Author: Scott Smith

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In This Issue: Opening Weekend of ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’ with Belfast Maskers, Arbor Day Celebration with Belfast Parks and Recreation Department and Belfast Garden Club, Shred-It and Drug Take Back event with Waldo County Triad, Mother’s Day Complimentary Tea and Jewelry Sale at Belfast United Methodist Church, Jazz Weekend in Blue Hill with Bagaduce Music, ‘Does It Match The Couch?’ Exhibition and Opening Reception at Waterfall Arts, Live Music Last Saturdays at the Belfast, ME American Legion Post #43, Community Tea Party with Hospice Volunteers of Waldo County, Maine, Friends of Sears Island Fundraising Dinner at Anglers Restaurant, Four Course French Wine Tasing Dinner at Aster & Rose Maine, Two New Guest Artists at Local Color Gallery Maine, Opening Weekend event for Portable Pie Place, Weekend Workshop with MidCoast Shakespeare Studio, and so much more!

This week’s cover photo comes to you from the Maine Governor’s Conference on Tourism held in Bangor May 16 & 17. The Chamber staff enjoys attending, networking, and learning so much from industry professionals about our great state. It was also great to connect with other Chamber members we saw at the event!

IT’S ARRIVED! 2025 Belfast: The Bay and Beyond ~ The Official Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce Regional Guide!

Cover photo includes the Schooner Charm and Come Boating Belfast Maine rowers. Photo by Kellie Lucaczyk Photography.

Many thanks to the absolutely tremendous team at Down East Magazine for collaborating with us again this year on a quality magazine. So many great articles, features, and photos!

Please stop by the Chamber Information Center and pick up your free copy or a bundle for your office or business. If you are a Chamber member business and would like to get on our distribution list, please call 207-338-5900 or email chamberoffice@belfastmaine.org.

And it’s NEVER TOO EARLY to start planning for 2026! If you’re still considering an advertisement or want to find out how to promote your business or organization through this great publication, contact us! 

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In This Issue: Poetry Readings at Anodyne book shop, Cork & Canvas at Bucksport Trading Post, Repair Cafe at Waldo County YMCA, Marine Mammal Standing Response Workshop with Friends of Sears Island, A Crankie Show at Marsh River Theater, Easter Sunday Services, Opening Day at Northport Golf Club, Upcoming Workshops at Waterfall Arts, and so much more!

This week’s cover photo comes to you from the Belfast Lions Club – Belfast, ME Pancake Breakfast, courtesy of BELFAST (MAINE) POLICE DEPARTMENT. This is news from the Bay & Beyond. Your Chamber Working For You!

From the Director’s Desk

As we transition into another beautiful Maine spring, our thoughts naturally turn to the upcoming tourism season—a time when our coastal towns come alive with visitors, activity, and opportunity.

A thriving tourism season is more than just busy sidewalks and full restaurants—it’s a vital pillar of our local economy. For many of our Chamber members, particularly those in retail, hospitality, food service, and the arts, the influx of summer and fall visitors provides the revenue needed to sustain operations year-round. Quite simply, tourism keeps our local economy moving.

But the benefits go even deeper.

Tourism fuels job creation, from seasonal staff to full-time positions that support families across Waldo County. It encourages both public and private investment in everything from downtown improvements to broadband access. And it gives us a valuable platform to share what makes our community so special—our creativity, our natural beauty, and our Maine hospitality.

The Chamber plays a key role in this ecosystem. Through events like Arts in the Park, visitor information services, and promotion of our members, we help connect travelers to the experiences they seek—and in turn, drive dollars to our local businesses.

So as we gear up for the busy months ahead, let’s celebrate the opportunity tourism brings. Whether you’re welcoming visitors to your storefront, your gallery, your trail, or your inn, know that your work contributes to the vibrancy of our region.

Here’s to a strong, successful season ahead!

Warmly,
Dorothy Havey
President/CEO
Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce

Toddy Pond Farm is a diversified family farm at the end of a dirt road in Monroe, ME. 

Through our restaurant, Farm & Table, our mission is to provide our community and those visiting our lovely part of Maine, with wholesome and thoughtfully crafted meals in a fun and vibrant working farm setting. All of the meat we serve is raised here on our farm and all of the vegetables are grown by local organic growers. We offer a variety of dietary options, including vegetarian and gluten-free and our wood fired pizza with our naturally leavened sourdough crust is said to be some of the best in Waldo county. Seating options include our historic 1800’s hay barn and outside picnic tables (weather dependent) 

We (Heide and Greg) started our farming journey in 2013 by re-establishing Toddy Pond Farm as a small micro dairy specializing in whole milk yogurts, cheeses and farm raised meats. Over the years we shifted our focus entirely to our on farm restaurant, which has grown in popularity every year since we started in 2019. You can learn more about us personally on our website.

Our farm to table dinners are much more than just a delicious farm raised meal. We offer our guests the opportunity for a full evening experience – dinner, local live music, flower gardens and an orchard to stroll through, farm animals to visit, farm dogs to play with, a place to gather with family and friends, all surrounded by abundant nature on a remote hilltop farm tucked off the beaten path. Some say we are a little hard to get to, everyone says it’s worth it. Reservations are required (nobody wants to drive all the way out to Monroe to discover we can’t seat them- our dinners routinely sell out)

Our restaurant is a destination for many folks coming to visit Maine in the summer, however our lovely local community is the life-blood of our farm. From our days at the original Friday Belfast Farmers’ Market to now, it always has been and that is a part of our mission that we strive to never lose sight of. We’re-open for the season in early May. Details and reservations will be on our website.

We look forward to seeing you on the farm this summer!

Heide (owner, chef) & Greg (owner, fixer of all things broken)

Bangor Daily News article – https://www.bangordailynews.com/2024/05/26/business/6-hidden-gem-restaurants-for-your-summer-dining-list-joam40zk0w/

Toddy Pond Farm – 174 Carver Rd, Monroe, ME 04951 / www.toddypondfarm.com

Waterfall Arts: Bringing Out the Artist in You

Mission:
Nurturing and inspiring creative expression across Midcoast Maine. Waterfall Arts brings out the artist in you.

About Us:
Waterfall Arts began in 2000 in the woods of Montville, where a group of local artists gathered to share ideas, inspiration, and a love of the natural waterfalls that gave the organization its name. In 2006, we moved into the historic Gov. Anderson School in downtown Belfast, establishing ourselves as Waldo County’s year-round community arts center. Today, we offer exhibitions, public art, open studios, youth programs, and a wide variety of hands-on workshops for all ages and experience levels.

What Sets Us Apart:
Waterfall Arts is more than a place to take an art class—it’s a place to connect, express, and grow. We believe everyone is creative, and that engaging with the arts can strengthen communities, deepen relationships, and foster individual well-being. Our work is grounded in accessibility and inclusion, creating welcoming spaces where people from all walks of life can find inspiration and belonging. Whether you’re printing in our community studios, visiting a gallery show, or watching your child explore their creativity after school, you’re part of something much bigger: a vibrant, intergenerational arts community.

Since our founding, we’ve served over 10,000 individuals through classes, events, exhibitions, and outreach. Each year, more than 5,000 people engage with our programs—including both local residents and visitors to the region. And that number continues to grow.

Looking Ahead:
In 2025, we’re celebrating 25 years of Waterfall Arts with a full year of special events, storytelling, and legacy-building. We’ve launched the Cascade Society, a new legacy giving initiative that invites supporters to help sustain our mission into the future. One of our key goals in the coming years is to address long-standing accessibility challenges in our historic building so that everyone—regardless of mobility—can fully participate in the creative experiences we offer. We welcome everyone to be part of the celebration and the ongoing work of strengthening our creative community.

Waterfall Arts – 256 High St. Belfast, ME 04915 / 207-338-2222 / waterfallarts.org

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In This Issue: Cinderella Project with Waldo Community Action Partners, Pumpkin Patch Antiques 50th Anniversary, Spring Craft Fair at First Baptist Church, Belfast, Pajama Party at Stone Tree Farm & Cidery, STEM Fest at Owls Head Transportation Museum, Bunny Hop Event with UBx-Unity Business Exchange, Spring Celtic Sampler with Maine Celtic Celebration, ‘Detective Story’ with Everyman Repertory Theatre, Cliff Notes Live Music Series at Clifford Arts & Student Center, Egg Hunt & Breakfast with Belfast Lions Club – Belfast, ME, Wild Blueberry Farming Speaker at Belfast Garden Club, Low-Cost Rabies Clinic at Waldo County Pet Food Pantry, Vote for the Best Contests with Down East Magazine and Midcoast Villager VillageSoup, Opening Day at Northport Golf Club, and so much more!

This week’s cover photo comes to you from Aster & Rose Maine, photograph by Peter Logue. This is news from the Bay & Beyond. Your Chamber Working For You!

As part of our effort to spotlight our incredible Chamber members, we invite you to be featured in an upcoming edition of our weekly e-newsletter!

To help our readers get to know you better, please email us a brief write-up (a few paragraphs would be great) including:

• Your Mission or Vision Statement (if you have one)
• A little background – Who you are, how you started, and what you do today
• What sets you apart – How do you differentiate yourself from others in your industry? What makes you unique?
• A future goal or something you’d love people to know about your business or organization

Feel free to include a photo, logo, or any visuals you’d like to share. We’re excited to help our community learn more about the people and businesses that make our area so vibrant! These will be shared as available and will also be accessible any time on our website.

Please email to Scott at chamberoffice@belfastmaine.org and add ‘Featured Member’ to the email subject line.

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In This Issue: Happy Wanderers Hike with Coastal Mountains Land Trust and MaineHealth Waldo Hospital, First Friday Dances with Belfast Flying Shoes, Author Christine Murphy at Left Bank Books, The Sugar Snaps at Clifford Arts & Student Center, 50th Passy River Race with Waldo County YMCA, Pancake Breakfast with Belfast Maine Rotary Club, Small Business Easter Egg Hunt in Searsport, Roving Shanty Chorus with Bagaduce Music, and so much more!

This week’s cover photo comes to you from some top quality April Fool’s photos from those eclectic agents at RE/MAX Jaret & Cohn. This is news from the Bay & Beyond. Your Chamber Working For You!

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In This Issue: Last Chance to Sign Up for the St. George & Passy River Races, DownEast Auctions event, Housing For All Presentation with Midcoast Villager VillageSoup, Brown Bag Lunch and Poetry with Belfast Senior College, Fourth Friday with New Member Artist Deb Bergman at Local Color Gallery Maine, Downtown Business Coffee with Our Town Belfast, Training Classes with Hospice Volunteers of Waldo County, Maine, Marine Mammal Stranding Response Workshop with Friends of Sears Island, 60% Off Bargain Basement at Colburn Shoe Store, Sign Up for Resilient Beings workshop with Rhythms of Being, and so much more!

This week’s cover photo comes to you from our own Scott Smith. Beautiful crocuses blooming in March. This is news from the Bay & Beyond. Your Chamber Working For You!