FEBRUARY 5, 2026 | ISSUE 5

📣 Welcome New Chamber Member:

Wilson Museum



We’re thrilled to welcome The Wilson Museum to the Belfast Area Chamber of Commerce! Founded in 1921 by Castine summer resident and geologist Dr. J. Howard Wilson, the Wilson Museum is a vibrant cultural resource dedicated to preserving and interpreting the natural and cultural heritage of our region. From million-year-old fossils and Bagaduce River horseshoe crabs to early human tools and Castine’s local history, the Museum offers immersive, hands-on learning experiences for all ages—including live demonstrations by craftspeople and artisans and tours of an early Castine home. Through engaging exhibits and programs, the Wilson Museum feeds curiosity and creates meaningful connections across history, place, and culture.

You can find the Wilson Museum HERE.

Welcome to the Chamber — we’re glad you’re here!

Arts in the Park applications are now open for artists and food vendors!

Visit our website HERE for more info.

INDOOR BOOK SALE & FLEA MARKET

At DownEast Auction Hall

328 East Main St. Searsport, Maine.

Friday & Saturday, February 6 & 7th,

10 am to 4 pm

Hundreds of New & Like-New Books

All at Liquidation Prices!

Coffee Table style books: Arts & Entertainment, History, Travel, Civil War, WWI & II

Ancient, Middle Ages, Europe, Christian, &

Fiction & More.

Plus Lots of Misc. Furniture, Baskets, box lots, Dolls, Glassware, China, Antiques, Artwork, and who knows what!

Drive to the hall behind the house.

Hall is heated, restrooms.

Cash or Checks.

Call: 548-2393 for more information.

FREE Blood Pressure Readings & Blood Sugar Screenings

DON’T WAIT. CHECK TODAY FOR FREE

High blood pressure and blood sugar often have NO symptoms — but early detection can be life-changing.



February 9th - 9am to Noon

Belfast Drug Company

15 Starrett Drive Unit G, Belfast, ME

Open to ALL community members — no appointment, no cost, no insurance required

A Registered Nurse will be on site, and a Licensed Doctor of Pharmacy will be available for lifestyle coaching if needed. With rising healthcare costs and long wait times, we’re making care accessible, convenient, and local — because your health shouldn’t have to wait.

Stop in. Get checked. Take control.

Belfast Maskers is adding a special winter event to its season with a series of staged readings presented on three Saturday afternoons in February at 2 p.m. The series revives a past Maskers tradition of sharing diverse, script-focused theater in an intimate format during the off-season. Producer Erik Perkins says the format keeps the theater active and connected to the community. “I love that we can present a variety of theater with minimal preparation or production costs,” he said. “It’s a great way to stay engaged with the community and volunteers during the off-season when the theater is often shuttered.”

The lineup explores themes of love, identity, and relationships:

Feb. 7: “Kalamazoo” by Michelle Kholos Brooks and Kelly Younger, directed by Greg Marsanskis, is a humorous and heartfelt story about aging, loss, and second chances. “As I get older, I am more interested in the problems that arise with age,” Marsanskis said. “‘Kalamazoo’ asks how do you face the rest of your life when that one special person you have been sharing it with passes away. I love the answer the playwrights explore.”

Feb. 14: “Collective Rage: A Play in Five Betties” by Jen Silverman, directed by Stephanie Natale Frus, offers a fast-paced and comedic exploration of identity, gender expectations, and love through the lives of five women all named Betty. “This play feels like a pop-up art book with an in-your-face look at navigating what society says it means to be a woman,” Frus said. “It takes taboo and throws it in your face. I am always drawn to plays that inspire authentic dinner conversations afterward — and this one lets us talk about love.”

Feb. 28: “Dinner With Friends” by Donald Margulies, directed by Meg Nickerson, is the Pulitzer Prize–winning drama examining intimacy and the myth of the “perfect couple” when a long friendship between two married couples is tested. Nickerson describes the experience as theater that lingers: audiences “walk away still thinking about the people you just met.”

Tickets are $10 or three for $25 These readers theater-style performances are free for those who have purchased season passes, which are also on sale now. More information and tickets are available at http://BelfastMaskers.com.

Come Into the Light with Finding Our Voices in July! 

Finding Our Voices invites big-hearted businesses to brighten the lives of local domestic abuse survivors by joining our Third Annual July "Into the Light!" Yellow Festival Fundraiser.

Last July, 135 businesses across Midcoast Maine and the Blue Hill Peninsula raised $58,000 for our grassroots nonprofit by designating a yellow "Into the Light!" menu or store item for the month and donating part of the profits. 

Any kind of business is eligible to join.

Here is the way to come on board:  https://secure.lglforms.com/form_engine/s/q8-2D3z1R6IyRONiFi3_Sg

News from our member, Bahner Farm:

Farmstand CSA Shares Are Now Open For Purchase!



Buying a Farmstand CSA share from Bahner Farm is a simple way to support a local farm at the most important time of the year—before the growing season even begins.

CSA shares help farms cover early-season costs like seeds, supplies, and staffing while greenhouses are filling and fields are being prepared. In return, you receive flexible farmstand credit to use throughout the season on plants, produce, and local foods.

It’s a meaningful way to invest in your local food system—and enjoy the harvest all season long.

Visit Bahner Farm HERE for more info!

This month, the Belfast Co-op's Common Cents round-up recipient is Sexual Assault Support Services of Midcoast Maine (SASSMM).

SASSMM’s mission is to support and advocate for people affected by sexual violence, while working to prevent it in our communities.

Through their Common Cents program, rounding your purchase to the next dollar helps support vital work right here in our community. Every cent collected goes directly to the organization, empowering them to create the greatest impact possible.

In January, the Belfast Rotary Club donated $13,000 to seven area food pantries.

The funds were raised from proceeds of their pancake breakfasts, golf tournament, a Super Bowl pool, and member donations.



Recipients of the donations were:

Northport Food Pantry

Greater Bay Area Ministerium

Jackson Food Pantry

Searsport Congregational

Liberty Area Food Pantry

No Greater Love Food Pantry

Little River Church Food Pantry

🤝 Member Collaboration for Community Good🤝

Two of our Chamber members are teaming up this February to support neighbors in need — Stanley Chevrolet and the Belfast Soup Kitchen.

Through Stanley Chevrolet’s Round Up for Change program, customers can choose to round their purchase up to the nearest dollar — or add $2 or $5 — with 100% of the proceeds going directly to the Belfast Soup Kitchen.

It’s a simple way for two local organizations to combine their efforts and make a real impact right here in our community. Small contributions add up — and together, our members are helping take care of Belfast and the midcoast area.

🥧 Member Update – Wholesale is rolling at Portable Pie Co.!🥧

Portable Pie Co. is now fully operational with their wholesale production—and making it even easier to find their pies near you. They’ve just launched a new interactive retailer map on their website so customers can quickly locate stores and markets carrying Portable Pie products throughout the region.

A great example of a local food business growing its reach while staying rooted in our community—congrats to the Portable Pie team!

🐾 Members Partnering for Pets!🐾

Two of our Chamber members are teaming up this February to support local animals in need — Belfast LBC and PAWS. Throughout the month, Belfast LBC is helping showcase PAWS’ adoptable dogs and cats right in their store windows 🐶🐱. Customers are also welcome to leave donations for PAWS at the Belfast LBC location — or donate directly to PAWS and receive 10% off an adoption fee.

It’s a great example of local businesses working together to support animals and families in our community.

Visit their Facebook page HERE, FMI.

Retired? Between jobs? Looking for some way to work with kids? Come be a substitute teacher at the Waldo County Tech Center and be a part of the super amazing things they're doing!

Dorothy Havey, Executive Director

Director@belfastmaine.org

Kim Grindle, Member Relations Coordinator

ChamberOffice@belfastmaine.org

Board of Directors

President: Michelle Curtis, First National Bank

Vice President: Ryan Harnden, Mathews Brothers

Treasurer: Terri Tower, Camden National Bank

Secretary: Megan McAvoy, MaineHealth Waldo Hospital

Haley B. Hall, Esq., Camden Law

John McKeith, The Belfast Center

Mary Tripp, Bank of America

Staff Photography by Dave Waddell, Down East Magazine