Juston McKinney
2023-04-15 20:00 (America/New_York) | Waterville Opera House, 1 Common Street, Waterville, ME, United States
Date: April 15, 2023 at 8:00pm
Organization: Waterville Opera House
Venue: Waterville Opera House, 1 Common St, Waterville, ME
This event is eligible for the Youth Arts Access Fund.

With multiple appearances on The Tonight Show, two Comedy Central specials, and two Amazon Prime specials, including his latest, Parentally Challenged, it’s no wonder the New York Times called Juston McKinney, “Destined for stardom.”
Juston was born in Portsmouth, NH where he grew up until the sixth grade. That’s when his aunt and dad, wanting to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life, packed up the family of eight and moved north. To Kittery, ME. After attending the — very prestigious — Southern Maine Community College, he spent 7 years as a York County Deputy Sheriff, patrolling the woods. In the late 1990’s, he traded in his badge for a microphone and went from York County to New York City to pursue a career in comedy. He quickly became a regular at Comic Strip Live, Stand-Up New York, Dangerfield’s, Gotham Comedy Club, Caroline’s on Broadway and the New York Times called him, “Destined for stardom.” Juston would go on to sign sitcom development deals with Warner Brothers, CBS, IFC and Comedy Central.
He has appeared on numerous Comedy Central shows including his half-hour Comedy Central Presents special and his own one-hour special. He has appeared several times on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien as well as a Showtime Comedy Special with Rob Gronkowski. He has appeared twice at Denis Leary’s, Comics Come Home at the TD Garden. His TV & movie credits include The King of Queens, 100 Centre Street, The Zoo Keeper, and Here Comes the Boom. He recently wrote and starred in the short film, “Suck It Up,” which screened at the NH Film Festival. He was awarded “Best Acting Performance”.
He currently lives in New Hampshire with his wife, kids and dogs. When not “dadding” he can be seen touring theaters and clubs all over the country.
Juston just release his new Comedy Special, “On the Brightside” for FREE on YouTube! Watch it and then come see his whole NEW Show!!
Tickets: $28. Price includes a per ticket handling fee. Tickets are nonrefundable. This event is eligible for the Youth Arts Access Fund.
TICKETS

Jo Dee Messina: Heads Carolina, Tails California
2024-06-06 18:30 | Bowl in the Pines, Snow Pond Center for the Arts, Geranium Lane (off Route 23), Sidney, ME
Jo Dee Messina is one of the most iconic country artists of the '90s and '00s and still has a reputation as one of the genre's most passionate, high-energy performers. In 1996, she kicked off her notable career with "Heads Carolina, Tails California," a single that immediately made her a household name.
Following the success of her debut, Jo Dee posted nine No. 1 hits and sixteen Top 40 songs and has been recognized by the ACM Awards, CMA Awards and GRAMMY Awards. As Jo Dee's resumé grew, she proved to be a trendsetter and history-maker, becoming the first female in country music history to celebrate three consecutive multi-week, chart-topping songs.
Over the years, Jo Dee has amassed over half a billion streams on Pandora, hundreds of millions of album and song streams on Spotify and Apple Music, and millions of views on YouTube. Her impressive listenership recently earned her acknowledgment for having one of the Top 20 country albums of the 1990s on Spotify. Additionally, her social media accounts are collectively followed by millions of fans.
Jo Dee has been traveling the country for many years, receiving rave reviews for her authenticity, commitment and openness on stage. Hoping to inspire and enlighten fans from all walks of life with every step she takes, Jo Dee has made it her mission to present herself and her story with honesty, inviting fans to see behind the masquerade. For complete information and upcoming tour dates, please visit www.JoDeeMessina.com and follow @jodeemessina on Instagram, TikTok and on Facebook.
Opening act TBA.
Tickets: $40 - $60 per person + $10 for onsite parking.
TICKETS

Community Draw
2025-04-09 18:00 | Ticonic Gallery, Schupf Art Center, 93 Main St, Waterville, ME, 04901
Date: Wednesday, April 9 at 6pm
Organization: Ticonic Gallery + Studios
Venue: Paul J. Schupf Art Center, 93 Main Street, Waterville, ME
This event is eligible for the Youth Arts Access Fund.
Seasoned and aspiring artists are invited to join this costumed figure drawing session to refine their skills in a welcoming, supportive environment. Bring your preferred media—charcoal, pastels, paint, tablet, etc.—Ticonic will supply the chairs, model, and plenty of camaraderie.
All levels of experience are welcome. Each class will begin with a quick drawing warm-up exercise, followed by timed, open-drawing sessions. There will be an optional 15-minute sharing of work after class.
More Info and tickets

National Theatre Live: Dr. Strangelove
2025-04-12 12:00 - 14:30 | Maine Film Center, 93 Main St., Waterville, ME
Date: April 12 at 12pm
Runtime: 2 hours 30 minutes
MPA Rating: R
Organization: Maine Film Center
Venue: Maine Film Center, 93 Main Street, Waterville, Maine
This film is eligible for the Youth Arts Access Fund.

Seven-time BAFTA award-winner Steve Coogan plays four roles in the world premiere stage adaptation of Stanley Kubrick’s comedy masterpiece Dr. Strangelove. This explosively funny satire, about a rogue U.S. general who triggers a nuclear attack, is led by a world-renowned creative team including Emmy-winner Armando Iannucci (The Thick of It, Veep) and Olivier-winner Sean Foley (The Upstart Crow).
tickets + trailer

Fairfield Downtown Plan Public Workshop
2025-04-15 18:00 | Fairfield Community Center, 61 Water St, Fairfield, ME, United States
Fairfield, ME – April 3, 2025 – The Town of Fairfield’s Economic and Community Development Committee (FECDC) and the Central Maine Growth Council (CMGC) have launched a planning initiative focused on the redevelopment and revitalization of Fairfield’s downtown area. A key phase of the planning efforts include participation from Fairfield residents and business owners to collect public input, which will inform the downtown plan. Included in the public input strategy is a digital survey, and public workshop.
Fairfield’s Downtown Plan Public Workshop will be held on April 15, at 6:00 PM at the Fairfield Community Center located at 61 Water St. Presented by CMGC, the workshop will feature interactive and informational boards that highlight progress on the Downtown Plan, allowing residents and business owners to visualize proposed concepts and provide valuable input. CMGC will offer an overview of what the Town has accomplished from the previous plan, and provide updates on the proposed and planned timeline for developing a new set of goals and priorities. This hands-on opportunity for the public to interact with committee members and Town leadership will ensure that community members can engage directly with the planning process and influence the next stages of downtown development.
The survey is designed to solicit feedback on various aspects of downtown development, including land use, housing, transportation, waterfront enhancements, economic growth, and community amenities. The results will provide the FECDC, CMGC, and Fairfield Town Council with critical insights to guide the allocation of resources, prioritize capital investments, and create a vibrant, thriving downtown that meets the evolving needs of residents and business owners.
The survey invites participants to provide input on a wide range of topics, including:

Prioritizing new business development, public green spaces, and housing opportunities.
Evaluating opportunities for enhancing the downtown waterfront with parks, trails, and gathering spaces.
Identifying transportation improvements, such as cycling infrastructure, public transit options, and enhanced walkability.
Assessing the types of housing and business developments that should be encouraged in various zones of the downtown area.

The FECDC and CMGC will use the survey results, along with the feedback gathered during the public workshop, to prioritize investments, support business growth, and ultimately, craft a plan that is reflective of the shared needs and vision for growth of Fairfield's residents and businesses. All residents and business owners are encouraged to participate in the survey.

Bard's Birthday Bash
2025-04-19 09:00 - 17:00 | Downtown Waterville, Main Street at Common Street, Waterville, ME
Join the Recycled Shakespeare Company for the annual celebration of all things Shakespeare. The Waterville Public Library is one of the first stops on the Sonnet Stroll, a walk around downtown Waterville where they strive to recommence the reading of all 154 sonnets, interspersed with monologues and songs from his plays. Come listen to the recitations or join in with a reading of your own!
All ages are welcome!

Brick
2025-04-21 19:00 - 21:00 | Maine Film Center, 93 Main St., Waterville, ME
Cinema in conversation: Brick
Date: April 21 at 7pm
Runtime: 1 hour 50 minutes
MPA Rating: R
Organization: Maine Film Center
Venue: Maine Film Center, 93 Main Street, Waterville, Maine
Free and open to all, ticket reservations encouraged.

With an introduction and presentation from Steve Wurtzler!
Gritty neo-noir meets high school social cliques in Brick, Rian Johnson's (American Fiction) directorial debut. After the smart but troubled loner Brendan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) receives a cryptic phone call from his ex-girlfriend Emily, he is shocked to find a note that leads him to her dead body. Investigating the cause of Emily's death and determined to find her killer, Brendan must infiltrate the rougher groups at his school and figure out the connection between Emily and a local drug ring. But danger lurks around every corner, and Brendan soon realizes that people are willing to kill to keep their secrets buried. A terrific cult classic and filled with references to iconic films, Brick is "a Maltese Falcon where the stuff that dreams are made of rests in the lockers of a well-worn high school"—Michael Sragow, Baltimore Sun.
Before the film, Steve Wurtzler, Associate Professor and Chair of Cinema Studies at Colby College, will introduce Brick in terms of its relationship to the film noir, a cycle of post-World War II crime films notable for their disillusioned world view, their characters' apparent moral ambiguity, and the films' dark visual style, and discuss how Brick relocates common conventions of the genre to the unconventional setting of a California high school.

Reserve Free tickets

Saving Walden’s World
2025-04-22 18:30 - 20:00
Date: April 22 at 6:30pm
Runtime: 1 hour 29 minutes
MPA Rating: Not Rated
Organization: Maine Film Center
Venue: Maine Film Center, 93 Main Street, Waterville, Maine
Free and open to all, ticket reservations encouraged.

Followed by a Q+A with filmmaker Jim Merkel!
When young military engineer and arms dealer Jim Merkel realizes his work is harming families in less affluent societies, he has an ethical crisis and begins a decades-long journey to make the world a better place. Saving Walden's World follows Jim as he raises Walden, a budding young scientist, and meets powerful women who reshape society to work for all. Far from affluent utopias, Kerala, Cuba, and Slovenia offer women free college, access to contraception, maternity leave, childcare, dentistry and healthcare—services unimaginable in much of Jim’s blue-collar America. And as temperatures soar around the globe, the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Co-presented with the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association.
Reserve Free tickets

Wonka-Fest
2025-04-24 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-04-25 13:00 - 15:00, 2025-04-26 12:30 - 14:30 | Waterville Public Library, 73 Elm Street, Waterville, ME
Spring Break Family Movies: Wonka-Fest!
Visit the library during spring break for a trio of sweet films based on Roald Dahl's classic children's novel "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory".
Thursday, 04/24, 1-3pm: Wonka (2024)
Friday, 04/25, 1-3pm: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
Saturday 04/26, 12:30-2:30pm: Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Free fun for the whole family! Children 7 and under must bring their adult.
More info

Healthy Kids Day
2025-04-26 09:00 - 12:00 | Alfond Youth & Community Center, 126 North Street, Waterville, ME
Kids will enjoy arts and crafts, snack creation, nutrition activities,fun games, and give-aways and prizes. As they complete each activity, they’ll earn stickers in their “Activity Passport”. Fill the passport and receive a FREE youth admission to Open Swim or NinjAdventure Zone funded by Kiwanis of Greater Waterville!
learn more

Sports Illustrators Opening Reception
2025-05-02 17:00 - 19:00 | Ticonic Gallery, Schupf Art Center, 93 Main St, Waterville, ME, 04901
Organization: Waterville Creates + Illustration Institute

Venue:Ticonic Gallery, 93 Main Street, Waterville, Maine
Date: May 2, 5–7pm

Join us May 2 from 5–7pm for the opening reception of Sports Illustrators in conjunction with downtown Waterville’s First Friday event.
Sports Illustrators, curated by Illustration Institute, explores the stories of sports and athletes through visual art. Sports are the source of popular lore, legend, tall tales and poignant histories across cultures. This exhibition showcases renowned illustrators’ vision of a wide range of sports.
LEARN MORE

Maine Pottery Tour 2025
2025-05-03 10:00 - 17:00 | Ticonic Clay Studio, Schupf Art Center, 93 Main Street, Waterville, ME
Join Art of Clay Studio members as they participate in the Maine Pottery Tour, an annual statewide tour of clay studios in Maine! Visitors on Saturday will be able to view the clay studio, purchase pottery created by clay studio members, and enjoy demonstrations from potters.
Maine Pottery Tour is funded in part by a grant from the Maine Arts Commission, an independent state agency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.
more info

Choral Masterworks
2025-05-03 19:30, 2025-05-04 15:00 | Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts, Colby College, Mayflower Hill Drive, Waterville
On May 3 and 4 - the annual Choral Masterworks concert offers two memorial pieces: Johannes Brahms’s Nanie (1881), a transcendant threnody written to honor a young artist-friend, and Joel Thompson’s intimate seven-movement cantata, Seven Last Words of the Unarmed (2015), a choral setting of the final words of Black men murdered by police officers. The concert will also celebrate a student soloist, the winner of Colby’s annual Concerto Competition, and the orchestra will perform Aaron Copland’s lively one-act ballet, Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes.
RESERVE FREE TICKETS

Team Day
2025-05-10 11:00 - 14:30 | Schupf Art Center, 93 Main Street, Waterville, ME, United States
Date: Saturday, May 10
Time: 11am–2:30pm
Organization: Ticonic Gallery + Studios
Venue: Paul J. Schupf Art Center, 93 Main Street, Waterville, ME
Most events are FREE. The film is eligible for the Youth Arts Access Fund.

Step up to the plate and experience Sports Illustrators, the new exhibition at the Ticonic Gallery!
Youth, rec, and school spring sports teams—from softball and baseball to track—are invited to join us for a home run of a day. Enjoy bagels and smoothies, view the exhibition, design a sneaker that’s sure to score, create team pendants to rally your fans, and watch the classic film A League of Their Own (ticket required). It’s a celebration of sports through art!
11am - 12:30pm
Exhibition Viewing
View the Sports Illustrators exhibition with curators Scott + Nancy Nash from Illustration Institute. Free, no registration required.
Sneaker Design Workshop with Eamon White
Design your own sneaker as sculpture with graphic designer and shoe customizer Eamon White. Free, but pre-registration is required (below).
Team Pendant Workshop
Bring your team together for a creative bonding experience! Each member designs a unique pendant, which is then strung together as a symbol of unity. Take it to your next game and rally your fans in style! Free, no registration required.
12:30 - 2:30pm
A League of Their Own at Maine Film Center
Enjoy this 1992 classic on the big screen about the first female professional baseball league. "There's no crying in baseball!" Eligible for the Youth Arts Access Fund. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets.

LEARN MORE

Friends Camp Volunteer Work Weekend
2025-05-16 - 2025-05-19 | Friends Camp, 729 Lakeview Drive, South China, ME
Our annual volunteer work weekend is happening Friday, May 16 - Sunday, May 18 at Friends Camp! Work weekend is an opportunity to spend time at camp, helping prepare the property for the summer alongside others who care about camp. Volunteers should come prepared to participate in physical labor. Children are welcome to attend, but there is no kid's program for the weekend, so families should plan on supervising their children the whole time. Use this link or click the button below to register! Volunteers are welcome to join for all of or any part of the weekend. Meals will be served from Friday dinner through Sunday breakfast. More information, including a packing list, will be sent out at a later date.
Tasks will include:

raking & clearing pathways
removing leaves and debris from cabin areas
cleaning
preparing the camp kitchen
preparing flower & vegetable gardens
minor carpentry projects
outdoor painting

If you have skills in a particular area, like carpentry, painting, gardening, or you own tools or equipment that could be useful for any of these project, please let us know! We are especially appreciative when people can lend their skills to camp.
Register to volunteer!

American Triplets
2025-06-01 15:00 | Pleasant Street United Methodist Church, 61 Pleasant Street, Waterville, ME
For our next concert, we will be performing three pieces each from six American composers. The concert should be lots of fun. It will benefit the Elm City Community Music School located at Railroad Square in Waterville!
Admission remains the same, a suggested donation of $15.00. Feel free to give more; students are always free.
All of our proceeds after expenses will go to the music school. We remain a 501(c)3 charitable non-profit corporation. None of our people are paid, and our singers pay dues to subsidize our costs for music and rental space to rehearse.

Trampled by Turtles
2025-07-26 19:30 | Waterville Opera House, 1 Common Street, Waterville, ME, United States
Trampled By Turtles w/ Breakin' Strings
Date: Saturday, July 26 at 7:30pm
Organization: Waterville Opera House
Venue: Waterville Opera House, 1 Common Street, Waterville, Maine
This event is eligible for the Youth Arts Access Fund.
For this event, the orchestra section is "General Admission".
The balcony is "Reserved Seating".
Trampled by Turtles are from Duluth, Minnesota, where frontman Dave Simonett initially formed the group as a side project in 2003. At the time, Simonett had lost most of his music gear, thanks to a group of enterprising car thieves who'd ransacked his vehicle while he played a show with his previous band. Left with nothing more than an acoustic guitar, he began piecing together a new band, this time taking inspiration from bluegrass, folk, and other genres that didn't rely on amplification.
Simonett hadn't played any bluegrass music before, and he filled his lineup with other newcomers to the genre, including fiddler Ryan Young (who'd previously played drums in a speed metal act) and bassist Tim Saxhaug. Along with mandolinist Erik Berry and banjo player Dave Carroll, the group began carving out a fast, frenetic sound that owed as much to rock & roll as bluegrass.
There crossover appeal has landed them on the #1 spot of Billboard’s Bluegrass Charts on every record they’ve released while playing marquee festivals like Coachella, ACL Fest, and Lollapalooza. Countless tours with diverse artists ranging Shakey Graves, Zach Bryan, Wilco, Caamp, Mt Joy, Willie Nelson, Avett Brothers, Lord Huron and many more have followed solidifying a loyal fanbase. Their last full length album Alpenglow was produced by Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy. 2025 began with the band releasing a cover of Bon Iver’s From Emma with Caamp’s Taylor Meier (aka Sumbuck) on lead vocals. A few new collaborations are set to be announced in the coming weeks.
More Info and Tickets

Meet Up with Central Maine Pride!
2025-08-20 17:30 - 19:00 | Greene Block + Studios, 18 Main Street, Waterville, ME
Meet up with Central Maine Pride to learn more about the organization, build LGBTQIA+ community, and see how you can get involved.
This is an open meeting facilitated by Central Maine Pride steering committee members to share about our work, hear from you how we can continue to support and celebrate LGBTQIA+ people in Central Maine, and invite more members to join the steering committee. If you are interested in getting more involved to help plan events (like the Pride Festival earlier this summer), engage local organizations and businesses, and build stronger community, we hope to see you there!
This event is free and open to all. There will be snacks!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/1988104212003895

Community Draw
2025-09-10 18:00 - 20:00 | Ticonic Gallery, Schupf Art Center, 93 Main St, Waterville, ME, 04901
Date: Wednesday, September 10, 2025 at 6-8pm
Organization: Ticonic Gallery + Studios
Venue: Paul J. Schupf Art Center, 93 Main Street, Waterville, ME
This event is eligible for the Youth Arts Access Fund.

Seasoned and aspiring artists are invited to join this costumed figure drawing session to refine their skills in a welcoming, supportive environment. Bring your preferred media—charcoal, pastels, paint, tablet, etc.—Ticonic will supply the chairs, model, and plenty of camaraderie.
All levels of experience are welcome. Each class will begin with a quick drawing warm-up exercise, followed by timed, open-drawing sessions. There will be an optional 15-minute sharing of work after class.

Start Making Sense
2025-09-12 20:00 | Waterville Opera House, 1 Common Street, Waterville, ME, United States
Date: Friday, September 12 at 8pm
Organization: Waterville Opera House
Venue: Waterville Opera House, 1 Common Street, Waterville, Maine
This event is eligible for the Youth Arts Access Fund.

Back by popular demand!
If David Byrne is one of the geniuses of modern times, then Start Making Sense is a tribute to genius. The musicians in this 7–10 piece Talking Heads Tribute take pride in faithfully recreating the music of Talking Heads’ entire career. Together they bring much of the Heads’ unique live show to the stage, with front man Jon Braun as a spot-on David Byrne, giving you a "once in a lifetime" experience. Prepare yourself for a rockin’, funkin’, danceable celebration of the new-wave art punk you loved from the ’80s!
TICKETS + INFO

Family Storytime
2025-09-13 13:30 - 14:15 | Waterville Public Library, 73 Elm Street, Waterville, ME
Family Storytime: Back to School Stories
September 13, 2025 • 1:30 pm - 2:15 pm
Location: Children's Room, Waterville Public Library

Join us for stories focused on starting the new school year, followed by a simple craft.
------
What is Family Storytime?
Fun for children and their caregivers with music, movement, and a bit more reading than Rhymetime. The target audience is 5-8 years of age, but ALL are welcome!
Questions? Call 207-872-5433 or email ldavis@watervillelibrary.org.

Waterville Farmers’ Market
2025-09-25 14:00 - 18:00, 2025-10-02 14:00 - 18:00 | Head of Falls, Temple Street at Front Street, Waterville, ME, 04901, United States
Waterville Farmers’ Market is now open and at Head of Falls from 2- 6 p.m.
every Thursday.
Support local wherever, whenever and however you can!
The smallest gesture can make the biggest impact.

Support a local farmer | Serving the people of the Waterville area since 2006.

Matt Fraser
2025-09-26 20:00 | Waterville Opera House, 1 Common Street, Waterville, ME, United States
Matt Fraser is America's Top Psychic Medium and the star of the hit television series on E! Entertainment.
With his sold-out live events, captivating television appearances, and powerful spiritual teachings, Matt has brought healing, hope, and laughter to a global audience. His extraordinary ability to connect with the other side has made him a trusted figure for people seeking closure, guidance, and connection with their loved ones.
TICKETS + INFO

Taylor Swift | The Official Release Party of a Showgirl
2025-10-03 - 2025-10-04, 2025-10-04 - 2025-10-05 | Maine Film Center, 93 Main St., Waterville, ME
Date: October 3–5
Runtime: 1 hour 29 minutes
MPA Rating: Not Rated
Organization: Maine Film Center
Venue: Maine Film Center, 93 Main Street, Waterville, Maine
This film is eligible for the Youth Arts Access Fund.

October 3, 4, and 5 only!
Fans can celebrate the release of Taylor Swift’s hugely anticipated 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, with Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl. Audiences will see the exclusive world premiere of the music video, “The Fate of Ophelia,” along with behind-the-scenes footage from the music video shoot, brand new lyric videos, and Taylor’s never-before-seen personal reflections on songs from her upcoming album. Taylor’s previous concert movie, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, was the most successful concert film ever!

tickets

Rhymetime
2025-10-03 10:30 - 11:00 | Waterville Public Library, 73 Elm Street, Waterville, ME
Come to the Children's Department every Friday at 10:30am for songs and stories for babies, toddlers, and their families.
The themes for October 2025 are:
10/03: Letter "D"
10/10: Letter "E"
10/17: Letter "F"
10/24: Letter "G"
10/31: Letter "H"
For More Information: Call 207.872.5433 or email librarian@watervillelibrary.org
