Chamber Updates, Member News

& Tips for Business You Can Use

Friday trivia!

Each week the question will be at the top, answer at the bottom...we encourage you to take a look at everything in between as well 😉

Question: In what year and for whom was National Doughnut Day established by Congress?

Dear Members,

Holy cow, has it been a busy few weeks of "spring" (in quotes because honestly, once it's over 70 degrees for a stretch, we're in unofficial Maine summer). Between the golf tournament, the Eat Play Stay guide (see below!), welcoming our summer intern Evan Flynn, and prepping for the CLAs on June 18 — it's been a lot.

But through the busyness, some really great things have come together. We want to highlight two of them upfront this week.

EXPANDED EVENT: Chamber After Hours at Reform Physical Therapy + Connecting to Tomorrow Celebration | June 10, 5–7pm

Next Wednesday, we're combining two great events into one at Reform Physical Therapy (190 Pleasant St., Brunswick — last business on the right before the Exit 28 on-ramp).

Reform is hosting our monthly Chamber After Hours and the year-end celebration for the second cohort of Connecting to Tomorrow, our collaborative internship program. Joining our chamber members will be internship host sites, school leaders, and the interns themselves — and families are welcome too.

The Chamber After Hours format is mostly unchanged, except the 6:00–6:15 remarks will focus on the internship program before door prizes. If you have an event update to share, send it to Cory at Cory@midcoastmaine.com and he'll work it in.

Central Maine Power: New Gold Sponsor for the CLAs and Newest Cornerstone Member

We talk about our Cornerstone members at every event, but we haven't spotlighted the program itself in the newsletter for a while — so here's a good reason to.

Central Maine Power took a close look at what we do and decided to step up their support in a big way this year: they're both a Gold Sponsor for the Community Leadership Awards and a new Cornerstone Member at the $2,000 partner level. We're genuinely grateful for the way they came to us and said, "We appreciate what you do — how can we help?"

With 71% of members renewing in July, and membership dues rolled into Cornerstone, this might be the right year to consider stepping up. If you join before June 18, you'll receive tickets and added recognition at the CLAs. It's not the right fit for everyone — but if it sounds interesting, reach out to Cory directly at Cory@midcoastmaine.com.

Have a great weekend,

Cory, Britt, and Evan

Chamber News & Notes

The Eat Play Stay guest guide is here!

The Eat Play Stay guide is back — new cover, same great resource 🦞

Grab copies for your business by swinging by the office (heads up appreciated so we can have someone ready).

Interested in being a distribution site? Contact Evan at evan@midcoastmaine.com 📧

Another successful Ribbon Cutting Train in Bath!

Events, WILL Power Breakfast Series

June 23, 2026

2026 Community Leadership Awards

June 18, 2026

Events, News & Notes

June 5, 2026

2nd Friday Brunswick is a series of four immersive events featuring local artisans, live music, and theatrical performances taking place on the second Friday of each month from June to September.

**NEW THIS YEAR**

The BDA has added a Youth Maker Market to support and celebrate all young artists that want to participate in our 2nd Friday Brunswick event. This is for ages 14 and under but if there are any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out!

2nd Friday is a vibrant monthly celebration of local culture, creativity, and community. Held on the second Friday of each month from June through September, this dynamic event transforms rotating areas of our Downtown into lively hubs of activity—showcasing live music, sidewalk sales, pop-up vendors, art installations, and family-friendly activities.

Whether you’re strolling with friends, shopping from local makers, enjoying a bite from your favorite eatery, or discovering a new band on the street corner, 2nd Friday is your chance to experience downtown Brunswick at its best. It’s where neighbors meet, businesses shine, and summer memories are made.

Come for the fun. Stay for the community. Celebrate what makes Brunswick unique—every 2nd Friday from 4:00 – 7:00 PM.



If you’re a musician looking to participate, please email Abbey Plankey-Smith at admin@brunswickdowntown.org or call 207-729-4439 with questions.

Join Maine Maritime Museum for a “Nowhere to Wear It” dance party featuring beats by DJ Ms Wrecks, cocktails by Jackass Annie, and all of your most fabulous, ridiculous, or over-the-top looks. It’s that one thing in your closet that you love—floral tuxedo, astronaut costume, wedding dress, dinosaur onesie—but no occasion to show it off. Until now! At the start of the summer, we’re celebrating self-expression without judgment. 

$25; members receive a 20% discount

$30 at the door

Cash bar & light refreshments

Ages 18+

Explore Westport Island gardens on June 27

The popular Gardens of Lincoln County tour, presented by Lincoln County Historical Association (LCHA), returns on Friday, June 27 with “A Westport Island Adventure,” a self-guided exploration of beautiful gardens, special sites, and local history throughout the island.

This annual tour offers participants a rare opportunity to visit a variety of private gardens and special locations across Westport Island while discovering the stories, landscapes, and heritage that have shaped this unique community located just off the coast near Wiscasset.

Tour stops are kept confidential until the day before the tour, when they are sent to ticket holders. Guests are encouraged to plan and explore at their own pace throughout the day. This flexible format allows visitors to linger at favorite locations, enjoy the island's scenic beauty, and helps distribute attendance among the various sites.

In addition to the featured gardens, this year’s event will include a number of special attractions that will highlight Westport Island’s unique character and history. Along the route, participants will encounter scenic viewpoints, historic sites, and opportunities to learn about the island’s distinct story and the people who have shaped it over generations.

Visitors will also have the opportunity to purchase plants and decor for their own gardens. A bake sale featuring recipes inspired by colonial-era cookbooks will offer historic treats such as lemon almond tarts, lemon puffs, biscuits, macaroons, and apple dumplings from The Frugal Housewife 18th century cookbook. Guests can also enjoy watching plein air painters at work and try their luck at a raffle featuring a variety of prizes.

“The Gardens of Lincoln County Tour is about more than beautiful gardens,” said LCHA director Shannon Gilmore. “It’s an opportunity to explore the places and features that make Westport Island special.”

Tickets are available now and are expected to sell out, as they have in previous years. Advance tickets are $40 for non-members and $35 for members of the Lincoln County Historical Association. Tickets on the day of the tour will be $45 until sold out.



The Lincoln County Historical Association extends special thanks to the Westport Island community for its extraordinary support and enthusiasm in helping to organize this year's event.

To order tickets and learn more, visit www.lincolncountyhistory.org/garden-tour.

Congratulations to all of the BBTRC members who were nominates for Down East Magazine's annual Best of Maine! Voting is open until June 12th, make sure your voice is heard!

Hair Spray at MSMT

22 Elm Street, Brunswick

June 3rd - 20th

https://msmt.org/hairspray/

Welcome to the ’60s! It’s 1962 in Baltimore, and Tracy Turnblad has a big heart, even bigger hair, and one big dream: to dance on The Corny Collins Show. When her once-in-a-lifetime shot turns into a chance to stand up for what’s right, Tracy becomes an unlikely heroine on a mission to integrate the airwaves and bring people together—with plenty of rhythm, soul, and style. Packed with infectious songs and outrageous fun, Hairspray is a celebration of self-love, social change, and the power of dance to shake things up.

And don't forget, restaurants fill up when MSMT gets going! Make sure to grab reservations early and often 👏🏻

Brunswick Pride is next weekend, and Spark Cycling Studio is kicking things off early! 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️ All next week, we're celebrating Pride the way we do everything - together. Expect good music, big energy, and a whole lot of love on the bike. Classes open for booking this Sunday at 12pm. Grab your spot and come ride with us!

Have a great weekend!

The BBTRC Newsletter is generously sponsored by

our 2026 Cornerstone Real Estate Member: 

The BBTRC News & Notes are generously sponsored by

our 2026 Cornerstone Banking Member: 

The BBTRC News & Notes are generously sponsored by

our 2026 Cornerstone Commercial Real Estate Member: 

The BBTRC News & Notes are generously sponsored by

our 2026 Cornerstone Healthcare Member: 

The BBTRC News & Notes are generously sponsored by

our 2026 Cornerstone Automotive Sales Member: 

Chamber Resources

Wondering if you should join the Chamber? There's a downloadable document for you to reference here.

In addition, we've created a one-pager that outlines the benefits of joining the BBTRC. We're always eager to welcome new members but we also know that our current members are some of the best resource we have! The downloadable document is here and also below.

2026 Cornerstone Memberships

Cory is booking meetings for Cornerstone Membership visits. These businesses are interested in elevating their commitment with the chamber to include sponsorship of the events and programs that the chamber initiates annually. There are three levels of Cornerstone Membership for 2026, and they include all of your dues (or most of your dues at the third level) for 12 months. 

Chamber Works Program Updates

We wanted to again highlight some very exciting news about our workforce programs.

If your business is interested meeting students and showcasing your careers through:

• Work-Study Internships
• Job Shadows
• Career Bus Tours
• In-School Chats

…then we would love for you to take 5 minutes now to sign up. There are two ways to sign up and/or get more information...



If you're ready to register to be considered for either career bus tours or work-study internship programs, please fill out the following forms and e-mail them back to Cory.

Brunswick Landing Neighborhood News

We’re thrilled to announce launch of Brunswick Landing Neighborhood News, a new publication of the BBTRC focusing on Brunswick Landing events and business updates, news from MRRA, and infrastructure information. It is intended to both highlight things happening on Brunswick Landing, and to share information that is highly-impactful to Brunswick Landing businesses.

Please note that this is a separate newsletter from the weekly Chamber newsletter. If you would like to be included, you must sign up using this link.

Anyone is welcome to sign up however submissions will be limited to BL businesses and BL news with very few exceptions. Feel free to submit anything you think may be relevant but we will be the final arbiters of what is included. That said, your submission could very well end up in our regular Chamber newsletter. 

After Hours, 12 @ 12, & Cornerstone Info

Chamber After Hours hosts get the chance to show off their space to 60-80 attendees and educated them on their organization. More information and application can be found below.