Heart of Ellsworth,Ellsworth Historical Society, Ellsworth Public Library, Woodlawn, local business owners & residents alike are hosting the fourth annual Jane’s Walk in Downtown Ellsworth on May 3rd, 2025. There will be six walks in Ellsworth, spanning from 8 am until 5:30 pm. Community activist Jane Jacobs inspired this global festival of free, volunteer-led walking conversations. Jane’s Walk combines the simple act of exploring a place with personal observations, local history, and civic engagement.
The Jane’s Walk festival takes place each year in May in more than 200 cities and towns around the world. This year 51 walks are happening across Maine with six in Ellsworth, the most of any participating city or town. We will be walking rain or shine, unless there are thunderstorms. All are free and open to all:
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM: Exploring Woodlawn: A Walk Through History
10:00 - 11:00 AM: Pedal Through Ellsworth: A Guided Bike Ride with Paul Markosian
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM: History Detectives: Uncovering Ellsworth’s Past Along the River!
1:00 - 2:30 PM: Bricks & Beams: Exploring the Changing History of Three Storied Streets in Downtown Ellsworth
2:30 - 3:30 PM: Greener Streets, Brighter Future: A Jane’s Walk on Creative Urban Renewal
3:45 - 5:30 PM: Seaweed & Main Street: A Flavorful Jane’s Walk Through Ellsworth
When participating in a walk, wear comfortable shoes and bring your curiosity!
Showing thru May 4th at 16 State Street: Artists Rosalie Kell, Curt Larson, Amy Reisman, and Grace Otzwirk are excited to share their work inspired by the gardens of the sea. Their processes are very different, but when prompted with the theme of Seaweed week and using seaweed as a medium, their work converses with each other. Come join in on the conversation of seaweed!
Shop with six exceptional vendors, each showcasing seaweed-inspired goods, art, and treats at the Seaweed Evening Market at 16 State Street. May 1st from 4 - 7 pm. It will be a fun evening of supporting local businesses and artists!
Join Heart of Ellsworth’s Design Committee for a Volunteer Day filled with community spirit and hands-on projects! We’ll be planting trees, beautifying flower and tree boxes, and working on other exciting downtown improvements.
Come for an hour or the whole day—every helping hand makes a difference!
Stop by the Heart of Ellsworth office at 16 State Street!
We are open Tuesday - Thursday 10am to 4pm.
Heart of Ellsworth is Hiring: Assistant Director
Heart of Ellsworth is hiring a full-time Assistant Director to support our vibrant downtown through events, partnerships, and community programming. Ideal candidates are organized, community-minded, and experienced in project coordination, communications, and nonprofit work. Some evenings/weekends required. Competitive salary and flexible work environment.
Apply with resume and cover letter to: cara@heartofellsworth.org
Pictured here, Frenchman Bay Conservancy Staff, Heart of Ellsworth Board members and five of the six members of the Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium.
🌿 Riverwalk North: A Year of Art and Community on the Library Lawn
We’re excited to announce a new chapter in the Riverwalk North project! In collaboration with the Ellsworth Public Library and Frenchman Bay Conservancy, Heart of Ellsworth will host a year-long temporary sculpture installation on the library lawn—bringing public art to the heart of downtown. Beginning in May, three sculptures will be installed as part of this effort, launching a year of artistic exploration and community connection.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to revitalize the Riverwalk North trail, encouraging community engagement through accessible, creative experiences in shared public space.
The sculptures—created by the Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium—are a first step toward building a Union River Sculpture Trail, blending art, culture, and outdoor recreation.
This exciting phase is made possible thanks to a planning grant from the Maine Office of Outdoor Recreation, which supports our vision to transform the Riverwalk North into a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable destination.
Stay tuned for upcoming workshops and community events tied to the installation.
Chaise Gabion by artist Celeste Roberge. A fabricated stainless steel chaise lounge filled with river rocks, measures 24” x 72” x 27”
By assembling this page of downtown Ellsworth-centric walks we aim to highlight our city’s natural attributes making it easy to plan your next shopping, eating, hiking trip to downtown Ellsworth. Be sure to pair both of the above resources as you venture out this season. Take care of the land. Take care of yourself.
Join Ellsworth Pride for a fundraiser to support their upcoming PrideFest.
In Berlin in 1931 American cabaret singer Sally Bowles (Liza Minnelli) meets British academic Brian Roberts (Michael York). The two become entangled in an affair, complicated by wealthy playboy Maximillian Von Heune (Helmut Griem), which plays out against the background of the rise of Nazi regime and the collapse of the Weimar Republic.
🎶 Live Music + Special Events This May at Finn’s! 🎶
Spring is in full swing at Finn’s Irish Pub, and we’re excited to announce Live Music every Saturday at 6:00PM throughout the month of May! Come enjoy great tunes, great food, and your favorite pint in the Heart of Ellsworth. Call-ahead seating is available and encouraged!
🌸 Mother’s Day Brunch & Specials are also on the way — join us for a delicious celebration on Sunday, May 12! We’ll be offering reservations for this event, so be sure to book early and treat Mom to something special.
🎶 Our new weekly crowd favorite, Name That Tune, happens every Wednesday at 6:30PM — and it’s quickly become one of the most fun and competitive nights of the week. Bring your brain, your friends, and your best music knowledge!
🌸 Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and we’ll be celebrating with some special cocktails and delicious offerings Mom is sure to love. Stop in or stay tuned for full details!
2025 Union River Watershed Summit: Looking Back/Looking Forward
Friday, May 16th: 4 pm - 6:30 pm (Zoom)
Saturday, May 17th: 9:30 am - 4 pm (In-Person)
With something to interest anyone who lives, works or plays in the Union River Watershed, Green Ellsworth’s Summit will feature presentations and panelists, interactive sessions, displays, a film premier, a river walk/tour and a free lunch.
Celebrate Maine Arbor Week by Volunteering at a Community Tree Nursery
Sunday, May 18th: 1 pm (rain date May 19th, 10 am)
Tuesday, May 20th: 9 am (rain date May 21st, 9 am)
Saturday, May 24th: 10 am (rain date May 25th, 1 pm)
The City of Ellsworth’s Arbor Commission and Frenchman Bay Conservancy invite you to join with Ellsworth Elementary Middle School’s second graders and teachers in our annual Community Tree Nursery tree care activities and planting of 80 trees destined for Ellsworth’s city streets and green spaces.
Midday Concert - Ellsworth Community Music Institute
Friday, May 23rd: 1 pm
Ellsworth Community Music Institute (ECMI) offers its next Midday Concert at 1:00 on Friday, May 23 with Clare Monfredo, cello; Edward Kass, bass; and Conrad Winslow, piano.
Thinking about starting or growing your business in Ellsworth? The City of Ellsworth has published a Business Guide that will help new businesses in Ellsworth connect with local resources and discover the supportive partners ready to help them succeed. There are print copies at the City of Ellsworth and Heart of Ellsworth offices.
Opening day is Saturday May 3rd from 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Check out the Farmers Market at its new location 25 Pine Street parking lot of Fogtown and Artsworth!
Ellsworth High School AP Student Art Show 2025
Save the Dates!
Show on View: May 16-29
16 State Street Makerspace
Opening Event: Friday, May 16: 5PM
More details to come
Bangor Federal Credit Union Donates $10,000 to Hancock County Food Pantries
Employees from Bangor Federal Credit Union met with staff from two Ellsworth area food pantries (Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry, and Hancock County Technical Center’s Food Pantry) and presented each a check for $5,000 to aid in each organization’s continued battle against food insecurity in Hancock County.
Food insecurity in Maine is a real problem. According to the Campaign for Ending Hunger in Maine, Maine ranks 14th in the nation for food insecurity with approximately 43% of Maine students requiring food assistance every day and nearly 16% of Maine seniors at risk of going hungry.
Courthouse Gallery Fine Art opens for the season on May 1 with their Annual Spring Show, a group exhibition highlighting the work of twenty-four artists, and a solo show: Alison Rector: Silkscreen Season On A Maine Farm, the first exhibition highlighting Alison Rector’s entire collection of silkscreen prints. Rector created this remarkable 35-year record of the back-to-the-land experience after she and her husband embraced the homesteading life when they moved from Boston to Maine in 1990. A catalog with an essay by Carl Little is available. Both shows will be on view from May 1 through May 28, with an Artist’s Reception on Wednesday, May 7, from 5–7pm, and an Artist Talk with Alison Rector and Carl Little on Saturday, May 10, at 2pm. The exhibitions, reception, and Artist Talk will be held at Courthouse Gallery in Ellsworth, and the shows and events are free and open to the public.
Every month, the Heart of Ellsworth team interviews local business owners and publishes the feature in the Ellsworth Business Pulse. In April, we featured Zi Photography, Ghost Rose Tattoo, and Conscious Cafe. Did you catch it? Subscribe to this monthly e-newsletter to get features in your inbox, as well as resources, events, and support available to business owners and entrepreneurs in downeast Maine. Emails drop mid-month.
