A blend of information to start the day:

The Front Street Market at the Salmon Falls Mills in Rollinsford kicks off today from 9 am until mid afternoon.  Artists, craftspeople, and growers will be offering their wares, there will be music all day. Rollinsford Fire Department is providing a fire engine for children to explore from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Front Street and Lower Mill restaurants will be serving breakfast. Story-telling will be held in the new Rollinsford Public Library, located in the Lower Mill. Childrens crafts will be in the Upper Mill. FigTree Café (located daily in the Lower Mill) will provide a brisquet in the grill area from noon – 3 p.m.

Hamilton House offers the third concert in its Sundays in the Garden series:  July 20: Omalley’s Alley.  Including bassist Tom Martin and drummer Gene Guth of the popular seacoast R& B band Rhythm Method and guitarist Justin Walton of Dreadnaught,  this ensemble will reach into each other’s repertoire to give material by artists such as Booker T & the MG’s and George Harrison their unique stamp.  The concert begins at 4:00 p.m.  Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, $4 for Historic New England members and children, free for Historic New England Garden and Landscape Members.  Concert goers are welcome to bring their own chair or blanket and picnicking is encouraged.  In case of rain, concerts are held in the garden cottage.

A portion of Route 91 will be closed to traffic starting July 23  through Aug. 30 for culvert work. Local traffic will have access to their homes but the road will be closed to through traffic from Pudding Lane at the York Corner end to Scotland Bridge Road. Traffic will be diverted down Route 1 to Beech Ridge Road and then to Scotland Bridge Road. The Town of York website has more details.

Nature’s Way Market is offering locally grown produce this summer.  Last night I had local baby squash and crispy cucumbers from local farms that I got at the Market. I can’t wait to see what’s coming next.

Feel like getting away from Maine this summer?  Head to the Jamaican Jerk Center, 1400 Route One in York (Cape Neddick) to be transported to the Caribbean.  This jerk stand serves up chicken, pork, and rib jerk (spiced and marinated meats) served with rice and plaintains as well as goat curry and Ackee and Saltfish, Jamaica’s national dish, if you are feeling adventurous.  Food is packed to go for take away or for eating at the picnic tables and hammocks set up around the stand.  The Boston Reggae band, Counscious plays every Saturday night until Labor Day.  It will make you dance, mon.

There’s a new restaurant in the Kittery Foreside area.  Tulsi serves up Indian specialties based on fresh and local foods in a sophisticated atmosphere decorated with the rich colors of Indian spices and bold abstract art.  It’s at 2 Government Ave. in Kittery.  I was delighted by their mussels served in a rich and spicy curry sauce accompanied by a warm crispy naan bread.  I also had a vegetable korma that had fresh corn in it.  Chef Rajesh Mandekar says they try to use as much local fish and produce as possible to create traditional Indian flavors with a Maine flair.

Is this a perfect summer day, or what?  Here’s a way to take advantage of the day:

The Hamilton House Summer in the Garden Concert Series continues this afternoon,  July 13 with a performance by Salt River.  Salt River members Lee Hosack, and Mike and Beverly Rogers and Cathy King perform traditional and original music reflecting the lifestyle and people of New England.  Their folk/blues style is accented by their vocal harmonies and Mike’s signature harmonica.  You won’t be able to keep your toes from tapping and your hands from clapping when Salt River takes the stage.

The concert begins at 4:00 p.m.  Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, $4 for Historic New England members and children, free for Historic New England Garden and Landscape Members.  Concert goers are welcome to bring their own chair or blanket and picnicking is encouraged.  In case of rain, concerts are held in the garden cottage.

Hamilton House is open for tours the day of the concerts with tours leaving from the garden cottage at 11, 12, 1, 2, 3, and 4 pm.  House tours are $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, $4 for children, and free to Historic New England members.  The price of the house tour is not included with concert admission.

Hamilton House is located on Vaughan’s Lane, adjacent to Vaughn Woods, a mile off Route 236 in South Berwick.  For more information Historic New England at (207) 384-2454 or visit www.historicnewengland.org.

Coming up:
July 20: Omalley’s Alley.  Including bassist Tom Martin and drummer Gene Guth of the popular seacoast R& B band Rhythm Method and guitarist Justin Walton of Dreadnaught,  this ensemble will reach into each other’s repertoire to give material by artists such as Booker T & the MG’s and George Harrison their unique stamp.

July 27: International performer Randy Armstrong.  Hailed by the Boston Globe as a “sure-fingered guitar virtuoso”, guitarist/percussionist, Randy Armstrong, brings his jazz – world music to the garden.  An educator as well as a performer, Armstrong will entertain on a variety of instruments from around the world.  A show sure to please all ages.

Sometimes in the summer I stay away from the coast because I don’t want to fight the traffic, deal with parking, or be on the beach packed in like a sardine roasting in the sun.

Laudholm Farm at the Wells Reserve in Wells offers a wonderful alternative to all that.  It is an easy trip from South Berwick on Route 4 to Route 9 to Wells and then just a short jaunt up Route 1, there is plenty of parking, and then the real draw: a 2200 acre area with seven miles of hiking trails through woodlands, fields, wetlands, beach, and dunes with no crowds. You can walk through the open fields of this historic saltwater farm and take in the long views of the coast.  Walk through the marsh on boardwalks and watch and hear multitudes of birds or take the walk down to the beach which is likely to be sparsely populated by an assortment of swimmers, surf casters, beach walkers, and birdwatchers.

We headed over to Wells to meet up with some friends at Laudholm Farm one morning of the July 4 weekend.  It was sunny and hot at the top of the hill.  We took the beach walk through the fields where the smell of beach roses scented the air and the ripening blueberries attracted birds.  As we went through the marsh toward the beach we entered the mist that, when lit by the sun, accentuated the colors of the water and vegetation and brought a welcome coolness to the day.  We then walked the whole length of the beach from north to south, taking us from the calm and quiet of the Laudholm beach at the north, to the beach atmosphere at the breakwater at the entrance to Wells Harbor.

Laudholm Trust is a nonprofit organization formed to protect Laudholm Farm and to support research, education, and management activities at the Wells Reserve. The Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve investigates coastal environments and enhances understanding of their ecology. Reserve facilities are located at Laudholm Farm and include the Maine Coastal Ecology Center.

Laudholm Farm trails are open every day, 7 am to sunset.  Trail maps are available at the entry kiosk.  Admission fees are in effect from Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day. Fees are $1 for ages 6 to 16 and $3 for those over 16. Members of Laudholm Trust get free admission (except some special events) and program discounts.

Visitor Center and Maine Coastal Ecology Center Exhibits  are open Jan 16 to Dec 15: Mon-Fri, 10-4 and on the weekends from Memorial Day to Columbus Day: Mon-Fri, 10-4; Sat, 10-4; Sun, 12-4.   There are also an array of special events and programs  for nature lovers of all ages.  You can download a pdf version of their calendar.

Each Saturday and, new this year, Tuesday afternoon, the York Farmers’ Market provides a way to buy from local food and craft producers.  The market is held every Saturday through October 11 from 9 AM to 1 PM and on Tuesdays from July 1 through September 9 from 2 PM to 6 PM  in the lot behind the York Chamber Visitor’s Center at its location on Route One in York across from the entrance to I-95.

You’ll find an assortment of food, baked goods, handmade products, organically grown produce and much more.  Go on Tuesdays and you’ll see two South Berwick residents.

Buddha’s Burning Buns, owned by South Berwick resident Jane Adams offers cookies, muffins, breads, granola & other assorted baked goods.  You can also find Jane’s products at Nature’s Way Market.

South Berwick resident Hope Murphy’s booth, fuZing!, showcases her unique fused glass jewelry.  These one of a kind pieces shimmer with color and pattern.

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Hot Summer Nights Concerts  are back for 2008
Thursdays  6:30-8:00 on the Lawn of Central School
Main Street, South Berwick, Maine
Rain Location:  Town Hall Auditorium (across the street) unless otherwise noted

July 10    Slaid Cleaves’ Band (Americana) This South Berwick native turned Texan, is an internationally known and respected songwriter and musician. Slaid’s new CD, Hard to Believe, is in production - come out and hear his much-anticipated, new songs!  Discover why reviewers have called him “one of the best singer/songwriters in the country”.
Opener:  James Gilmore
In case of rain, this concert will be held at the Marshwood High Auditorium!

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July 17    PB & J  (acoustic classic & modern covers)     The three part harmonies of Brad Martin, Joe Long, and Pat Long will have you singing along with favorite songs from CSNY to Grateful Dead, and Sister Hazel to Los Lonely Boys!  This trio appeals to all generations of music lovers!  Don’t miss these amazing acoustic musicians!
Openers:  Lisa Graichen & Meg Platte

See the rest of the schedule… (more…)

The Sarah Orne Jewett House is all dressed up for Independence Day. Historic New England staff used photos from the 1936 Berwick Day Parade as inspiration.

Sarah Orne Jewett House is located at 5 Portland Street in South Berwick, Me. It is open June 1 through October 15, Friday through Sunday with tours at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.  Admission: $5, Historic New England members and South Berwick residents free.
For more information, contact  (207) 384-2454 or visit www.historicnewengland.org.

Harvey Reid at Hamilton House on Sunday, July 6

Historic New England kicks off its Sundays in the Garden Concert Series at Hamilton House with a performance by Harvey Reid on July 6.  A  local favorite, Reid has garnered national recognition as one of the treasures of American acoustic music.  Reid’s music includes a range of influences from folk to rockabilly and a vast repertoire of traditional and contemporary songs, which he weaves seamlessly together with his own compositions and wry humor.

The gardens of the Hamilton House provide a picturesque setting for these relaxed late-afternoon concerts.  Pack your picnic basket and enjoy great music in a beautiful setting.

The concert begins at 4:00 p.m.  Admission is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, $4 for Historic New England members and children, free for Historic New England Garden and Landscape Members.  Concert goers are welcome to bring their own chair or blanket and picnicking is encouraged.  In case of rain, concerts are held in the garden cottage.

Hamilton House is open for tours the day of the concerts with tours leaving from the garden cottage at 11, 12, 1, 2, 3, and 4 pm.  House tours are $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, $4 for children, and free to Historic New England members.  The price of the house tour is not included with concert admission.

Hamilton House is located on Vaughan’s Lane, adjacent to Vaughn Woods, a mile off Route 236 in South Berwick.  For more information Historic New England at (207) 384-2454 or visit www.historicnewengland.org.

Every year for thirty two years on the last Saturday in June the Strawberry Festival fills the heart of South Berwick with entertainment, food, artisans and strawberry shortcakes.    The festival is run by volunteers and provides an opportunity for local non-profit organizations to raise funds at booths and by selling food to support their important work in the community.

This year adds one more successful festival to the history of South Berwick.  Here are some views of the festival.

Trolleys provide transportation to the festival from points all around the town.  For children, the trolley ride is their first adventure of the festival.

(more…)

South Berwick Strawberry Festival
Saturday, June 28, 2008

Always the last Saturday in June, the South Berwick Strawberry Festival officially kicks off summer. The kids are out of school, camps are open and the weather is getting warm. All over town one can see the bright red, white, and green strawberry flags that not only line the main streets, but can also be seen flying from many houses.   The day is filled with food, entertainment, games, and crafts.

For thirty-two consecutive years hundreds of volunteers from South Berwick have come together to put together a South Berwick tradition. As always, official Festival activities will take place only on the grounds of Central School, on Main Street, in the center of town. A stop at the Strawberry Festival Information Booth is a must to find out more about the day’s schedule for the entertainers, as well as where all the various activities are located and to purchase strawberry festival memorabilia.

This year, the Strawberry Festival Committee is pleased to announce that they will serve their Strawberry Shortcake and Cheesecake on biodegradable bowls, plates and spoons.  We have collaborated with BIOSMART- a company that sells sugar cane Bagasse tableware.  Bagasse is the biomass remaining after sugarcane stalks are crushed to extract their juices. 

Read below to get all the information and find out what to see, do, and how to get involved: (more…)

Salmon Falls Garden Center is hosting a weekend long fundraiser from June 20 through June 22 to support the Great Works Regional Land Trust (GWRLT). Mention GWRLT at checkout and 15% of your purchase will go toward local land conservation.

The fundraiser kicks off tonight (Thurs 6/19) with an Evening in the Garden starting at 5 pm. There will be music and refreshments and an opportunity to meet land trust members. Salmon Falls has a spectacular assortment of peonies and other June blooming plants to enjoy.

This is a great opportunity for gardeners to take advantage of Salmon Falls Garden Center’s end of spring sale and support the Great Works Regional Land Trust at the same time.

Salmon Falls Garden Center is located at 16 Nursery Lane (off of Rt. 236 just north of South Berwick) Berwick, Maine 03901 Hours: 8:30AM-5:30PM. Phone: (207) 384-0120

The Counting House Museum offers visitors “South Berwick’s Attic,” an exhibit of local curios from past generations, and exhibits from the 17th century Chadbourne home site. Regular weekend summer hours are from 1 to 4 pm on Saturdays and Sundays through October. Admission is free.

For over four decades, local families have been placing historic objects in the care of the Old Berwick Historical Society, who own and operate the museum in a textile factory building dating to the 1830s.

Now on display is a bridal gown of the wife of the minister of South Berwick First Baptist Church, Rev. Elisha Sanderson, who lived from c. 1863 to 1939. Their daughter, Abby Sanderson, became a missionary in Asia, and one of her hymn books is on exhibit.

Other mementos pertain to St. Michael’s Church and St. Michael’s School, the latter run in the early 1900s by the Sisters of St. Joseph. St. Michael’s Church was recently purchased by the town of South Berwick. The display also includes an old-fashioned lightning rod sold by a resident of Academy Street, models and relics of gundalows, and a typewriter used at the Cummings Shoe Factory over 100 years ago.

Another exhibit at the Counting House is devoted to the Humphrey and Lucy Chadbourne family, among the first settlers to ever live in present-day South Berwick, about 350 years ago. Remains of the family’s household items and tools from their sawmill are on display.

The Counting House Museum is also a small local history research center offering thousands of documents, photos, and historic objects gathered by local residents. The collection is under the care of local amateur historians or professionals who donate their time and will assist visitors in doing research.

Volunteers are needed to staff the Counting House Museum on occasional afternoons throughout the summer and fall. Previous experience is not required. More information is available at www.obhs.net, by calling (207)384-0000 or by writing info@obhs.net.

Searching for your roots this summer? The South Berwick Public Library now offers the Library Edition of Ancestry, a Web-based tool that allows you to search millions of ancestral records online for FREE!. You can look at military, census, birth and death records, marriage records, past addresses, and immigration information, some going back to the sixteenth century. The program is easy to use, even for beginners. Find out if you have any royalty or scallywags in the branches of your family tree.

The Library is located at 37 Portland St. in South Berwick. It is open Monday and Wednesday from 1 PM to 8 PM, Tuesday and Thursday from 10 AM to 5 PM, Friday from 1 PM to 5 PM, and Saturday from 9 AM to 1 PM.

If you have any questions, please call the Library at 207-384-3308.

Are you ready to get out of the house now that the oppressive heat is gone? Here are two opportunities to enjoy the beauty of a South Berwick June day.

Landscape and Garden Tour, Hamilton House, South Berwick, Me.
Wednesday, June 11, 10-11:30
Phone: 207-384-2454
Admission: $8 Historic New England members, $12 nonmembers
Take part in a special opportunity to learn about the landscape and gardens at Hamilton House with Historic New England’s Piscataqua Region Landscape Manager Gary Wetzel. Imagine the changes in the land as wilderness yielded to a busy commercial waterfront then to farming and, finally, to formal gardens. Learn about the flowers, trees and other plants that surround Hamilton House and how Gary and his gardeners create and maintain the beautiful formal gardens. Pre-registration required.

Sarah Orne Jewett Walking Tour, Sarah Orne Jewett House, South Berwick, Me.
Wednesday, June 11, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
Phone: 207-384-2454
Admission: $5 Historic New England members, $10 nonmembers
Celebrate the life and works of Sarah Orne Jewett with a walking tour of her former haunts. With the Jewett Memorial Committee’s new Sarah Orne Jewett Walking Tour Map in hand join this guided tour on an exploration of the streetscape of downtown S. Berwick. Imagine what life was like during Sarah’s lifetime with stops at places Jewett family members knew and frequented.

South Berwick resident Mary Lou Bagley is a woman of many talents: visual artist, writer, storyteller and actress. This summer she is busy with at least two of her talents.

She is in rehearsal as the Reverend Mother, Mary Regina, for Nunsense, the premiere show of the inaugural season of the Vacationland Theater Co. in Sanford/Springvale, ME. They’ve gathered a fine professional cast and it runs from July 4th (with a free opening night performance) through July 26, 2008. Details at www.vacationlandtheater.com or call 1-866-584-0770. There is reserved seating and air conditioning.

Mary Lou will also be part of a group show at the Haley Art Gallery in Kittery called “Beyond the Ordinary” from June 21 through August. She will be showing 3 art quilts and 2 assemblage pieces in the show.

Rock My Soul Choir in concert
Saturday, May 31, 2008, 7 pm

First Parish Federated Church, 150 Main Street, South Berwick

Root-based, raise-the-rafters gospel music for everyone! This concert will be recorded live for a new CD, so come and help fill the house.

Visit www.gospelmusicproject.org for more information.

Read about the Rock My Soul Choir in theWire

Friends of the South Berwick Library Annual Meeting
Wednesday, May 21, 7 PM in the Town Hall auditorium
Speaker: William Bushnell, book critic
friendsofsouthberwicklibrary.org/

Speaker, William Bushnell of Harpswell, Maine. Mr. Bushnell has been a professional book reviewer and freelance writer for thirteen years. He is professionally affiliated with the National Book Critics Circle and the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance, and teaches a class on book reviewing at the University of Southern Maine.

The Annual Meeting of the Friends will begin at 7 pm with a brief business meeting and a report about the May 19th workshop with the Town Council regarding the St. Michael’s church property. At 7:30 pm, Mr. Bushnell will give us his insights on the art of book reviewing, followed by a question and answer session.

Refreshments will be served.

“A Sailor’s Life for Me!” takes place on May 17 (rain date of May 18), 11am to 3 pm. Admission is free for Historic New England members. Non-member admission for adults is $6 and children is $4. In recognition of Armed Forces Day, kids get in free when mom or dad shows their military identification card.

A day of fun for all ages will take place at the Hamilton House in South Berwick when Historic New England presents “A Sailor’s Life for Me!” children’s festival. Hamilton House, once the location of the town’s landing, has a rich history in maritime activity including shipbuilding and involvement in the East Indies trade. Families are invited to learn about maritime history by exploring the site in search of remains of the old wharf and seeing the house Jonathan Hamilton was able to build through the wealth he accumulated as a privateer and merchant in the late 1800s. Children will enjoy craft activities including scrimshaw carving using soap, making sailor’s valentines, and knot tying. Musician and maritime interpreter Dave Peloquin will entertain with sea chanteys and cooper Ron Raiselis will demonstrate barrel making. Food will be sold on site by The Catered Event.

Hamilton House is located on Vaughan’s Lane, adjacent to Vaughn Woods, a mile off Route 236 in South Berwick. For more information contact the South Berwick Office of Historic New England at (207) 384-2454 or visit www.historicnewengland.org.

Experience a rare opportunity to interact with dozens of artisans in studios as varied as the artists themselves. On exhibit and for sale will be paintings, photography, fiber arts, paper & book arts, jewelry, glass works, mixed-media, collage and assemblage, clocks, children’s books, journals and apparel. Throw in an exotic wandering dance troupe (performances at 12pm and 2 pm), guest musicians such as Seacoast violinist Sam Goodall and flutist Cynthia Chatis (11am), and art stations for children to create their own Mother’s Day cards, and you have a perfect day out for Mom and/or the whole family…

Be sure to check out South Berwick artists’ studios, including Mary Lou Bagley, James Vaughn, Tim Tiebout, and others. (Stop in at my studio and say hi –Molly #452)

For more information: www.millartists.com

Book Sale to benefit Friends of South Berwick Library is ON!
Annual Book Sale, Saturday May 3, 9-1
There is a great selection of books on the porch and under the tent. All the proceeds go to help make the library better for you, your children, and the town. Go today so you can spend tomorrow curled up with a good book.

Orris Falls Hike with Great Works Regional Land Trust is OFF!
Hike scheduled for tomorrow Sunday, May 4, 9:00 am - 11:30 am now scheduled for Sunday, May 11. For more info: http://www.gwrlt.org

Lots to do:

Spaghetti Supper - Maine Hawks AAU Girls Basketball Team
Thursday, May 1 , 4-7pm, Eliot Methodist Church, Rte 236, Eliot.
Adults $5.00 Children under 12 $3.00
Take a night off from cooking and enjoy a good spaghetti dinner.
Where else can you go and feed a family of 4 for under $20 !!!
The Maine Hawks girl’s basketball team is going to Ireland in July to the International Basketball Festival. The girls will play some basketball games and tour Ireland’s beautiful country.

Diva Dress Sale - Marshwood 8th Grade Social
Friday, May 2, 6:30-8:30pm
Saturday, May 3, 10:00am-2:00pm
5 Formal Dresses Donated by Madeline’s Daughter $25 each
Huge Selection of barely used fancy dresses in all sizes $5 & $10 each
To benefit the Marshwood 8th Grade Social – Upstairs at The Little Hat Company

Book Sale to benefit Friends of South Berwick Library
Annual Book Sale, Saturday May 3, 9-1 (raindate May 10)
South Berwick Library, Portland St., South Berwick, ME
It’s fun and it is a big fundraiser for the Friends! Support your local library and get great deals on books.
More Info http://www.friendsofsouthberwicklibrary.org/

Lend a Helping Hand Community Fun Day Great Works School
Penny Sale, Silent & Live Auction
Saturday, May 3, 2008, 2:00pm ~ 6:00pm
Marshwood Great Works School Gymnasium
Penny Sale Tickets on sale now. Tickets are $1.00 for 25 in advance or $2.00 at the door
Admission is FREE ~ Donation Bucket at the door
Please bring a canned food/non-perishable food item as a donation to be given to Footprints Food Pantry in Kittery and the South Berwick Food Pantry
2:00pm-4:00pm ~ Penny Sale & Silent Auction Bidding
4:00pm-5:00pm ~ Prize Distribution
5:00pm-6:00pm ~ Live Auction
Must be present to win!
Join us for Food (served on Green products)
Pony Rides (Lyman Hill Farm)
And more………..

Orris Falls Hike with Great Works Regional Land Trust
Sunday, May 4, 9:00 am - 11:30 am
Meet at the Orris Falls Conservation Area trail head on Thurrell Road. Rain date May 11. FMI call 207-646-3604, 384-2195 or email pattimitchem@gwrlt.org. http://www.gwrlt.org

Hike through on the old colonial trail from Thurrell Road to Emery’s Bridge Road, with stops at the ‘Big Bump’, Orris Falls, Tatnic Ledges and Balancing Rock. In the event high water prevents us from crossing the stream which feeds Orris Falls we will view the Falls, the old foundations, hike to the Big Bump, then head back to the trail head and drive around to Emery’s Bridge Road in order to hike to Balancing Rock and Tatnic Ledges.

Marshwood Travel Soccer Sign-Ups
To be held at the following locations:
Friday, May 9, 6-8pm at the Marshwood Middle School in Eliot, Saturday, May 10, 9-11am at the South Berwick Town Hall and Sunday, May 11, 12-3:30pm at the Agamenticus Soccer Fields in South Berwick.
The registration Fee is $130.00 and the program is open to all 3rd – 8th graders that meet the age guidelines from the towns of Eliot, South Berwick and Rollinsford.
For more information:
http://www.eteamz.com/MarshwoodTravelSoccer

USSF Soccer Referee Class
Saturday & Sunday, May 17 & 18
9:00am-5:00pm at the Marshwood High School Learning Center, South Berwick, ME.
The fee is $85.00 which covers the class and first year of registration. If interested please sign up by email to eliotme@comcast.net Questions, please contact Bob Collins at 207-451-9202. Please include your name, address, phone, email and date of birth including the year when registering. Make checks payable to Bob Collins, checks must be mailed prior to class to finalize registration. Class size is limited.

Old Berwick Historical Society Talk
Thursday, April 24, 2008,7:30 pm
Berwick Academy, Fogg Memorial Building
“The Making of Strawbery Banke “ — Author Dennis Robinson presents the compelling history of this 10 acre museum that was born out of a controversial urban renewal project, and explores the politics of preservation in a small blue collar city amid difficulties that bedevil nonprofit agencies to this day.

Admission is free . At Berwick Academy, please enter on the Fogg Memorial driveway and use the parking lot at the top of the hill. Info: phone (207)384-0000 or www.obhs.net

Old Berwick Historical Society Walking Tour of Old Fields Burying Ground
Saturday, April 26, 1:00 pm (rain date: Saturday, May 3) Free of charge

South Berwick’s former community cemetery is located near the corner of Vine and Brattle Streets. Dating from the 1600s, it contains the graves of early colonists, veterans’ from the Civil War, and soldiers of the American Revolution. The community’s main church stood here and residents worked at sawmills on the Great Works River and a shipyard near the Hamilton House.  Info: phone (207)384-0000 or www.obhs.net

A new self-guided walking tour brochure leads South Berwick residents and visitors down streets, past shops, houses, and other nineteenth-century sites prominent in the life of author Sarah Orne Jewett.

The public is invited to a free reception celebrating the release of the brochure at the Counting House Museum on Sunday, April 20, at 3:00 p.m. Garden historian Nancy Wetzel will read from Jewett’s “Looking Back on Girlhood,” an account of life in South Berwick in the 1850s. Refreshments will be served.

Written by the Jewett-Eastman Memorial Committee, a citizens’ group that maintains and manages Jewett’s 1854 home as the South Berwick Public Library, the brochure welcomes and informs visitors and seeks to draw local citizens downtown. It is available free at local businesses and municipal buildings.

“The tour invites visitors to stroll through this river town, as Jewett beckoned readers up its elm-lined streets in her fiction. We wanted to encourage walking traffic in the historic center at a time when South Berwick is working to revitalize,” said JEM member Nina Maurer. (more…)

“From a Poet’s Pen”
A concert of choral music inspired by poetry and verses from throughout the centuries and around the globe, the program includes settings of contemporary texts, the Psalms, Native American writings, classical and folk text, Thoreau, Whitman and other American poets and more. Also included is music by Brahms and Mennin. For this concert, the Community Chorus at South Berwick commissioned Charles Kaufmann of Portland, Maine, for an original composition using text by a contemporary Maine poet. Mr. Kaufmann has chosen for his work “Spheres”, the poem by University of Maine professor, Constance Hunting (1932-2006). Read more about “Spheres.”

Friday, April 4 at 8:00pm, Whipple Arts Theater, Berwick Academy, South Berwick, ME

Saturday, April 5 at 7:30pm, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church,Dover, NH

Sunday, April 6 at 3:00pm, Christ Church Episcopal, Portsmouth, NH

Tickets are $10 at the door, $8 for students and seniors. Advance tickets at $8 are available at P. Gagnon and Sons, 215 Main St., South Berwick; Gary’s Guitars, 800 Islington St., Portsmouth; and York Flower Shop, 241 York Street, York. More info at CCSB web site.

On April 3, 4, and 5^th Marshwood High School presents Godspell, one of the biggest Broadway successes of all time. The show is based on the gospel of Saint Matthew and is the story of Jesus and his disciples. The Marshwood production takes a modern look at Godspell,–and as societal divisions persist and current events echo those when Godspell first opened in the 70’s, during the height of the Vietnam War—-that message resonates still. Set in an urban, graffiti filled, back alley, with a rock band positioned behind chain link fence, Marshwood’s modern day version shows how a community can be formed around a humble young man with a simple and profound message.

Marshwood uses the same music which includes; “Day by Day,” “All Good Gifts,” “Save the People” and “By My Side,” but with a more modern day rock feel. Junior Dakota Fisher, portrays Jesus, as a gentle, yet charismatic young leader in the present day. Judas, played by junior Michael Aldrich, is Jesus’ follower and disciple, until he ultimately betrays him symbolizing the importance that society has place on money and vanity. All the other disciples, also played by Marshwood students, portray roles you might find in modern day society; i.e. waitress, mechanic, homeless person, environmentalist, rocker, college student, etc…

“The production of Godspell, seems to be the biggest challenge I’ve faced so far in putting on a high school musical,” states director Tanya West. “It was not so much about memorizing their lines as much as it was about their journey of understanding the script and the songs, the lessons they were learning and the community they built together. It was important that, while rehearsing almost every day for the last 3 months, each student eventually discover their own meaning or interpretation of the Godspell script and its underlying message. I wanted them to find their own voice and discover how they could positively contribute to the community.”

This 17 student ensemble cast, will perform onstage at the Wesley E. Kennedy Performing Arts Center located within Marshwood High School for three nights only - April 3rd, 4th and 5th - show times: 7:00 pm. You can purchase tickets online at www.msad35.net or at the Marshwood High school main office located on 260 Route 236 South Berwick, Maine 03908. For more information call the high school at (207) 384-4500.

Susan is happy with her life. Really! At least she thought she was, until the strains of Peggy Lee’s, “Is That All There Is?” started reverberating in her head. Now she’s not so sure. Susan figures this may be as good a time as any to go searching for the meaning of life. She’s hoping this will take about seventy minutes, not counting intermission.

South Berwick’s Poolyle Productions presents the premiere of “Shutting Up Peggy Lee!”, the newest play from the team that brought you “Ida: Woman Who Runs With the Moose!,” “Spousal Deafness and Other Bones of Contention” and “In My Head I’m Thin.” Written and performed by Susan Poulin, with set design by Gordon Carlisle, “Shutting Up Peggy Lee!” is not really about becoming middle aged. It’s about reaching that point in your life where you feel like you’ve arrived, then realizing, “Now what?” Well, maybe it is about being middle aged. Only funnier.

“Shutting Up Peggy Lee!” runs March 28-30 and April 4-6 at The West End Studio Theatre, 959 Islington Street, Portsmouth, NH, Friday & Saturday at 8:00pm, and Sunday at 3:00pm. Tickets are $20, $18 for students and seniors. As seating is limited, reservations are strongly recommended. Call 207-384-4526 or email info@poolyle.com. For more on Poolyle Productions, check out their website at www.poolyle.com.

Susie Burke & David Surette will be appearing at the Elysium Arts Folk Club in the second of their Cabin Fever Concert Series. This intimate, “house concert”-style series features a creative collaboration with local or regional musicians; the informal and intimate format is designed to promote the innovative and the unexpected.

This Saturday, Susie and David’s guest will be bluegrassers Ellen Carlson, Matt Shipman and Todd Jones, of High Range.

Here are the details:
March 15, 2008, 8:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Elysium Arts Folk Club , Lower Mill, Front St., Rollinsford NH
Cost: $12.00 - Preorder tickets by email: info@elysiumarts.com or call: 603.743.4700

This Saturday Powderhouse Hill Ski Club is offering a day of fun skiing and racing for all ages and abilities. Admission is free with $5 lift ticket. Skiers and boarders are welcome and can register anytime between 9:30 am and 1 PM.

The course will be open for racing from 10-2. The best times in each category will receive recognition. Age categories: 0-6, 7-8, 9-12, 13-16, 17-20, 21-40, and 41 and up. Lift operating hours from 10 am to 4 pm on the day of the Challenge.

For more information email, info@powderhousehill.com, call 207.384.5858 or visit the Powderhouse Hill web site.

Local music lovers will have the opportunity to hear the first public performance of “Spheres”, a choral cantata by Charles Kaufmann of Portland, Maine, on April 4-6. The piece will be performed by the Community Chorus at South Berwick.

The Community Chorus at South Berwick commissioned the Kaufmann work, which is based on poetry by the late Constance Hunting, University of Maine professor and poet, as the centerpiece of its spring concert series, “From a Poet’s Pen”, featuring choral music inspired by poetic texts of many ages and cultures. Other selections range from the Psalms to Thoreau and Whitman, with music from Brahms, Schubert, Washburn, Parker and many others.

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South Berwick resident Bob Cook is starting a new co-ed softball team that will play in the Dover Adult Co-Ed League in Rollinsford. He is looking for some more men and women, at least 18 years old, who would like to play. He wants to create a laid-back team of people who want to enjoy playing a great game with like-minded individuals.

The team even has a blog! Go to the Beacons blog to find information about the new team.

Bob is hoping to finalize the roster by the end of March and then hold some informal practices in April. The season begins around Mother’s Day weekend.

Contact Bob Cook by March 26 at 603-978-1326 or by email at robert.cook26@comcast.net .

Great Works Regional Land Trust’s 15th Annual Spring Auction: Conservation Matters is coming up on Saturday March 8, 2008 at Spring Hill Restaurant in South Berwick and there are only 50 tickets left. Last year’s auction was sold out, so get your tickets soon. Go to www.gwrlt.org for details.

As always, there is a great selection to bid on, including the perennial favorites of gravel, manure and fuel oil.

Some hot items this year include an Old Town kayak, a day with Portsmouth Brewery master brewer Tod Mott, a guided Orris Falls hike, Balancing Rock, of an original watercolor by Roger Morin, The ‘Placenames of South Berwick’ Guided Tour, and a porcelain platter by well-known potter Tim Christensen

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