Going Through Other People's Things

Hello there, Bowdoinhammer

Remember being a kid and getting into all your parents' things? When my folks were out doing whatever grown-ups did in the '80s, I was a champion snoop at home. I mean, who can resist a good rummage? It's human nature!

If you also get a thrill from exploring other people's treasures, this weekend is going to be epic for you. 

Saturday is packed for Bowdoinham Yard Sale Day, and Sunday is the Open Farm and Studio Day. 

Keep an eye out for a special newsletter hitting your inbox on Wednesday with all the Bowdoinham Yard Sale Day addresses. 

Get ready for So. Much. Stuff!

Newsletter Highlights:

• A new beginning at the Bowdoinham Country Store.

• On Tuesday, the Select Board will be discussing the potential installation of speed tables on Carding Machine Road.

• I think maybe the Planning Board didn’t have anything to plan, and that’s why they canceled their meeting on Thursday. That leaves you free to check out the Guilt-Free Book Group instead!

• The Harpeth River Band, with special guest Aiden Fiori, will be having a relaxing acoustic evening on Friday. (I’ve seen these folks perform, and there’s something magical about their songs that makes my brain go mushy. If I could highlight this event twice, I would.)

• If you need an air-conditioned break from Bowdoinham Yard Sale Day on Saturday, you might want to duck into the Merrymeeting Arts Center to check out the final showing of the Late Bloomer exhibit.

• Stick around after Open Farm & Studio Day this Sunday for a fantastic evening at Mailly Waterfront Park! "Rough Sawn" will be playing some great tunes, and the Bowdoinham Food Pantry will be serving up tasty food - a perfect ending to a wonderful day.

Keep scrolling for more info about these and other events.

A message from the New Owners of the Country Store

Dear friends, family, and neighbors,

It’s official — and we couldn’t be more excited to share this news with you.  We are the new owners of the Bowdoinham Country Store!

For those of you who don’t know us yet, we’re both from small Maine towns but Bowdoinham has been our home since 2010. This community means the world to us — it’s where we’ve put down our roots and connected with so many of you.

When the store closed its doors back in December, we, like many of you, felt a noticeable change. The heart of our downtown just didn’t feel quite the same. That familiar buzz — neighbors stopping in for coffee, the hum of local conversation, the warmth of a small-town gathering place — was missing.

That’s exactly why we’re stepping in. We believe in this town, and we believe the store is more than just a place to grab a gallon of milk — it’s a community hub, a shared space, and a piece of Bowdoinham’s identity.

Renovations will be starting soon to revitalize the building, while preserving the charm and spirit that make the store so special. If all goes well, we’re aiming to reopen this fall — with a few new touches and plenty of familiar favorites.

We’re beyond grateful for your support and encouragement already, and we can’t wait to welcome you back through the doors.

With heartfelt thanks,

Logan & Ashleigh 

Happening in Bowdoinham THIS week:

MONDAY, July 21st

• Open Pottery Studio, Merrymeeting Arts Center Studio (9 Main St.), 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM. $10 suggested donation. The maximum capacity is 10 pottery enthusiasts.

TUESDAY, July 22nd

• Map Making Workshop, Bowdoinham Public Library (13a School St.), 10:30 AM - NOON. Sign up by calling (207) 666-8405, emailing [email protected], or visiting the library.

• Recycling Drop-off, Public Works Facility (121 Pond Rd.), NOON - 6:00 PM.

• Kids’ Summer Photography Camp, Merrymeeting Arts Center (9 Main St.) 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM. This camp will be for teens, ages 12-15, with professional photographer Leah Haraden. They'll learn photography basics, composition, and lighting through hands-on fun, with the opportunity to have their work displayed in a September exhibition! All they need is a camera (even a cell phone). $30, plus a $10 printing fee for a professionally printed photo. 

• Merryreading Book Store OPEN, Merrymeeting Hall Basement (27 Main St.), 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM.

• Pickleball, Bowdoinham Community School Tennis Court (23 Cemetery Rd.), 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM. Weather permitting. This is open to adults of any age and ability. The group has friendly games with mixed levels of competition.

• Select Board Meeting, Kendall Room, John C. Coombs Municipal Building (13 School St.), 6:00 PM. Townhall Streams link. For a list of other town meetings, visit the town's calendar.

WEDNESDAY, July 23rd

• Pickleball, Bowdoinham Community School TENNIS COURT (23 Cemetery Rd.), 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM. Weather permitting. This is open to adults of any age and ability. The group has friendly games with mixed levels of competition.

• Bridge, Bowdoinham Fire Station (57 Post Rd.), 9:30 AM - NOON. FMI: Judy Gray, 666-3025. The group welcomes all players. Current players range from high-scoring duplicate players to seniors who played in college and newbies who have taken a class.

• Bowdoinham Food Pantry OPEN, Bowdoinham Food Pantry (9 Main St.), 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM. For all residents of Bowdoinham and Bowdoin. Building community with food. NO income verification. FMI: (207) 751-7779. Shop there first.

• Open Pottery Studio, Merrymeeting Arts Center Studio (9 Main St.), 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM. $10 suggested donation. The maximum capacity is 10 pottery enthusiasts.

THURSDAY, July 24th

• Trash Pick-up Day. You can buy the $3 trash tags at the Town Office and Public Works Facility. Pick-up times vary. 

• Recycling Drop-off, Public Works Facility (121 Pond Rd.), 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

• Cribbage hosted by Age Friendly Bowdoinham, Bowdoinham Fire Station (57 Post Rd.), 9:30 AM - NOON. Hosted by Age Friendly Bowdoinham.

• Kids’ Summer Photography Camp, Merrymeeting Arts Center (9 Main St.) 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM. This camp will be for teens, ages 12-15, with professional photographer Leah Haraden. They'll learn photography basics, composition, and lighting through hands-on fun, with the opportunity to have their work displayed in a September exhibition! All they need is a camera (even a cell phone). $30, plus a $10 printing fee for a professionally printed photo.

• Merryreading Book Store OPEN, Merrymeeting Hall Basement (27 Main St.), 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM.

• Pickleball, Bowdoinham Community School TENNIS COURT (23 Cemetery Rd.), 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM. Weather permitting. This is open to adults of any age and ability. The group has friendly games with mixed levels of competition.

• Planning Board Meeting, Kendall Room, John C. Coombs Municipal Building (13 School St.), 6:30 PM - 10:00 PM. CANCELED. For a list of other town meetings, visit the town's calendar.

• Guilt-Free Book Group, Merrymeeting Hall (27 Main St.), 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM. Have you ever wanted to join a book discussion group but have cold feet or commitment issues? Worry no more. This Book Group lets you read whatever your heart desires (theme-related or not). They just wanna hear about it. Call the library (666-8405) to find out about this month's literary adventure, and ditch the guilt.

FRIDAY, July 25th

• Pickleball, Bowdoinham Community School TENNIS COURT (23 Cemetery Rd.), 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM. Weather permitting. This is open to adults of any age and ability. The group has friendly games with mixed levels of competition.

• An evening of Folk and Nashville music, Watersong Music Studio (9 Main St.), 6:00 PM. Lynne, Jim, and Daniel Deming -the Harpeth River Band - will play guitar and violin along with our locally talented Aiden Fiori on bass. Bring a covered dish or snacks to share with friends. A relaxing acoustic evening with no reservations required!

SATURDAY, July 26th

• Recycling Drop-off, Public Works Facility (121 Pond Rd.), 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

• Bowdoinham Yard Sale Day, All over town, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

• Visit/Volunteer/Donate/Shop at the Bowdoinham Gift Shop, Recycling Barn (243 Post Rd.), 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM. Clean and FREE curated household items, clothes, and toys are available. Donations and volunteers are welcome to support this community resource and help reduce waste. Contributions are accepted inside, and returnable beverage containers may be dropped off in the window near the road at any time.

• Summer Ceramic Shop, Merrymeeting Arts Center GALLERY (9 Main St.), 8:00 AM - NOON. The MAC Gallery will be hosting a ceramics shop, showcasing the work of six local potters, for 6 weeks during the Farmer’s Market. Stop by before or after you shop! You just might need a bowl to eat all that salad you just bought!

• Bowdoinham Farmers' Market, Mailly Waterfront Park (1 Main St.), 8:30 AM - NOON. 

• Open Pottery Studio, Merrymeeting Arts Center STUDIO (9 Main St.), 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM. $10 suggested donation. The maximum capacity is 10 pottery enthusiasts.

• Merryreading Book Store OPEN, Merrymeeting Hall Basement (27 Main St.), 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM.

• FINAL SHOW: “Late Bloomer” exhibition, Merrymeeting Arts Center Gallery (9 Main St.), 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM. Merrymeeting Arts Center presents "Late Bloomer," a retrospective exhibit by Maine artist Rachel Ingrid Robbins, a former writer who explores themes of growth, transformation, and creative resilience through tactile pastel and mixed media. Her dreamlike narratives, tracing an evolution from written to visual storytelling, feature vibrant colors and mystical beings, marking a personal and creative shift.

SUNDAY, July 27th, Open Farm & Studio Day

• Sunday Service, Bowdoinham Second Baptist (1 Church St.), 9:30 AM.

• Sunday School/Service, Bowdoinham Church of the Nazarene (7 School St.), 10:00 AM, Service 11:00 AM. 

• Pottery Wheel Demonstrations, Merrymeeting Arts Center Studio (9 Main St.), 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM.

• Summer Concert Supper with “Rough Sawn” playing at the gazebo in Mailly Waterfront Park (1 Main St.), 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM. The Bowdoinham Food Pantry will be serving food. 

Events may change or be canceled without notice.

Coming Soon to a Bowdoinham Near You:

🚲 The 4th Annual Le Tour de Bowdoinham Food Pantry Charity Ride is pedaling our way on Saturday, August 16th, and they're looking for volunteers! Whether you're a cheering type, snack master, finish line greeter, course marshal, or chalk artist, shifts are super flexible (1.5 to 3 hours). Businesses, you can be a superhero too: sponsorships (cash, raffle goodies, or discounts) get your logo on the new jersey, posters, website, and social media. Get in on the action by emailing Yvette Meunier at [email protected] or calling (207) 666-3096. Let's make this ride the best yet! 

. . .

📖 The Loose Ladies Book Group will discuss "The Queens of Crime" by Marie Benedict on Thursday, August 21st, a thrilling story about five legendary women crime writers, including Dorothy L. Sayers and Agatha Christie, who form a secret society in 1930s London to solve a real-life, perplexing murder. Inspired by a true event, the novel follows their investigation as they use their literary skills to unpuzzle a mystery with high-level connections, discovering their collective strength. Get your copy at Bowdoinham Public Library or your favorite local bookseller.

. . .

🤞 Enter to win a weekend (October 3-5, 2025) at lovely Upper House cottage!  Tickets are just $20 each and could give you a chance to win a $700 value prize of a two-night stay on the Phippsburg peninsula in this charming cottage. Get your tickets at Bowdoinham Public Library, from now until we draw for the winner at Celebrate Bowdoinham on September 13th.  Don't miss your chance to win this great getaway!

. . .

🎈 Bowdoinham's biggest party of the year, Celebrate Bowdoinham, is hitting Mailly Waterfront Park on Saturday, September 13th (rain date Sept 14th)! This annual festival at Mailly Waterfront Park is a joyful way to honor our town's history and connections, with this year's theme highlighting "Farming in Bowdoinham." The day will be packed with a vibrant parade (featuring a $250 prize for the best float!), tasty food, live music, and plenty of games and activities for kids, including the popular KenDUCKY Derby. To ensure the spectacular fireworks display can light up the night, organizers are seeking sponsorships, as costs have increased. Local businesses, artists, and nonprofits are invited to join the parade or become a sponsor by August 1st to connect with hundreds of visitors. All forms and details are available at Bowdoinham.com/event/celebrate-bowdoinham-2025.

May all your weekends be sunny, Bowdoinhammer.

See you next week, and until then, take care of yourself.

Love,

Rodney

❤️