KENNEBUNK
Museum hosts author talk, holiday showcase
Illustrator Matt Tavares will visit the Brick Store Museum at 10 a.m. Saturday for a reading of his children’s book, “Dasher,” followed by a Q&A session afterward at 117 Main St.
Tavares also will sign copies of “Dasher” and his other book “The Night Before Christmas,” both will be available in the museum’s store. This event is free and open to the public as part of the museum’s Tree Lighting Open House that day.
The museum’s annual Holiday Showcase also opens Saturday, paying homage to the region’s independent artists and creators.
Over 20 regional artists have joined to show off paper art, jewelry, basketry, custom drawings, photography, candles and more. The display will be viewable during regular museum hours through Dec. 21 at 117 Main St. The exhibit is free, courtesy of sponsor H.M. Payson, as a holiday gift to the community.
Visitors will be able to visit the museum’s newest exhibitions and shop for locally-made gifts and artwork supporting both individual artists in York County and the museum’s educational mission in the community.
The museum also has an option for those not comfortable coming indoors during the pandemic: Artwork and special pieces will be featured on the museum’s social media feeds and its new online store, the Museum Mercantile, which can be found at brickstoremuseum.org.

BRUNSWICK
Town to kick off tree lighting ceremony Saturday
Adults and children of all ages are invited to attend the Brunswick Downtown Association’s annual Tree Lighting Ceremony and festivities this Saturday on the Brunswick Town Mall at 160 Park Row.
The event will officially begin at 2 p.m., with offerings of free cocoa and cookies. There will also be ice carving demonstrations and attendees can take rides on BDA’s Polar Express Bus. Kids can visit with Santa, along with Frosty and Mrs. Claus, from 2:30 to 5 p.m. at the Gazebo after he arrives on a Brunswick fire truck. Musical performances will be given by the Una Voce Chamber Choir at 3 p.m., followed by a performance of carols and holiday songs by the Brunswick High School Chorus at 4 p.m.
Santa will then preside over the lighting ceremony at 5 p.m.

Midcoast Tree Festival returns to community center
The Midcoast Tree Festival will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at St. John’s Community Center on 43 Pleasant St.
Over 30 Christmas trees, donated by local businesses and organizations and brimming with gifts worth more than $500 each, will be on display, featuring a wide variety of themes. All are welcome to view the trees with the option of purchasing raffle tickets for chances to win one of the trees and all the gifts on them.
The event also has concessions, a hot cocoa bar from the Knights of Columbus, activities for the kids, and special performances by the Maine Marimba Ensemble, Your Caricature (character drawings), Spark’s Ark Animal Services, Maine Youth Orchestra, the St. John’s Catholic School Chorus, the Playing for Laughs improv troupe, and others. A visit from Santa himself will conclude the festivities on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Admission is $2 per person and free for children under the age of 12. Raffle tickets are 50 cents each. Purchasing tickets is by cash only.

SOUTH PORTLAND
Rotary to sell trees, wreaths at Mill Creek Park
The South Portland-Cape Elizabeth Rotary will host its 60th annual Christmas tree sale beginning at 10 a.m. Friday at Mill Creek Park, at 50 Hinckley Dr.
The holiday tree sale will be open from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday (lot is closed on Tuesdays) and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays and will continue until the 2,000-plus Maine-grown Christmas trees and wreaths are sold out.
Customers wishing to order a tree or wreath online – to be picked up on the Christmas tree lot – can visit rotarychristmastrees.com. Sale proceeds directly benefit community nonprofit organizations and schools to help neighbors cope with food security, youth services, behavioral health, veteran needs, and safe and stable housing.

NEW GLOUCESTER
‘Tiny Timber’ tree lighting on Sunday
The annual New Gloucester Tree Lighting of “Tiny Timber” will be held at 4:30 p.m. Sunday at the New Gloucester Town Hall, on Route 231.
The event will feature musical performances Gray-New Gloucester High School Chorus, refreshments, and Public Library and History Barn Open Houses. All are welcome to attend.

ORONO
Mitchell Center to host talk about challenges in forest management
The University of Maine will host the talk “Sustainability Is Not Enough: From Stewardship to Reciprocity” at 3 p.m. Monday, in person at 107 Norman Smith Hall on the UMaine campus or via Zoom.
Roger Milliken, board chair of the Baskahegan Company, will discuss the conflicts between traditional forest management practices and the contemporary needs of modern forests and society. Building on perspectives gained from 40 years of forest management and conservation, he will describe the tensions experienced by those who care for forests, as well as the conflicts between seeing forests as resources and as communities to which humans belong.
The talk is free but pre-registration is required to attend remotely. To register and receive connection information, go to umaine.edu/mitchellcenter/event/talk-sustainability-is-not-enough-from-stewardship-to-reciprocity.