Bob Lloyd : Magician, Juggler and Mime
2024-08-05 18:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Abbott Room
An experienced and exuberant master of his art, Bob Lloyd presents a fast-paced blend of magic, juggling, and mime which captivates audiences of all ages.
Don’t miss this FREE event
~ Monday, August 5
~ 6:00-7:00pm
~ Abbott Room

Beeswax Collage/Painting for Teens
2024-08-06 15:00 - 16:30 | Abbott Room
Belfast Summer Reading Presents ~ Beeswax Collage/Painting for Teens
Belfast Summer Reading invites you to learn a painting technique called encaustic painting/collage, in which pigments are mixed with hot liquid wax. You will leave with your very own encaustic painting/collage and a new found love of beeswax!
~ For teens 11-17
~ Abbott Room of the Belfast Free Library

"Your Obt. Servant, William P. Parrott" a presentation by Willa Bywater
2024-08-06 18:30 - 20:00 | Abbott Room
Willa Bywater, former Belfast Historical Society intern and current Penobscot Marine Museum interpreter, will share their discovery of a journal from 1839 in the Maine Historical Society archives, and what it has to share about the Aroostook War, a comical yet surprisingly relevant period in Maine’s history.

Knit2Together
2024-08-07 16:00, 2024-08-14 16:00, 2024-08-21 16:00, 2024-08-28 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.

LEGO Club at the Belfast Free Library
2024-08-08 16:00 - 17:00 | Abbott Room
Love LEGO’s? Come join the club. The library provides LEGOs and a scoop. Take the scoop of LEGOs to a table and build. Build what you like or take the Library Challenge. Near the conclusion of the program, you can describe your build or leave it to our imagination.
All are welcome!

John Millington Synge: a lecture by Michael Toner
2024-08-12 14:00 - 15:00 | Abbott Room
Michael Toner, Director of this summer’s production of “The Playboy of the Western World” will examine the life of John Millington Synge, his extensive musical and literary background, in relation to his great contributions to the founding of Ireland’s Abbey Theatre, as well as modern Irish drama.
Toner will discuss Synge’s plays in relation to his background and travels, and then focus specifically on his comic masterpiece, THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD, which has been translated into many languages, and which is about to be presented here at the Belfast Maskers’ Basil Burwell Theatre from August 28th to September 7th, 2024.
MICHAEL P. TONER has been a professional actor, director, dialect coach and adjutant college teacher for the past 52 years. He specializes in Irish theatre, and is presently directing John M. Synge’s classic Irish comedy, THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD, to be seen here at the Belfast Maskers’ Basil Burwell Theatre, from August 29th through September 8th .

Movies You May Have Missed Series: "The Lost King"
2024-08-13 14:00 - 16:00 | Abbott Room
This film series is presented by the Senior College of Belfast in partnership with the Belfast Free Library. Free and open to all.
The Lost King (2022) PG-13 Comedy, Drama, in English, with subtitles. 108 min. with Sally Hawkins, Steve Coogan
A true story of the woman who refused to be ignored and who took on the country’s most eminent historians, forcing them to think again about one of the most controversial kings in England’s history, the remains of King Richard III are discovered beneath a carpark in Leicester.
Paul Sheridan will offer a short introduction and a discussion at the end of each movie. More information here.
Paul Sheridan helped run “Friday Night Films” at the Belfast Library for several years. This continues in that tradition. Paul has been a lifelong movie buff and has taught many courses on photography and film at Belfast Senior College.

NO KNITTING TODAY
2024-08-14 16:00 | Abbott Room

Art Reception for the Work of Ewan Purinton
2024-08-19 17:00 - 17:45 | Youth Services Floor
The YA Gallery will be featuring Ewan Purinton’s art work for the month of August. We will be holding a reception to view his artwork with refreshments!

Artist Talk and Reception for "Homeland" by Lesia Sochor
2024-08-20 17:30 - 19:30 | Abbott Room
“Homeland” an exhibit of paintings of Babushkas by Lesia Sochor is on display in the Kramer Gallery of the Belfast Free Library for the month of August 2024.
Sochor says of this exhibit, “Love of my ancestral homeland and horror and disbelief of the brutal invasion of Ukraine compelled me to paint images of Babushkas. This iconic symbol of a culture stirs memories of my mother, who in her later years wore one most every day. The images plead to have peace and freedom in their beloved country.”
The public is invited to a special reception and artist talk with Sochor on Tuesday August 20 beginning at 5:30 in the Kramer Gallery, with the talk at 6:30 in the Abbott Room.
For forty four years, Lesia Sochor has been a part of the artistic fiber of Waldo County where she has lived, created, exhibited, and taught. An interdisciplinary artist, she is primarily a painter who attended the Philadelphia College of Art earning a BFA in painting. She has exhibited in museums, universities, and galleries throughout New England and beyond.
Sochor’s grandson, Ewan Purinton, will have two of his Babushka drawings included in Kramer Gallery exhibit. Ewan, age 12, has been drawing since he could hold a pencil.
Concurrently, his work will be exhibited in the teen room at the Belfast Library for the month of August.

A Pandemic Family: How the 1918 Pandemic Shaped My Family Tree
2024-08-21 14:00 - 16:00 | Abbott Room
In this genealogy presentation, Rick Gatewood will discuss how a small community in the Bootheel of Missouri was affected by the influenza pandemic of 1918 and how it changed his family forever. Researching this part of his family tree also led him to discover new relations that were hitherto unknown to the family.
Rick Gatewood was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee and has been researching his family history since he was 14 years old. The records available to researchers in this part of the country leave much to be desired, and he is thankful for recent technology that sheds a little light on the region and some of his relatives who lived in Tennessee and Missouri.
All are welcome! These meetings are now in a hybrid format with the option to join in-person in the Abbott Room or to join online over Zoom. To receive the Zoom link or for more information, please email Sharon Pietryka at spietryka@belfastlibrary.org.

Belfast Historical Society Program
2024-08-26 19:00 - 20:00 | Abbott Room
Ships and Shipbuilding in Mid-Coast Maine
David Ruberti, historical society vice-president, will present the history of shipbuilding and ships in the mid-coast, including Belfast. Belfast was a shipbuilding center with shipyards lining the waterfront. In 1793, Robert and James Miller built the schooner Jenny Miller, the first of many ships to be built here. Over the years, more than 600 vessels, known for their size, speed and beauty were launched by Belfast area shipyards. The program will include early, traditional shipbuilding as well as more modern boatbuilding and waterfront activities mostly in Belfast and a little in other towns.
