Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition: Planet vs Plastics (part 1)
2024-04-18 17:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Abbott Room
Earth Day is Monday, April 22. Earth Day reminds us to think about our beautiful environment and all that we can and should do to preserve it. This is especially important this year when we have had continual reminders of how fragile life on this earth is and how human behavior has affected it.
This year, the national Earth Day organization is focusing on the reduction of the use of plastics – “Planet vs. Plastics.” The organization has set a goal of reducing plastic production by 60% by the year 2040. In keeping with this theme, BBWC and the Belfast Free Library have planned two programs that address the effects of plastics on our environment:
• Thursday, April 18, in the Abbott Room of the Belfast Free Library, will be the first of our “Planet vs. Plastics” presentations. At 5:30, there will be a showing of Earth Day posters created by area students. At 6:00, Plastic Pollution Solutions, a BBWC committee working to decrease the use of single use plastics, will discuss their efforts.
At 6:30, Dr. Charles Rolsky, Executive Director and Senior Research Analyst of the Shaw Institute in Blue Hill, will present a talk on the impact of plastic pollution on the environment and what we can do to help. Light refreshments will be served.
• Tuesday evening, April 23 will be part two of Planet vs. Plastics. At 6:00, we will show the award winning doumentary A Plastic Ocean, followed by discussion about what we can do to limit our personal use of single use plastics.

Belfast Historical Society Program
2024-04-22 19:00 - 20:00 | Abbott Room
1911, Busy, Booming Belfast- presentation with Megan Pinette
Megan Pinette, historical society president, will present a look at 1911 as recorded in the Waldo County Herald newspaper. That year saw several important additions to commercial Belfast; the Colonial Theatre, a corn canning factory, and a sardine packing plant. In the words of WCH editor, Edgar F. Hanson, “Belfast is on the move. Commercially and industrially the city looks better than it has in years.
*Event limited to 75 attendees.

The Wheelbarrow Poets Meet
2024-04-23 09:30 - 11:00, 2024-04-30 09:30 - 11:00, 2024-05-07 09:30 - 11:00 | Abbott Room
The Wheelbarrow Poets meets weekly on Tuesdays in the Abbott Room from 9:30-11:00 a.m. Writing prompts are sent in advance of the gatherings by Belfast Poet Laureate Maya Stein, and participants share work and discuss. Open to writers ages 18 & up. Email hello@mayastein.com for more information and to register.

Earth Day Film Presentation: A Plastic Ocean
2024-04-23 18:00 - 20:00 | Abbott Room
Part 2 of Planet vs. Plastics programming co-sponsored by the Belfast Bay Watershed Coalition.
A Plastic Ocean is an award-winning feature length documentary brought to you by a group of dedicated scientists, film-makers, social entrepreneurs, scholars, environmentalists and journalists, that explores the fragile state of our oceans and uncovers alarming truths about the consequences of our disposable lifestyle.
A Plastic Ocean documents the global effects of plastic pollution and highlights workable technologies and innovative solutions that everyone – from governments to individuals – can do, to create a cleaner and greener ocean.
After the film we will have a discussion about what we can do to limit our personal use of single use plastic.

Knit2Together
2024-04-24 16:00, 2024-05-01 16:00, 2024-05-08 16:00 | Abbott Room
Knitters, crocheters, yarn enthusiasts of all experience levels are welcome to join us every Wednesday , from 4:00-5:30 pm in the Abbott Room.
This drop-in event is a chance for knitters- and crocheters too- of all ages and experience levels to chat, get tips, and learn from each other while working on their own projects. Library staff will have computers available to demonstrate how to use Ravelry.com and other websites to help find patterns and organize your work. Registration is not required. For more information please call 338-3884 ext.10
Contact bharrington@belfastlibrary.org to sign up to to join the knitting group.

Ocean Xplorers STEAM- Flippers, Fun, and Fur
2024-04-25 15:30 - 17:00 | Abbott Room
~Join Maine 4-H and UMaine students to explore how
scientists study marine mammals! Participants will explore
research methods such as DNA extractions, fecal sampling,
and sound studies used by marine mammal researchers.
~To request a reasonable accommodation, contact Sadee Mehuren, sadee.mehuren@maine.edu, 207.342.5971.
~Free event for ages 6-12. Space is limited to 30
children.
~For more information or to register please click the link below.
Click here to register your child aged 8-12

Community Solar 101- with ReVision Energy-
2024-04-25 18:30 - 20:00 | Abbott Room
“Shaded roof? Renting? No worries! ReVision Energy’s Solar Farm expert, Kevin Boyan, will share how you can access the benefits of going solar by joining a local Community Solar Farm (CSF).
Join us for a presentation and Q+A to learn how you can get your electricity from a local solar farm while lowering your monthly electricity cost and getting a 30% Federal Tax Credit on your investment.
In this discussion you’ll learn:
– What is the cost of community solar farm shares for Central Maine Power utility users?
– What is the difference between Ownership vs. Subscription based CSF models?
– Who is eligible to invest in community solar farm shares in Maine? – How does our community solar farm ownership model work in CMP territory?
– Why is community solar critical to the clean energy transition?
– Available financing and tax credit options”

2024 Youth Poetry Contest Reception and Reading
2024-04-30 15:30 - 16:30 | Abbott Room
Date of Reception and Reading: April 30th
Time of Reception and Reading: 3:30pm to 4:30 pm
Location of Reading and Reception: Abbott Room
To celebrate National Poetry Month and the Year of the Dragon, children and teens of Waldo county have submitted poems on themes of bravery, courage and resilience. Prize winners will be announced by Belfast Poet Laureate Maya Stein.
~All entrants are invited to read their poems.

Music Together
2024-05-06 10:00 - 10:40 | Abbott Room
A music & movement class for ages 0-5 and their grownups
FREE

City of Belfast Housing & Property Development Committee Listening Session - Young Belfast
2024-05-06 19:00 - 21:00 | Abbott Room
All are welcome, but we are especially interested in hearing from people under 40 who are looking for housing, dealing with housing issues currently, or wanting to rent or buy in Belfast, or have ideas to increase the availability of housing. Your voice is important and we want to hear from you! Representatives of the Housing Committee will facilitate the session but the floor will be yours to share your thoughts and ideas. Potential areas for discussion include rent vs. buy, increasing affordability, location, types of housing. Please come and share your thoughts!

Readings from: "Rivers of Ink: Literary Reflections on the Penobscot"
2024-05-07 18:30 - 20:00
Join us for an evening of readings by local poets and writers to showcase Rivers of Ink: Literary Reflections on the Penobscot, a remarkable charity anthology produced in collaboration with this year’s Bangor Authors’ Fair and Literary Festival.
Rivers of Ink showcases the talents of 61 local writers, a mix of established and new names, including Sherri Mitchell, Ret Talbot, Christopher Packard, Rhea Cote Robbins, Patricia Smith Ranzoni, Mo Drammeh, and J.D. Mankowski. What unites them all is the exceptional quality of their work. The anthology features a rich tapestry of stories, essays, and poems, ranging from tales of ghosts and river monsters to the history of logging in Maine and the efforts to rehabilitate the Penobscot after years of neglect.
Featured authors at the Belfast reading will be: James Brasfield, Kathleen Ellis, Jean Anne Feldeisen, Hank Garfield, Annaliese Jakimides, Catherine J.S.Lee , Leslie Moore, Catherine Schmitt, Brenda E. Smith, Karin Spitfire, Ret Talbot.
Books will be available for purchase at the event. Proceeds from Rivers of Ink will be donated to the Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters’ campaign “A Monumental Welcome,” which will provide funding for a visitor contact station, priority park projects, and Wabanaki-directed projects.
