Preschool kids and their caregivers are invited to join Ms. Jen for Music and Movement Storytime at 10:30am. We will sing songs, play instruments, dance, and read stories. The rhythms, rhymes, and patterns in music and the use of musical instruments provide fun ways to practice skills that have a direct connection with early literacy. This program will share a selection of the many children’s books and stories that have connections with music, sound, and movement. For more information, contact Early Childhood Librarian Jen at jen.rosenthal@bhpl.net or 374-5515. This program series was made possible by gifts from generous donors.

Preschool kids and their caregivers are invited to join Youth Services Librarian Claire at the Blue Hill Public Library for preschool storytime on Tuesday mornings at 10:30 am.  We will read a few picture books, sing songs, and make a craft.  This is a great way to meet and connect with other families in the area, read stories, and spend time together. For more information, contact Claire at claire.malina@bhpl.net or call the library at 374-5515.

The Blue Hill Library will host a discussion series with local retired teacher Bill Case on the book American Revolutions: A Continental History, 1750-1804, by Alan Taylor. The discussions will take place from 1:00-2:00 p.m. over three Tuesdays, June 30, July 14, and July 21, leading to the July 25 event with author Alan Taylor. The American Revolution is often portrayed as a high-minded, orderly event whose capstone, the Constitution, provided the nation its democratic framework. Alan Taylor, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, gives us a different creation story in this magisterial history. Bill Case is a retired high school and college history teacher with over fifty years of experience. In his career, Bill has taught U.S. History, AP U.S. History, Holocaust Studies, Public Policy and many other courses. This program is free and open to all, but space is limited, so registration is required and can be done at www.bhpl.net. Copies of the book will be available for checkout from the library. For more information contact Kayleigh at kayleigh.thomas@bhpl.net or 374-5515.

The Blue Hill Library and Blue Hill Books will present a talk with local author Libby Edwardson on Tuesday, July 21 at 7:00 p.m. for the launch of her debut horror novel, We Sent Them Down Singing. “We Sent Them Down Singing is a testament to the resilience of grieving mothers and the tenacity of the beautiful people of Appalachia, a place where the accents sing rather than talk and the tea is always sweet.” Libby Edwardson is an author, artist, and the co-founder of a volunteer group of Appalachian youth called 52 Weeks of Giving that was featured on Good Morning America. Though she has called many places home, she now lives on the coast of Maine where she paints ghosts, writes about monsters, and wanders seaside cemeteries. This program is free and open to all and will be held in the library's Howard Room. Blue Hill Books will be on site with copies of the book available for purchase. For more information, contact Assistant Director Kayleigh at kayleigh.thomas@bhpl.net or 374-5515.

Kids 0-5 and their caregivers are invited to playgroup in the Blue Hill town park with Youth Services Librarian Claire Malina on Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m.- noon for a variety of activities and play. This is a great way to meet and connect with other families in the area and to play together outdoors!  We will meet at the park in most weather: however, if it is raining, playgroup will take place in the Howard Room of the Blue Hill Public Library. For more information, contact Claire at claire.malina@bhpl.net.

Preschool kids and their caregivers are invited to join Ms. Jen at the Blue Hill Public Library for Little Artists’ Storytime on Wednesday, July 22 at 2:00 p.m. We will sing songs, dance, read stories with an art and creative focus, and then work on our own masterpieces. Crafts will be process-focused, designed to emphasize the exploration and experimentation of materials, development of fine motor skills, and allowing kids to explore their creativity. Although designed for preschool aged children, siblings can also get in on the fun. This program may result in messy hands and clothes so please dress accordingly. For more information contact Early Childhood Librarian Jen at jen.rosenthal@bhpl.net or 374-5515.

Kids are invited to learn about how Downeast Audubon has created a trail of nest boxes in Hancock County to monitor how specific songbirds are doing. It is a Citizen Science project that you could become involved with too! Join Landere Naisbitt and Youth Services Librarian Claire Malina at the Blue Hill Public Library on Wednesday, July 22nd at 3:30 p.m. to learn about local bird conservation. Get your wings ready too! We will learn common flight patterns followed by a nature journaling experience and a tasty snack enjoyed by both humans and birds. This program is free, thanks to the Friends of the Library.  All materials will be provided.  This is geared towards kids ages 5-12, but all ages are welcome.  For more information, contact Youth Services Librarian Claire at claire.malina@bhpl.net or call 374-5515.

Speaking from memory, Alison Boden will tell the Gospel of Mark on Wednesday July 22nd at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary of the First Congregational Church of Blue Hill. The Rev. Dr. Alison Boden is a minister of the United Church of Christ. Prior to serving 33 years as a college chaplain, she was trained as an actor in New York. For more information: www.bluehillcongregational.org

May 7th marks the beginning of our 2026 BHHT Volunteer Days! This year we are changing up the format a bit and hosting these events every Thursday through July 30th (from1-4pm). Additionally, we will be tackling both trail maintenance and invasive species removal, scheduling these tasks on alternating weeks.

Everyone is welcome — no experience needed. Whether you’re a longtime supporter or brand-new, we’d love to have you.

Dates will be advertised in upcoming newsletters and are currently listed on our website events calendar and on our social media pages.

FMI: email our stewardship team at stewardship@bluehillheritagetrust.org !

In an effort to maintain our French language skills, Library Director Rich Boulet and volunteer Natalie Moses will host French Roast, a weekly in-person French language conversation group that meets every Thursday at the Blue Hill Public Library.  Refreshments will be served, and this program is free and open to all. For more information, please contact Rich at rboulet@bhpl.net or 374-5515.

The Blue Hill Chess Enthusiasts meet each Thursday evening for pick-up games of chess at the Blue Hill Public Library. All experience levels are welcome to drop in for friendly games any time between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. Interested players can also join the Blue Hill Peninsula Chess Nuts group on lichess.org to play online games any time. This free program is sponsored by the library. If you have any questions, contact Assistant Director Kayleigh at kayleigh.thomas@bhpl.net or 374-5515.

Knitters are invited to come sit by the fireplace at the Blue Hill Public Library to work on and share projects with fellow knitters. The Knitting Group meets every Thursday evening at 6:00 p.m. Anyone is welcome to attend this free event. Coffee and tea will be available to purchase. If you have any questions, contact Assistant Director Kayleigh at kayleigh.thomas@bhpl.net or 374-5515.

The Blue Hill Library and Blue Hill Books will present a talk with cultural historian and author Isaac Butler on his new book The Perfect Moment: God, Sex, Art, and the Birth of America's Culture Wars on Thursday, July 23 at 7:00 p.m. In The Perfect Moment, cultural historian Isaac Butler reexamines this pivotal, misunderstood American era. All too relevant today, The Perfect Moment is an incisive and meticulously researched account of this crucial period and a stirring ode to the power of the creative spirit.' Isaac Butler is the author of the NBCC Award winner The Method and the coauthor of The World Only Spins Forward. Butler teaches theater history and performance at NYU. He lives and works in Brooklyn. This event is free and open to all. Blue Hill Books will be on site with copies of the book available for purchase. For more information contact Assistant Director Kayleigh at kayleigh.thomas@bhpl.net or 374-5515.

Kneisel Hall Children’s Concerts are back at the Blue Hill Public Library this summer! Five weekly concerts will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday July 3, 10, 24, 31, and August 7 (there will be no concert on Friday, July 17). Musicians from Kneisel Hall’s Young Artist program will be performing a variety of chamber music and will engage their young audience with information about the music and their instruments and answering questions. They will be playing combinations of violin, viola, and cello. The Young Artist program is a 7-week intensive session for 50 international pre-professional young artists. All ages are welcome to attend these free concerts, which are co-sponsored by the Blue Hill Library and Kneisel Hall.  For more information, contact Youth Services Librarian Claire at claire.malina@bhpl.net or call 374-5515. For more information about Kneisel Hall and concerts, visit their website at https://www.kneisel.org/.

Edner will teach her process for sun printing on fabric with this hands-on workshop and each participant will create their own print using a selection of gathered items. Class Size: max 8 students. Cost: $40 per person, all materials included. Email ebbandflowmaine@gmail.com to reserve your spot.

Kids of all ages are invited to come to the Blue Hill Library to meet Dash the certified therapy dog at 10:30 a.m.! Dash will be in the Larchwood Children's Room available for kids to meet, snuggle with, and read stories to if they so choose. Dash is a certified therapy dog, and he loves to meet kids.  Jyl Hershman-Ross (Dash’s handler) is a Level 3 Tellington TTouch Companion Animal Practitioner.  She is a Behavior Consultant working with challenging, fearful, disabled, and shy dogs and an experienced Certified Professional Dog Trainer. For more information, contact Youth Services Librarian Claire at claire.malina@bhpl.net or call the library at 374-5515.

The Blue Hill Public Library and Blue Hill Historical Society will present a talk with two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and Mainer Alan Taylor on Saturday, July 25 at 6:00 p.m. in the library's Pearson Room. Taylor's talk will examine the experiences of a young Continental Soldier in the American Revolutionary War, Joseph Plumb Martin, who wrote the only book-length memoir of a soldier's experiences in that war. Alan Taylor grew up in Maine and is a graduate of Colby College (1977) with a doctorate in American History from Brandeis University (1986). Taylor has published eleven books, including William Cooper’s Town, which won the Bancroft, Beveridge, and Pulitzer Prizes. The Internal Enemy: Slavery and War in Virginia also won the Pulitzer Prize for American history, and the Merle Curti Prize for Social History (OAH). This program is free and open to the public. For more information contact Assistant Director Kayleigh at kayleigh.thomas@bhpl.net or 374-5515.

Traditional folk, old-time, and bluegrass band Darlin’ Corey concert. TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE! Doors open at 6:30pm, show begins at 7:30pm. $20 general admission / $25 day-of door price (if available).

Preschool kids and their caregivers are invited to join Ms. Jen for Music and Movement Storytime at 10:30am. We will sing songs, play instruments, dance, and read stories. The rhythms, rhymes, and patterns in music and the use of musical instruments provide fun ways to practice skills that have a direct connection with early literacy. This program will share a selection of the many children’s books and stories that have connections with music, sound, and movement. For more information, contact Early Childhood Librarian Jen at jen.rosenthal@bhpl.net or 374-5515. This program series was made possible by gifts from generous donors.

Preschool kids and their caregivers are invited to join Youth Services Librarian Claire at the Blue Hill Public Library for preschool storytime on Tuesday mornings at 10:30 am.  We will read a few picture books, sing songs, and make a craft.  This is a great way to meet and connect with other families in the area, read stories, and spend time together. For more information, contact Claire at claire.malina@bhpl.net or call the library at 374-5515.

Everyone is invited to join David Porter and Allison Snow, co-founders of the Blue Hill Peninsula Rockweed Forum, for a presentation and discussion on rockweed on Tuesday, July 28 at 3:00 p.m. in the Blue Hill Public Library's Howard Room. David and Allison will discuss the ecological importance of rockweed (Ascophyllum nodosum), commercial harvesting, and the extent to which current laws, regulations, and industry practices protect rockweed forests from being over-harvested. Participants are welcome to offer comments and questions. This talk is free and open to all. For more information on the Rockweed Forum, please visit their website: https://rockweedforest.org/. For more information or questions about the event contact Assistant Director Kayleigh at kayleigh.thomas@bhpl.net.

Kids 0-5 and their caregivers are invited to playgroup in the Blue Hill town park with Youth Services Librarian Claire Malina on Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m.- noon for a variety of activities and play. This is a great way to meet and connect with other families in the area and to play together outdoors!  We will meet at the park in most weather: however, if it is raining, playgroup will take place in the Howard Room of the Blue Hill Public Library. For more information, contact Claire at claire.malina@bhpl.net.

The Blue Hill Public Library and ISLE Theater Company will present a playwriting workshop with playwright Eliya Smith on Thursday, July 30 at 7:00 p.m. in the Howard Room. Drawing inspiration from Anton Chekhov and his artistic successors, this workshop will explore how to use character, dialogue, dramatic action, and structure through discussion and guided writing exercises to create emotionally rich worlds onstage. Participants are encouraged to bring a notebook and pencil, though materials will also be provided. Eliya Smith is a playwright from Columbus, Ohio, with an MFA from the University of Texas at Austin. Based out of the historic Shakespeare School on Deer Isle, ISLE is a performing arts organization dedicated to creating professional, community-driven work in unique spaces that connect audiences with new places, people, and perspectives. This workshop is free and open to all. For more information contact Assistant Director Kayleigh at kayleigh.thomas@bhpl.net or 374-5515.

The Blue Hill Library and Blue Hill Books will present an author talk with W.H. 'Bill' Bunting on Wednesday, July 29 at 7:00 p.m. for his new book Captain Drew's World: Dispatches from the Age of Global Sail. Maritime historian and editor W. H. Bunting has compiled the writings of Captain John Drew, 1834-1890 (a native of Hallowell Maine) and gathered them in his new book with enlightening annotation. Captain Drew’s World: Dispatches from the Age of Global Sail provides readers a vivid window onto the great age of sail from both coasts of the United States to the Caribbean, Europe, Southeast Asia, Australia, and beyond. W. H. Bunting is an award-winning maritime historian and author, whose books include Portrait of a Port: Boston 1852-1914; Sea Struck; Live Yankees: The Sewalls and Their Ships; and A Day’s Work, in two volumes. This program is free and open to all and will be held in the library's Pearson Room. Blue Hill Books will be on site with copies of the book available for purchase. For more information contact Assistant Director Kayleigh at kayleigh.thomas@bhpl.net or 374-5515.

May 7th marks the beginning of our 2026 BHHT Volunteer Days! This year we are changing up the format a bit and hosting these events every Thursday through July 30th (from1-4pm). Additionally, we will be tackling both trail maintenance and invasive species removal, scheduling these tasks on alternating weeks.

Everyone is welcome — no experience needed. Whether you’re a longtime supporter or brand-new, we’d love to have you.

Dates will be advertised in upcoming newsletters and are currently listed on our website events calendar and on our social media pages.

FMI: email our stewardship team at stewardship@bluehillheritagetrust.org !

In an effort to maintain our French language skills, Library Director Rich Boulet and volunteer Natalie Moses will host French Roast, a weekly in-person French language conversation group that meets every Thursday at the Blue Hill Public Library.  Refreshments will be served, and this program is free and open to all. For more information, please contact Rich at rboulet@bhpl.net or 374-5515.

The Blue Hill Chess Enthusiasts meet each Thursday evening for pick-up games of chess at the Blue Hill Public Library. All experience levels are welcome to drop in for friendly games any time between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. Interested players can also join the Blue Hill Peninsula Chess Nuts group on lichess.org to play online games any time. This free program is sponsored by the library. If you have any questions, contact Assistant Director Kayleigh at kayleigh.thomas@bhpl.net or 374-5515.

Knitters are invited to come sit by the fireplace at the Blue Hill Public Library to work on and share projects with fellow knitters. The Knitting Group meets every Thursday evening at 6:00 p.m. Anyone is welcome to attend this free event. Coffee and tea will be available to purchase. If you have any questions, contact Assistant Director Kayleigh at kayleigh.thomas@bhpl.net or 374-5515.

Kneisel Hall Children’s Concerts are back at the Blue Hill Public Library this summer! Five weekly concerts will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday July 3, 10, 24, 31, and August 7 (there will be no concert on Friday, July 17). Musicians from Kneisel Hall’s Young Artist program will be performing a variety of chamber music and will engage their young audience with information about the music and their instruments and answering questions. They will be playing combinations of violin, viola, and cello. The Young Artist program is a 7-week intensive session for 50 international pre-professional young artists. All ages are welcome to attend these free concerts, which are co-sponsored by the Blue Hill Library and Kneisel Hall.  For more information, contact Youth Services Librarian Claire at claire.malina@bhpl.net or call 374-5515. For more information about Kneisel Hall and concerts, visit their website at https://www.kneisel.org/.

Presenting a musical journey featuring handbells, vocals, fiddle, guitar, and mountain dulcimer, the Reach Singers and the Island Bells will be the featured performers at Dolly’s Coffeehouse at First Congregational Church of Blue Hill, Saturday, August 1st 7:00-9:00pm.

The first hour will be open mic, where anyone is welcome to perform: music, mime, poetry, dance, etc. Performers are requested to arrive a few minutes early to sign up. There will be a brief intermission with refreshments, followed by the featured performers.

Donations benefit the Dolly Fisher Emergency Fund, which provides emergency fuel, food, clothing, and utility help for households on the Blue Hill Peninsula and informing the public about other available resources. This fun evening is for all ages and will be held downstairs in Fellowship Hall. Admission is by free will offering. FMI: contact 374-2891.

Kneisel Hall Children’s Concerts are back at the Blue Hill Public Library this summer! Five weekly concerts will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday July 3, 10, 24, 31, and August 7 (there will be no concert on Friday, July 17). Musicians from Kneisel Hall’s Young Artist program will be performing a variety of chamber music and will engage their young audience with information about the music and their instruments and answering questions. They will be playing combinations of violin, viola, and cello. The Young Artist program is a 7-week intensive session for 50 international pre-professional young artists. All ages are welcome to attend these free concerts, which are co-sponsored by the Blue Hill Library and Kneisel Hall.  For more information, contact Youth Services Librarian Claire at claire.malina@bhpl.net or call 374-5515. For more information about Kneisel Hall and concerts, visit their website at https://www.kneisel.org/.