Shaker Christmas Fair

The annual Shaker Christmas Fair at Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7. Experience this festive holiday tradition located at 707 Shaker Road.

Specialties include Shaker baked goods, including wheat bread, Brother Arnold’s beer batter bread, cinnamon-raisin bread, fruitcakes made using Sister Frances’ famous recipe, fresh-baked herbal biscuits, cookies and more. A wide array of gifts and holiday items are available, such as Shaker cooking herbs and herbal teas, pickles, jellies, old-fashioned candy, maple syrup, pickles, cheese, woodenware, furniture, antiques, baskets, yarn, knit goods, toys, ornaments, decorated balsam wreaths, hot cider, homemade donuts, bake sale products, a 50/50 raffle and more. Lunch plates will be available for purchase while supplies last.

Proceeds from the popular White Elephant Room, a second-time around indoor yard sale, will benefit area food pantries. Discover more at maineshakers.com or call 926-4597 for more information.

Benefit Christmas concert

More than 20 musical, spoken word and dramatic artists will gather in the sanctuary of the First Congregational Church, 19 Gloucester Hill Road, at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, to perform at the fourth annual “A New Gloucester Christmas” concert. A community potluck supper will precede the concert, beginning at 5 p.m.

When it debuted in 2016, the concert featured artists and bands almost exclusively from New Gloucester itself. Each year, however, the troupe of performers has grown and diversified. This year, the line-up includes guitar virtuoso Jim Gallant, actor Don Libby, singer Sophie Patenaude, pastor and humorist George Wardwell and assorted members of several area ensembles, including Bald Hill, Yellow Sun Wreckers, Pocket Full of Mumbles, The Kennebunk River Band, the St. Gregory’s Church choir and Three Point Jazz duo.

The mission of this event continues to be to raise funds for local fuel assistance. The suggested donation is $10 per person.

Coastal Winds in concert

Holiday favorites will be performed by Coastal Winds, Freeport’s community concert band, at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10, in the acoustically ideal sanctuary of  the First Congregational Church, 19 Gloucester Hill Road. A collection will be gratefully received for the local emergency fuel assistance fund.

Historical Society open house

The monthly New Gloucester Historical Society open house will be held 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 7, at the Meetinghouse, 389 Intervale Road. The archives vault will be open for research.

Thanksgiving gratitude

Gray/New Gloucester Caring Community volunteers are feeling fortunate to live in a community inspired to help their neighbors. They express their gratitude to participating GNG Middle School students, the National Junior Honor Society led by Vanessa Nickerson and the GNG High School Community Service Club led by Karen Licht for providing Thanksgiving meals to several Gray and New Gloucester families.

Patti Mikkelsen can be contacted at mikks@maine.rr.com.