Doors will open at 5:45 p.m., and there will be festive dessert offerings, including frozen pops from The Blue Chill, and cookies. A raffle will feature unique prizes, and there will be a cash bar, stocked with your favorite brews from Fogtown Brewery, along with savory treats from El El Frijoles. Movies upstairs—with popcorn!—will be offered for the young and young at heart and some of the library staff will be on hand to keep kids company. 

This is a family-friendly event, and costumes are not only welcome but encouraged! Come dressed as a groundhog, don a top hat, or put on your best winter or spring finery. Everyone is invited to add to their costumes with special groundhog-themed props in the photobooth and take selfies (photos can be emailed or texted). Celebrate the early arrival of spring—or brace yourself for six more weeks of snow, ice, and hibernation—at the library!

Admission is $20 per person, or $50 per household. Optional benefactor tickets are also available for $50 per person and $100 per household and will help make this fundraising event a success, as well as guarantee those ticketholders a place in Groundhog Heaven (you’ll even get a certificate!). Tickets will be available for purchase in advance at the circulation desk or online—or at the door for $5 more (limited quantity). All proceeds benefit the library.

For more information, please call the library at 374-5515. 

A benefit spaghetti dinner and raffle auction to support Mary Dyer and her sweet son Mav.

Mary and Maverick lost their home and belongings in a terrible house fire on December 29.

All who know Mary know that she is the hardest worker and the most devoted mother out there. She has devoted her life to helping others and giving her son stability, love, and an environment to thrive in. It’s our turn as a community to help sweet Mary and Mav.

Please join us on January 31st, at the Brooksville Community Center to show our love and support.

Adult meal: $10
Child under 12: $5

Join Native Gardens of Blue Hill and Great Pond Mountain Trust at the Alamo Theatre for a showing of this award-winning documentary exploring the vital relationship between native plants and pollinators—and how small planting choices can strengthen local ecosystems in a changing climate. Following the film, there will be a Q&A with local experts and a seed sowing demo with Molly DellaRoman of 5 Star Nursery. Popcorn is free, and attendees will go home with potted seeds for overwintering outdoors! Tickets at greatpondtrust.org

On Saturday, January 31st from 1-3PM, our first Science Saturday of the year will take place, focusing on animals in winter. Take a walk at Woodlawn and begin to explore how Maine wildlife survives the harsh winter.

Maine Master Naturalist, Sally Jones will help you look for animal signs and clues, and together we will discuss three survival tactics: migration, hibernation, and resistance.

This is a family friendly event and children must be accompanied by an adult. Please leave your dogs at home. Cost: $10 per person.

We will be outside for the entire program.

Pre-registration required: woodlawnellsworth.org

Additional information will be sent via email about 1 week before the event and in the event of bad weather this program maybe cancelled or postponed. 

Contra dance to late 90s & early 2000s EDM tunes from the likes of Daft Punk, Charli xcx and more - wear blacklight clothing! Dances are instructed, no partner or experience needed! Chem-free event. $15-$25 sliding scale (under 18s pay 1/2 their age).

More info at surrycontra.org or follow @SurryContraDance on FB / IG

This dance is part of the Surry Contra Dance series. Join us every 2nd Saturday of the month for the full contra experience!

Knitters are invited to come sit by the library fireplace to work on and share projects with fellow knitters.The Knitting Group will meet every Thursday evening at 6 pm. Anyone is welcome to join this free event. Coffee and tea will be available to purchase.

The Blue Hill Chess Enthusiasts meet each Thursday evening for pick-up games of chess. All experience levels are welcome to drop in for friendly games any time between 5:00 and 8:00 PM.

Interested players can also join the Blue Hill Peninsula Chess Nuts group on lichess.org to play online games any time.

Do you have trouble identifying tree species once all the leaves drop? You're not alone! In summer, with the leaves out and branches hanging low enough for us to see them, we can tell an oak from a maple. But how else might we look at trees—not only to tell one from another, but to understand how they are structured and how they live?

Join BHHT's Forester, JW, for a Winter Tree Identification Walk. JW has a wealth of knowledge he can't wait to share with you. It is sure to be both fun and educational!

*SPACE IS LIMITED*

Registration will close when event is full.

Event location will be provided at time of registration.

Join Chewonki to learn about animal adaptations during this hour long presentation for homeschool families.

Webbed feet, camouflaged fur, or spines on their back are all amazing ways that animals use adaptations to survive in the wild everyday.

This FREE program is aimed at ages: Pre-K to 5th grade, but all are welcome.

Pre-registration required: woodlawnellsworth.org

In the event of bad weather the program may be cancelled. You will be contacted via the email address you supply when registering. 

Chamber Music concert with the Claremont Trio. For information and tickets, visit bluehillconcertassociation.org

To celebrate the return of the light and toast the good health of the trees, the library will host a Wassail celebration on Saturday, January 24th at 4 PM in collaboration with the Brooklin Food Corps. We will begin outside by singing a traditional Wassail song around a fire before heading inside for a lecture from local apple historian and College of the Atlantic professor Todd Little-Siebold. The lecture will cover classic Wassail traditions and the history of cider making in North America. To finish out the evening, local hard cider maker Dave Falton will lead a cider tasting. Sign up for that by emailing staff@friendml.org as there are limited spaces. There will be non-alcoholic cider and other treats for all those who attend.

Discover how light, shadow, and digital tools can come together in this playful cyanotype workshop. Participants will use laser-cut shapes and found objects to create one-of-a-kind blueprints on fabric and paper. After arranging materials on light-sensitive surfaces, we’ll expose them to sunlight or UV light and rinse in water to reveal the final image. 

This session blends traditional photographic printing with the precision of digital fabrication—offering a chance to experiment and take home place-based prints. This process yields unique results and provides opportunities to imagine through making while collaborating with elements of nature and everyday objects.

No experience necessary; all materials provided.

Family Friendly | This workshop is open to all ages. Children are welcome to participate with the supervision of an adult—a great opportunity to make and learn together.

Join us on Saturday, January 24th from 10 AM to 1 PM for a fun and festive day at the Winter Market! This month’s market features a wonderful mix of local vendors offering everything from USDA pork products and homemade Alfredo sauce to fresh breads, baked goods, pottery, woodworking, and handmade items. It’s the perfect way to get out of the house and enjoy a cozy, community atmosphere.

While you shop, enjoy a warm cup of coffee or hot cocoa, and take in the winter charm of the grounds. There’s something for the whole family to enjoy, with sledding, ice skating, and miles of trails for walking, snowshoeing, or cross-country skiing. Don’t miss out on this chance to make the most of the season and support local artisans and businesses! 

Now in Blue Hill! This new Beginners Contra Dance series is a small, casual contra dance, suitable for newbies and experienced dancers alike! Dance or join in the open band with any instrument. $5 suggested. Chem-free event!

These dances are the 2nd & 4th Thursdays of the month at the Congo Church, 22 Tenney Hill, Blue Hill. See calendar at surrycontra.org or follow @SurryContraDance on FB / IG

This dance is part of the Surry Contra Dance series. Join us every 2nd Saturday of the month for the full contra experience!

Word and the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance are sponsoring another informal get-together for local writers on Wednesday, January 21, at 6 p.m.

The event will be part of Gather, a long-time MWPA program that offers writers at all levels of experience six opportunities a year to get together for camaraderie and conversation. Gather events take place simultaneously at various sites around the state on the third Wednesday of alternate months.

Word, the Blue Hill literary arts festival, is hosting this month’s event at Marlintini’s Bar & Grill, 83 Mines Road, Blue Hill.

Gather has no agenda other than getting together with a community of fellow writers to talk writing, reading and life. Gather events are not open readings, manuscript exchanges or organized writing-prompt sessions, but offer opportunities for the literary-minded to meet and plan any of those things and more.

No reservations are necessary. Information: wordfestival.org or 374-5632.

Bagaduce Music presents Songwriters Showcase at the Blue Hill Co-Op. Come hear the latest creations of a group of seasoned songwriters as they sing songs of love, joy, peace, protest and more.
This group of talented musicians have been bringing their songs and craft to the peninsula and beyond for many years and have collaborated together at the classes offered at Bagaduce music as a community where music expression is supported.

Please join us as we honor the memory and life of Martin Luther King, Jr. and explore his concept of the “Beloved Community.” Dr. King taught that the Beloved Community is a society built on love, justice, and nonviolence, where people overcome hatred and conflict to recognize the inherent worth in everyone, creating a reconciled, interconnected world.

Today, we ground these ideals in real-world courage by connecting Dr. King’s vision to Robert Shetterly’s Americans Who Tell the Truth portraits. We will examine the lives of six prophetic Americans who exemplify this teaching:

• William Barber, II: A leader in moral fusion politics, bringing people together across racial and economic lines to fight systemic poverty.

• Cesar Chavez: Co-founder of the United Farm Workers; he proved that nonviolent labor organizing restores dignity to the exploited.

• Deqa Dhalac: The first Somali-American mayor in the U.S., showing how immigrant leadership strengthens our local communities.

• John Lewis: A titan of the Civil Rights Movement who lived by the creed of "good trouble" and unwavering nonviolence.

• Aldo Leopold: Author of the "Land Ethic," he expanded the community to include soil, water, plants, and animals.

• Kathy Kelly: A peace activist who practices radical empathy for those in war zones, challenging us to reject the violence of war.

“During this time of increased violence in our society and around the world, let us come together to learn from prophetic Americans how to choose a different path.”

Fraser Point, Schoodic section, Acadia National Park

James Longo will guide us along the Schoodic Loop Road, making regular stops to see winter birds which could include sea ducks (fingers crossed for Harlequins!), loons, grebes, Purple Sandpipers, and lots of winter finches. The Young Birders Club will be joining the group as well. To register, send an email to deaudubon@gmail.com.

HIP’s 20th WinterFest! Celebrate winter and community with food & fun for all ages with over 30 local organizations. Starting at Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary School (10 am - 2 pm) featuring Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers (1:30 pm), the WinterFest Cribbage Tournament at Stonecutters Kitchen (2 pm), Learn to Play Pickleball at the ICC (2 pm), food and Firepits (6 pm) and the fantastic WinterFest Fireworks (6:45 pm) over the Stonington Ball Field. 

We’ll close the day with a Contra Dance with live music by BAMU & Friends at the Stonington Opera House featuring Molly Gawler and Bennett Konesni (7 pm). Organized by Healthy Island Project with Major Sponsors Billings’ Diesel & Marine Services, Olver Associates, Inc, The Island Agency, the Towns of Deer Isle & Stonington and 50 Business/Nonprofit sponsors. Everything is FREE! 

For full schedule of events and listing of sponsors, go to healthyislandproject.org.

On January 15, the Hancock County Democratic Committee will meet at 7pm at the Ellsworth Unitarian Universalist Church and via Zoom. There will be a business meeting that will include the election of officers for the committee. All HCDC members will be eligible to be elected and/or to vote. This month HCDC will feature candidates Jason Cherry and Matthew Dunlap.  

Jason Cherry is an attorney with a background in federal law enforcement who is running for governor to focus on increasing transparency and improving efficiency within state government. Matthew Dunlap, currently Maine State Auditor, is running for Maine’s second congressional district to put Mainers above politics and because he says he won’t cave to Trump. Both men will speak briefly and then answer questions.

This month’s meeting will be held both in person at the UU Church in Ellsworth and via Zoom. Pre-registration for Zoom participation is required in advance by noon the day before the meeting at www.hancockdems.org.You will receive a unique link you will need to use to join the meeting.

Gather a team for a night of laughter and friendly competition in the Opera House lobby.

The concession stand will be open for drinks, snacks, and homemade flatbread pizza.

Artist and gallery owner Margret Baldwin will host a hands-on art project inspired by Hilma af Klint at the Blue Hill Public Library on Thursday, January 15 at 6:00 p.m. Part of the Art History and Hands-on series, each month Margret will host a screening of an art history film followed by a hands-on art project the week after. The series for 2026 will focus on abstract painters and their distinct styles, with Hilma af Klint being the subject for January. The art project will be Abstract Thought Painting and all materials will be provided. These events are free and open to all, however, registration is required for the hands-on art project, and can be done at www.bhpl.net. This program series is generously sponsored by the Friends of the Library. For more information, please contact Kayleigh at kayleigh.thomas@bhpl.net or 374-5515.

Get to know the essentials of screenprinting on fabric and learn tips for using natural dyes and inks! Topics like layering, mordanting, and creating your own inks and dyes will be discussed as we explore the printing process.  

All levels welcome; all materials provided.

Join BHHT and IHT for our January edition of Friends From the Field! We will welcome Todd Miller for a talk on local insects. Learn about the incredible diversity of insects in our area, from common ones to overlooked gems.

Todd Miller, now of Immersion Nature Tours, was an interpretive park ranger in Acadia National Park, an urban park ranger in New York City, and an environmental educator with the National Park Service of Ecuador, among other positions. His latest passion is the amazingly diverse world of insects.

In an effort to keep up our French language skills, everyone is invited to join Library Director Rich Boulet at the Blue Hill Public Library on Thursday, January 15 at 1:00 p.m. for French Roast, a monthly in-person French language conversation group. This program is free and all experience levels are welcome. For more information, please contact Rich at rboulet@bhpl.net or  374-5515.

In November '25, Maine Audubon led a birding tour to Ecuador, exploring the east slope of the Andes. This 10-day adventure was primarily based out of the famous San Isidro Lodge, with daily trips to different habitats in the area. Doug Hitchcox, Maine Audubon's Senior Naturalist, will present highlights from the trip including 300+ species of birds, mythical mammals, and cultural experiences that will make for a fun evening of vicarious birding, or help you plan a trip of your own!

The Blue Hill Public Library will present a screening of the documentary 76 Days Adrift, which recounts Steve Callahan’s survival on a life raft after a terrible collision at sea. The film will be shown on Wednesday, January 14 at 7:00 p.m. at the library and is the first in a series of documentary screenings for the Slaven Event series. 76 Days Adrift is a profoundly immersive documentary that plunges you into the heart of Steven Callahan’s extraordinary survival story on the Atlantic Ocean after his ship sinks from a collision with a whale. The documentary series will continue with a screening of The Librarians on Wednesday, February 18, a Peace of Forest on Wednesday, March 18, Sludge on Wednesday, April 15, and Building Hope on Wednesday, April 29. This program is free and open to all as part of the Robert B. and Linda K. Slaven Events Series. For more information contact Kayleigh at kayleigh.thomas@bhpl.net or 374-5515.