November 2023

NOVEMBER News from Heart of Ellsworth
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News from Main Street
6th Annual Downeast Cider + Cheese Festival

Nov. 9-12

Join us for four delicious days to celebrate hard cider and cheese. The festival will feature local purveyors and experts.

Free and ticketed events include:
  • “DNA, History and Weird Apples,” an apple history talk featuring Cameron Peace, John Bunker, and Todd Little-Siebold at Ellsworth Public Library
  • Ticketed Cider + Cheese Tasting + Market at Desert Harvest
  • Apple pressing at Fogtown Brewing Company
  • Cheesemaking Workshop at Ellsworth Public Library
 The Downeast Cider + Cheese festival is the first and only event of its kind in the state of Maine. A full list of free and ticketed events is available at heartofellsworth.org/downeast-cider-cheese-festival.  

The event is hosted by Heart of Ellsworth with generous sponsorship from Franklin Savings BankDown East MagazineDesert HarvestWERU Community Radio, Ellsworth Public Library and DownEast Acadia Regional Tourism
 
This year, there are two seatings for the guided Cider + Cheese Tasting - 5 p.m. & 7 p.m. Tickets are still available, get yours before they sell out.

 
Buy Cider + Cheese Tasting Tickets Now
Free Bondeko Concert at The Grand
 
Nov. 9
7 p.m.

 
Join WERU and Heart of Ellsworth for an amazing night of world music from Bondeko! This FREE concert will be at The Grand in Ellsworth on November 9. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the show begins at 7:00 p.m.
 
Bondeko is the unlikely musical collaboration of an Albanian crooner and folklorist, a traditional Guinean drummer and a French singer-songwriter. Their live shows are celebrations of the joy of sharing space with people from very different cultures. Bondeko is proudly from Portland, Maine, proudly international and proudly multigenerational!
 
The concert is brought to you by Heart of Ellsworth and WERU with sponsorship from Franklin Savings Bank and the City of Ellsworth, and officially kicks off the Downeast Cider + Cheese Festival.
Learn more about the Downeast Cider + Cheese Festival
Manifesting Main: Asset Mapping Downtown Ellsworth Wins GrowSmart Maine Award
 
We are proud to announce that last month, our asset mapping project, Manifesting Main, was awarded the Exemplary Smart Growth Planning Initiative as part of GrowSmart Maine's 2023 Maine Smart Growth Awards.

GrowSmart Maine supports communities navigating change by convening to action, sharing thought leadership, and advocating, all in alignment with smart growth principles.  

Thank you to the Board and staff of GrowSmart Maine for taking the time to honor the good that’s happening in our state!
Learn more about our Asset Mapping project
Small Business Saturday is Nov. 25

Support our downtown businesses this Small Business Saturday! Pick up holiday gifts, treat yourself to something new, and don't forget to take a break and grab a bite at one of our downtown eateries.
Check out our Downtown Map to plan your day
 Giving Tuesday is Nov. 28
 
If you're planning to participate in Giving Tuesday this year, we humbly ask that you consider donating to Heart of Ellsworth. Your donation will help us continue our momentum of bringing great events and business resources to our downtown district, and meet our goals in the coming year.

New projects for 2024 include:

 
  • Building a full slate of programming and community events
  • Achieving the Main Street Designation
  • Completing the transformation of Merrill Park
Every donation helps, including donations of time. If you'd like to volunteer for Heart of Ellsworth or participate in a committee, contact us. 
Donate Now
 Our Wish List
 
In addition to annual gifts and volunteering, Heart of Ellsworth is in need of specific items to help us complete our work every day to make great things happen in Downtown Ellsworth. Check out some of the items on our Wish List:
  • Office Supplies
  • Reams of paper
  • Color Printer
  • Shared radio spots on WERU and/or MPBN
  • Printing Services
  • Newspaper Ads (particularly Ellsworth American)
  • Monthly Monetary Giving
If you are interested in donating any of the above items, please be in touch with cara@heartofellsworth.org.
 Art of Ellsworth Success!
 
The 6th annual Art of Ellsworth was a success, even with the wet weather.

Thank you to Ellsworth Community Music Institute (ECMI) and Ellsworth Public Library for hosting one of our Art of Ellsworth events: the Instrument Petting Zoo. It was an amazing learning opportunity for the littlest members of our community to get hands-on music experience.
Learn more about ECMI
 Meet the Candidates
 
The 6th annual Meet the Candidates event on Oct. 17 was a great success.

Special thanks to:
  • All six candidates for participating: Marc Blanchette, Gene Lyons, Patrick Lyons, John Linnehan, Ruth Moore, and Nancy Smith.
  • The Grand for hosting.
  • The City of Ellsworth for sponsoring and supporting this year’s event and live stream.
  • The Ellsworth American for partnering with us to put on this event, and Managing Editor, Cyndi Wood, for moderating.
  • And, a giant THANK YOU to Desert Harvest for sponsoring this year’s event.
Didn't have a chance to attend?
Watch the 2023 Meet the Candidates Recording
Creating Peace Within Ourselves Supports Peace for the World - Healthy Acadia

Thursdays, Nov. 2: 5 p.m.

Discover the profound benefits of mindfulness in this transformative workshop. Join Satya Kaur Khalsa for an exploration of what peace is and how we can live it. 

Online via Zoom

FREE
FMI + Register: Website
Midday Concert @ 1:00 - Ellsworth Community Music Institute

Friday, Nov. 3: 1 p.m.

Ellsworth Community Music Institute (ECMI) offers its next Midday Concert featuring Aaron Larget-Caplan, guitar; Robert Lehmann, violin; Kimberly Lehmann, viola; and Rebecca Hartka, cello. The quartet will perform a program of Latin-American music for guitar and strings that explores the notion of music that dances with the ancestors.

Moore Community Center Theater
125 State St.

FREE
FMI: Website
Dance Workshops - Steamy Buddha 

Saturday, Nov. 4 & 11: 6-7:30 p.m.

Join Steamy Buddha for dance workshops to express yourself through movement. The Ecstatic Dance workshop will be on Nov. 4, and 5Rythms workshop on Nov. 11.

50 Church St.
Ellsworth

$25 & $20
FMI + Pre-register: Website
Dried Flower Wreath Workshop - Little Red Flower Truck

Sunday, Nov. 12: 2-5 p.m.

Use farm grown and line dried flowers to construct a one of a kind, everlasting piece of art to hang on your walls for years to come.

Each participant will leave with their own wreath creation(s) and a new found skill!

Artsworth Studios
25 Pine St.
Ellsworth

$125/person
FMI: Website
Author Talk: Tim Cotton - Ellsworth Public Library 

Thursday, Nov. 16: 6-7 p.m.

Tim Cotton, retired Bangor Police Lieutenant detective, known for his "Duck of Justice" Facebook posts and author of three books, will visit the Ellsworth Public Library for a Q & A session. Please bring your questions and enjoy his dry wit and humor! Books will be available for purchase and signing. (Cash and Credit Card only)

20 State St.
Ellsworth

FREE
FMI: Website
Ellsworth City Council Meeting 

Monday, Nov. 20: 6 p.m.


You can tune in and participate in Ellsworth City Council meetings through various online methods. Please visit the City Council webpage for meeting notices and participation instructions.

1 City Hall Plaza + Online
Ellsworth


FREE
FMI: Website
Christmas for Kids Silent Auction - The City of Ellsworth

The Month of November

The proceeds of the silent auction will be used to replenish the City of Ellsworth’s Christmas for Kids fund. Each year, the City assists approximately 80-100 children who may not otherwise receive a gift experience the joy of the holidays. Anyone can place bids on auction items during the entire month of November.



1 City Hall Plaza
Ellsworth

FMI: Website
Met Live - The Grand

Various dates

Watch The Met's live productions right here in Ellsworth! This year's lineup will include exciting company premieres, new productions, and classic repertory favorites.

165 Main St.
Ellsworth

FMI & Tickets: Website
Christmas in Ellsworth

The holidays are almost here. Stay tuned for festive events and opportunities to shop, dine and enjoy Downtown Ellsworth this season.

FMI: Website
City Hall Connection - The City of Ellsworth

Do you receive the City Hall Connection newsletter? Check out past issues and sign-up for future issues on the City of Ellsworth website (scroll to the bottom of the page, click "City of Ellsworth Newsletter" enter your email address and click Submit).

FMI: Website
HEART OF ELLSWORTH IN THE NEWS

Check out some recent mentions of Heart of Ellsworth in the local news.

Heart of Ellsworth’s Young honored with Downtown Champion Award
The Ellsworth American

Ellsworth sees uptick in downtown business sector
NEWS CENTER Maine

Downtown Ellsworth growing with new businesses
Fox22
DOWNTOWN NEWS

The Sweet Spot is Open!

 
The Sweet Spot (formerly known as The Franklin St. Cafe) is now open in their new, Main St. location - 61 Main St. to be exact. Stop in to check out their delicious food, baked goods and drinks.
 
So many of you have told us how much downtown Ellsworth means to you, how a vibrant downtown has enriched your life or increased your sense of pride and connection to place.

Perhaps you participated in one of our events, stopped to take in the Water Street Mural or downtown wayfinding map, enjoyed the free outdoor summer concert in the parklet, received one of our downtown grants, enjoyed a cider + cheese bag, took part in our tasting event, or pressed apples as part of the Downeast Cider + Cheese Festival. Maybe you or your child took part in our asset mapping event, Manifesting Main or hiked the refurbished trail behind the library or tuned in for Meet the Candidates forum or just simply enjoyed the flowers and holiday lights on Main Street. However you interfaced with Heart of Ellsworth this past year we hope you will take a moment to support us this year.

With your help, we can increase the number of people who have access to a vibrant and thriving downtown community!

 
Thank you for your support of Heart of Ellsworth!

Heart of Ellsworth is a 501c3 nonprofit organization.
Your gift is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. 
DONATE HERE
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#heartofellsworth

Have some news you would like us to share?
Please submit via our online form at:  heartofellsworth.org/newsletters

Thank You!
SAVE THE DATES!
 
Nov. 10-12   Downeast Cider + Cheese Festival
Nov. 25         Small Business Saturday
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