It's no secret by now that Joe is an animal lover, which is why this weekend he's promoting H.A.R.T.- The Homeless Animal Rescue Team of Maine. Located in Cumberland, H.A.R.T. is an all-volunteer organization that provides a safe refuge to hundreds of homeless cats each year. This great organization relies on the support of individual donors to help rescue and provide shelter for these innocent animals. H.A.R.T. is holding its annual Yard/Bake Sale event, from Thursday August 16th to Sunday the 19th, at the Cumberland Fairgrounds in  Cumberland. Four days of great deals all in support of H.A.R.T.'s kitties!

Find more about this event at H.A.R.T.'s website. Joe hopes the event is a success and thanks H.A.R.T. for their tireless work on behalf of our feline friends!

                          Photography by Corey Templeton. See more of Corey's photos here and here.

Readers of the blog will recognize this one. This weekend Joe is spreading the word about the 93rd Annual St. Peter's Italian Bazaar. Hosted by the St. Peter's Parish in Portland this weekend, the bazaar celebrates the Feast of the Assumption and the Feast of Saint Rocco. The festival includes a road race, delicious food, and more! Find more about the event here, and Joe hopes it's a great success!

                    Photography by Corey Templeton. See more of Corey's photos here and here.

Portlanders, do you hear what Joe hears? From August 9th to the 18th, we'll all be hearing the beautiful melodies of the Portland Chamber Music Festival. Founded in 1994 and celebrating its 25th year, this is a top chamber music event in New England featuring acclaimed performers from the United States and abroad. Festival concerts are broadcast regionally and nationally on Maine Public Radio, WGBH Radio in Boston, and American Public Media’s “Performance Today.” This wonderful nonprofit organization enhances the cultural life of Southern Maine by bringing nationally recognized artists of the highest caliber to Portland to present a wide range of classical and contemporary chamber music, including education and engagement programs for community members of all ages.

Find more about the PCMF here.

Joe hopes the event is a great success and that PCMF continues to flourish for another 25 years!

                          Photography by Corey Templeton. See more of Corey's photos here and here.

Have you ever wanted to make a difference in your community but felt like you needed help? Joe knows how much being part of a group can empower an individual, and that's why he's proud to promote the Southern Maine chapter of 100 Women Who Care. 100 Women Who Care Southern Maine is a group of local women who are interested in supporting our communities by contributing to Southern Maine charities together as a group to increase the impact. The organization's mission is to reach out and help the community by finding 100 or more women (the count is currently over 150!) to each contribute $50 four times a year in order to give $20,000+ annually to local charities. All charities and organizations up for consideration must be in the Southern Maine area. The idea is to keep it local and have an impact that can be seen in our communities!

100 Women's next meeting is this Monday, August 6th, at the Italian Heritage Center-- 40 Westland Ave, Portland, ME from 5:45-7:40pm. A silent auction will take place, with time for networking, appetizers and a glass of wine before the meeting starts at 6:30pm. Come find out what a great group of generous and thoughtful women can do when they put their minds to it!

Find out more about this local organization here, and please consider joining the movement!

                         Photography by Corey Templeton. See more of Corey's photos here and here.

Joe loves a good movie, especially one with a compelling lead character, so he's intrigued by the upcoming Bluestocking Film Series, the only film event in the world to require female protagonists. The event celebrates and promotes talented, emerging filmmakers who take the creative risk of placing female protagonists front and center and introduces Maine audiences to those who are bound to influence the future of filmed entertainment. The 2018 Bluestocking event will take place on August 3rd and 4th here in Portland. Find more about the event here. Joe loves to see this type of creativity in his hometown and hopes the event is a great success!

Batter up, Portland! We're in peak Maine summer, and you know what that means: freshly-cut grass, broken-in leather mitts, and nice cold Sea Dog biscuits. If you're local, be sure to check out the Sea Dogs, Joe's favorite baseball team and AA affiliate of the Red Sox, this season at their home at Hadlock Field.

Find more about the Sea Dogs on their website, and Joe says see you at Hadlock!

                  Photography by Corey Templeton. See more of Corey's photos here and here.

Portlanders have seen this message before and are surely aware of this weekend's Casco Bay Uke Fest, a celebration of all things Ukelele. The Fourth Annual CascoBay Ukefest is happening tomorrow, July 28th beginning at 9am, at St. Luke's Cathedral in Portland. The day will feature plenty of workshops and performances for players of all skill levels. Joe thinks you should check it out!

Find more about UkeFest here.

                           Photography by Corey Templeton. See more of Corey's photos here and here.

Joe hopes there are some opera fans who follow this blog, because today he's promoting Opera Maine, a local organization dedicated to producing creative, inspiring, and professional opera performances of artistic excellence. Opera Maine's current production, with performances on July 25th and 27th, is The Marriage of Figaro by Wofgang Amadeus Mozart. Maestro Stephen Lord will conduct the Opera Maine orchestra and Artistic Director Dona D. Vaughn will breathe new life into this all-time classic. Joe hopes both shows go off without a hitch and hopes you consider checking them out!

Find more information about Opera Maine here and more information about the performances here.

                        Photography by Corey Templeton. See more of Corey's photos here and here.