It was a renaissance summer. There were unrestricted camps for kids, and concerts, and families on outings, and dogs in tow and it was okay to be invaded by visitors because all of these traditions of summer are typically Maine, and Maine is a great place to be in 2023. More…

One of the best endings of the season is saying how much we appreciate everyone who helps make Summertime in the Belgrades such a success: you (our readers), our advertisers, our delivery crew, our columnists, and the owners of the various venues where we leave copies for you to enjoy. More…

Having grown up on the south side of Smithfield, it was not surprising I took a job working for Bear Spring Camps, which was about 3 miles away from my home. It was a September gig waiting tables to fill in for those going back to college. It was a perfect filler because I was in my late teens and still undecided concerning what I wanted to do or where I wanted to be. As luck would have it, the direction I was seeking would come from a guest at one of my tables. More…

In an uncommon partnership, LifeFlight of Maine, the state’s only air ambulance service, recently held a “Ground Safety and Users” course for local first responders at the 7 Lakes Alliance building in Belgrade Lakes Village, followed by field training with a live helicopter landing on a field conserved by 7 Lakes in Rome. More…

The Colby-Kennebec Choral Society invites all interested singers to join for its fall program “Canções D’Além Mar,” or “Songs from Across the Sea.” Rehearsals start on Tuesday, September 12, and will continue on Tuesdays, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m., in the new Gordon Center for the Performing Arts at Colby College in Waterville. More…

It’s a vision come true for Belgrade Lakes Village: more parking for shoppers, walkers, event-goers and folks who aren’t sure they want to get the squeeze from 18-wheelers. If all goes as planned, this new lot, just south of the Village Green, will be ready for use by next summer. More…

As fall approaches, many seasonal residents button up their camps and migrate to warmer climates. The loons prepare to depart as well. They spend summers on our lakes and winters on the open ocean. Some loons leave as early as mid-August for some birds, while other linger till November. More…

Whoever said, “Summer in Maine is nothing but two weeks of bad sledding,” wasn’t too far off the mark! It seems like summer should be getting longer with all of that global warming but here we are regardless — once again! We are still recovering from the deluge two weeks ago, but all is finally getting back to whatever covers for “normal” nowadays! More…

How good to read Dead Man’s Wake, Paul Dorian’s novel about murder at Great Pond, floating arm at night and all! This popular author apparently stayed at Bear Springs Camp at the Mosher farm a few years ago, as did famed author E.B. White in the last century, both at the beginning of his life and near its end. More…