Showing 1–27 of 27 finds
The Farnsworth Art Museum's library (16 Museum St., Rockland) hosts a free Braiding Circle led by Verónica Pèrez on Wednesday, July 15 (1–3 PM). A hands-on, communal gathering bringing together braiding traditions and conversation — open to all ages and skill levels at the museum.
The Farnsworth Art Museum's Gamble Education Center (9 Grace St., Rockland) hosts a five-day plein air watercolor workshop with artist Timothy James Standring, July 6–10 (10 AM–4 PM daily). Participants paint on location in and around Rockland under an experienced instructor — a hands-on summer art immersion for adults.
Maine Friends of Music presents a free afternoon concert at the Farnsworth Library (16 Museum St., Rockland) on Thursday, June 25 from 2–3 PM. A welcoming, intimate gathering of local music lovers at one of downtown Rockland's great cultural institutions.
Rockland's First Friday Art Walk returns on July 10 (moved from July 3 due to the holiday weekend), with the Farnsworth Art Museum opening its doors 5–7 PM for the monthly free evening. Visitors can explore current galleries — including the new Betsy James Wyeth show and the "Maine: A Force Within American Art" exhibition — alongside 20+ downtown galleries joining the walk.
The Farnsworth Art Museum hosts a free virtual opening for its new exhibition "By Design: The Worlds of Betsy James Wyeth" on Monday, June 29 (6:30–7:30 PM). Betsy James Wyeth — wife of Andrew Wyeth and tireless champion of his legacy — was herself a significant cultural force, and this show explores her aesthetic world at the museum's home in Rockland.
The Strand Theatre brings "Exhibition on Screen: Caravaggio" to Rockland on August 15 and August 25 — an immersive cinematic look at the baroque master whose dramatic use of light transformed Western painting. Filmed at landmark international museum exhibitions.
The Strand Theatre screens "Exhibition on Screen: Turner & Constable" on July 18 and July 28 — a cinematic deep-dive into the two titans of British landscape painting and their revolutionary influence on art history. Part of the Strand's ongoing Exhibition on Screen series bringing major museum shows to Rockland.
The Strand Theatre screens "Exhibition on Screen: David Hockney at the Royal Academy of Arts" on July 5 and 9 — an intimate documentary featuring in-depth interviews with one of the most influential living painters, filmed at his landmark London retrospective. A rare cinematic look at a master at work.
National Theatre Live screens Arthur Miller's "All My Sons" starring Bryan Cranston and Marianne Jean-Baptiste at the Strand Theatre (345 Main St., Rockland) on August 29 and September 8. A gripping production of the classic American drama about family, wartime profit, and moral responsibility.
National Theatre Live brings Helen Mirren's acclaimed performance as Queen Elizabeth II to the Strand Theatre (345 Main St., Rockland) on July 11 and 21. In Moira Buffini's play, the monarch grants private weekly audiences to Prime Ministers spanning her 60-year reign — a landmark production from London's Gillian Lynne Theatre.
National Public Radio regular and stand-up comedian Paula Poundstone brings her conversational, observational humor to the Strand Theatre (345 Main St., Rockland) on Friday, August 21. A rare chance to see a major comedy name at an intimate midcoast venue.
The Strand Theatre (345 Main St., Rockland) hosts a live improvisational comedy show from BlueBird Improv on Friday, July 24. A fun, unpredictable night at one of the midcoast's most beloved small venues.
The Strand Theatre's free outdoor Sunshine Series wraps up August 8 with "mAyHeM" — a wild juggling, comedy, and circus-variety show by Janoah the Jester at the Safe Harbor Gazebo in Rockland. Perfect family entertainment at the waterfront.
The Strand Theatre's free outdoor Sunshine Series continues July 22 with Sandglass Theater's "OMA" at the Safe Harbor Gazebo in downtown Rockland — puppetry and visual theater for kids and families from the Vermont-based company known for object-based storytelling.
The Strand Theatre's free outdoor Sunshine Series brings Khmer Maine Dance Company to the Safe Harbor Gazebo in Rockland on Wednesday, July 8 — classical Cambodian dance performed outdoors for kids and families. The series continues July 22 with Sandglass Theater's "Oma."
A compelling new live performance at Rockland's Strand Theatre on Tuesday, July 7: the Halcyon String Quartet joins singer-songwriter Alisa Amador for an evening exploring climate resilience stories through music. An unusual and timely pairing of chamber music and Americana at one of Maine's most beloved small theaters.
The Walrus brings a full Beatles tribute concert to the Strand Theatre (345 Main St., Rockland) on Friday, June 26 — also a fundraiser for the Strand's sound system upgrade. A chance to support a beloved local venue while enjoying classic Beatles music live.
World-renowned Irish duo Máire Ní Chathasaigh (harp) and Chris Newman (guitar) bring their signature blend of Irish traditional music, hot jazz, bluegrass, and baroque to 75 Mechanic St. in Rockland on Saturday, June 20 at 7 PM. Admission is $25 at the door; seating is open and first-come, limited capacity.
CMCA's annual fundraiser returns on Wednesday, July 8 (6–9 PM) with cocktails, a raw oyster bar, and a movable feast at 21 Winter Street in downtown Rockland. Tickets are on sale at cmcanow.org; proceeds support the museum's exhibitions and education programs.
Marking America's 250th anniversary, the Farnsworth Art Museum is presenting 150 works spanning 1890 to 2026 that trace Maine's central role in American art — from the 1913 Armory Show modernists (Marsden Hartley, John Marin, Charles Demuth) through Winslow Homer, Georgia O'Keeffe, and three generations of the Wyeth family. The exhibition runs at 16 Museum Street, Rockland, through January 3, 2027.
The Center for Maine Contemporary Art (21 Winter St., Rockland) is showing four concurrent exhibitions this summer: Bianca Beck's "EYES" and Will Sears' "THE THIRD FIELD" (through Sept. 6), Abbey Williams' "FUGUE" (through Sept. 20), and Marc Swanson's "DEATH IS EXPENSIVE" (through Sept. 23). Admission to CMCA's award-winning Toshiko Mori–designed building is open to the public.
Rockland's 79th Maine Lobster Festival returns to the waterfront July 29–August 2 with free admission and five days of live music spanning Americana, country, rock, blues, and folk — including Crystal Vision (Fleetwood Mac tribute), Bad Marriage (British blues-rock), and local act Emmett Lalor. Fresh Maine lobster, arts and crafts vendors, and family activities round out the event.
One of the East Coast's top blues festivals sets up at Rockland's Public Landing for two days of national touring acts including Bobby Rush, Roomful of Blues, Ronnie Baker Brooks, John Primer, and Tasha Taylor. Advance tickets are $60/day or $100 for a weekend pass; the Saturday evening Club Crawl along Main Street is free.
The City of Rockland received a Community Action Grant of $74,850 to fund design of nature-based coastal resilience improvements at Snow Marine Park and extend the Harbor Trail to its southern terminus. Design partner Sebago Technics is expected to begin work this summer, with public engagement opportunities to follow.
Brett and Megan Thompson — who relocated from Washington state — purchased the nine-room Lindsey Hotel (5 Lindsey St., built 1835) for $1 million in March and opened it mid-May. They plan year-round operation, exterior facade improvements, and community partnerships while living on-site.
In the June 9 municipal election, Rockland voters approved a charter amendment allowing the city to use previously authorized bond funds for affordable workforce housing development. The City Council had also passed related housing ordinances at its June 8 meeting.
Triangle Gallery (8 Elm St., Rockland) opens "The Black & White Show" and John Woodruff's solo photography exhibition "Interiors/Exteriors (the Nature of Nature)" on June 5 during the First Friday Art Walk (4–8 p.m.). Woodruff's show features dreamlike images of lichen, moss, and volcanic rock and runs through June 28.