The Downeast Cider + Cheese Festival is Almost Here
Cider + Cheese is so back! We’ve partnered with Woodlawn to celebrate local flavors and Ellsworth’s apple-growing history once again. We’re thrilled to bring the festival to life alongside their great team, local businesses, volunteers, and the artisans carrying these traditions forward. You’ll be hearing from us Saturday morning with all the details.
Volunteer for the Final Downtown Cleanup of the Year
Help us give downtown some care before winter! We’ll be tidying shared spaces and working with City staff to hang our handmade light spheres for the season ahead. Join us for the full cleanup or lend a hand for part of the day!
Opening to the public November 25, Many Hands will fill the gallery at 16 State with prints, jewelry, cozy knits, and more from local artists and makers. We’re bringing their work together in one shared shop, giving you time to browse, discover, and come back for that gift you’re still thinking about. Shop through Christmas Eve, with every purchase supporting both the makers and Heart of Ellsworth’s downtown programs.
Coffee with friends, a family outing, a downtown date, or some holiday gift hunting—what’s your kind of Saturday?
With Small Business Saturday coming up November 28, A Saturday in Ellsworth will share simple itinerary ideas highlighting local shops, restaurants, and spots to explore. As Christmas shopping begins, look close to home for thoughtful gifts, personal recommendations, and unexpected finds. Every purchase supports the people behind our local storefronts and helps keep downtown active throughout the year.
FROM THE MAKERSPACE AT 16 STATE
hARTrocks: Makers & Mentors - Nurturing Nature
ON DISPLAY NOW UNTIL NOV. 20
Explore the connections between creativity, care, and the natural world through work by hARTrocks, a collective of Downeast Maine artists and arts educators. Inspired by local landscapes, changing seasons, and traditions of gathering and making, this exhibition celebrates the relationships that help creativity take root in our community.
Learn alongside your neighbors in Handbuilding I, Sculptural Clay, or Screen Printing 101, or join a single workshop to create something for your home or holiday table. Little Clay Makers gives young children and their grown-ups room to play and explore together, while Thursday Open Studio welcomes returning clay students to keep their own ideas taking shape.
Several frequently visited City departments now share one convenient location. Assessing, Code Enforcement, Economic Development, and Planning are together on the main level as the Office of Community Development. Turn left through the glass doors after entering City Hall’s front entrance to find the team and a central contact who can help connect you with the right staff member.
Visit the Farmers Market Before the Season Wraps Up
It is the final month of Ellsworth’s outdoor farmers market season! Stock up on local food for holiday gatherings, browse handmade goods, and visit with the farmers and makers who bring the market to life. Make time for another Saturday morning at Harbor Park before the season wraps up the third week of November!
There’s still time to explore the fascinating world of fungi! Join mycologist David Porter for Thursday’s mushroom identification walk at Jordan Homestead with Frenchman Bay Conservancy, or create a miniature mushroom scene at Friday’s cloche diorama workshop. Registration is required for both activities; the diorama workshop welcomes ages 14 and up.
Set aside an hour for rest and reflection with Julie Daigle through Healthy Acadia’s Monthly Mindfulness series. This free online guided meditation invites participants to settle into a comfortable place, followed by time to journal their experience. Bring paper and a pen, and register in advance to receive the Zoom link.
Get an early start on holiday shopping at The Bud Connection! Explore seasonal decorating ideas and stocking stuffers, enjoy prizes, and save 20% storewide, excluding flowers and plants. The doors open at 6AM for shoppers ready to rise and shop.
Host Celeste Donohue joins Crystal Bernard, Sara Poulin, and Amparo Randall for an evening of live stand-up comedy downtown. Arrive early for dinner music with acoustic guitarist and singer Lysso Sanborn. There’s no cover, all ages are welcome, and dinner reservations are recommended.
Take a midday break for a free live performance with Paul Sullivan at Moore Community Center Theater. Presented by Field Note Music School, the Midday Concert @ 1:00 series brings music into the community with funding assistance from the City of Ellsworth and support from the Onion Foundation.
Join The Pack Shack for a free Pokémon-themed painting event downtown! Spend some time getting creative and connecting with fellow fans at the shop’s 112 Main Street location.
Friday, November 20th at 6PM
Sunday, November 22nd at 10AM
Adults and youth ages 12 and up are invited to audition for The Grand’s January production of Alice in Wonderland, directed by Moxie McBreairty. No previous experience is necessary. Come prepared to read from the script and bring your imagination to the Stanley Subaru Stage!
Shop locally made goods in The Barn at Woodlawn as its monthly winter market returns. Browse fresh-baked breads, handmade jewelry, artisan tiles, wooden creations, maple syrup, jams, and more while supporting local makers and small businesses. Admission is free, with markets continuing one Saturday each month through March.
Be in the know about road closures, parking information and more by following updates from City Hall on their website. Attend and/or watch City Council Meetings by following their YouTube channel as well!
As we continue developing the space, planning workshops, gallery opportunities, rentals, and creative community programming, we invite you to follow along.
For all things Makerspace and most current updates, follow on social media.
Many of you have told us how much downtown Ellsworth means to you, how a vibrant downtown has enriched your life and increased your sense of pride and connection to this place.
Your support of economic growth through projects in the downtown district is what makes our work possible. We are asking for your help to sustain our work year-round. Your generosity will keep the Heart of Ellsworth beating strong.
