is also now held in the parking lot of Fogtown brewery Saturday mornings beginning at around nine.

Link to the website with all the events: https://www.fogtownbrewing.com/events

THE GALLERY AT SOMES SOUND

For a list of exhibitions and to find out more, click here.

THE GRAND THEATER (In Ellsworth, but by request)

For a list of Grand events, click here.

HARBOR HOUSE

For a full list of events, click here for programs, click here.

HEALTHY ACADIA EVENTS

For a list of events, click here.

HIDDEN BARN BOOKS IN BAR HARBOR

Hidden Barn Books is located in Bar Harbor behind Reel Pizza. For a list of events, click here.

JESUP EVENTS

For a full list of Jesup Memorial Library events, click through to its calendar here.

REOCCURING PROGRAMS:

Bar Harbor Scrabble Club

Connect with fellow word-lovers: all skill levels are welcome! Players are encouraged to bring their own boards, and some boards will also be provided. Scrabble Club meets on second and fourth Saturdays from 10:00am to 1:00pm.

Write On! Writing Group

Join the Write On! Writing Group for support in your craft. The Write On! writers meet Saturday mornings at 9:00am on Zoom. For more information, please contact the library at info@jesuplibrary.org.

Jesup Knitters’ Guild

Fiber artists of all skill levels are welcome to drop in and enjoy crafting and conversation with the Jesup Knitters’ Guild, Thursday evenings at 5:00pm!

LAND AND GARDEN PRESERVE

For a full list of Land and Garden Preserve events, click through here.

LOCAL SOLUTIONS

An illustration depicting a scenic landscape with colorful autumn trees and several houses, framed by a blue border.

Are you a parent or guardian of an adult with developmental delays, ID/D or Autism? Would you like support?

We are a parent run support group. Join a community of parents and guardians helping each other with problem solving, understanding adult services, advocacy and policy awareness. Our group includes parents and guardians of high school age and older. Organized by Local Solutions. Meetings are at the rectory building of St. Savior’s Church in Bar Harbor at 4:30 every 2^nd and 4^th Thursday of each month.

MAINE GRANITE INDUSTRY HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND MUSEUM

The museum is open from Tuesday through Sunday from 10 to 4 through October 31

The museum believes on hands-on learning. A list of programs is here.

MDI HIGH SCHOOL

A list of events is here.

MOUNT DESERT ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY

A list of events is here.

MOUNT DESERT ISLAND ADULT EDUCATION

A list of classes and events is here.

MDI YMCA

Events are here and the gym schedule is here. You can peruse its website for other schedules.

Winter fitness schedule for Mount Desert Island YMCA, detailing daily classes and times from December 22nd to January 4th.

THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSE SCHEDULE

The calendar is here.

THE NOR’EASTER POUND AND MARKET

Live music is in the air at The Nor’Easter Pound & Market!

Open Mic Thursdays 7-9 PM hosted by the one and only Dallas Hodgkins— bring your talent or just come enjoy the show!

Live Music Saturdays 7-9 PM featuring amazing local musicians bringing the coastal vibes to Northeast Harbor.

For more information, head over here.

NORTHEAST HARBOR LIBRARY

A list of events is here.

REEL PIZZA

To see what’s playing, click here.

SAFE HARBOR CLUB

22 Village Green Way, Southwest Harbor

A list of all events are here.

Safe Harbor ALANO Club open Fridays-Saturday: 4 p.m.; Sundays-11 a.m.

Beginners AA, Thursdays, 5:30 p.m.

AA, Thursdays, 7 p.m.

ALANON, Sundays, 7 p.m.

SOMESVILLE LIBRARY

A list of events is here.

SOUTHWEST HARBOR HISTORICAL SOCIETY.

A list of events is here.

SOUTHWEST HARBOR LIBRARY

A list of events is here.

VOLTA!

Volta, in Trenton, has a ton of things always going on. You can check that out here.

WENDELL GILLEY MUSEUM!

The museum is full of art and craft and exhibit. You can check out its events here.

QUICK NOTE

“Things To Do” is mostly curated by me looking for things happening in the upcoming week, which takes a lot of time and I truly do not know all that is going on.

If there’s something in the MDI region that you’d like me to mention, please let me know, because I’m definitely always missing some events every week.

If you’d like to donate to help support us, you can, but no pressure! Just click here.

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