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Friday, June 6, 2025 Volume 21 • Issue No. 23
BonAire! A Celebration of Ogunquit: Saturday, June 14 OGUNQUIT Every second weekend in June, BonAire celebrates Ogunquit’s history and culture, with a focus on the contributions of the visual and performing arts communities. The main event is an oceanside music and arts festival at Main Beach, featuring free live music, theatre, and family entertainment. Other activities throughout the day include an artisan craft fair, sand art demonstrations, and events hosted by member businesses. Subby, the renowned sand artist, kicks off Saturday’s activities at Main Beach with sand art demonstrations from 8 a.m.
to 11 a.m. An artisan craft fair opens at 9 a.m., featuring over 50 local entrepreneurs conveniently located adjacent to the music stage. Performances on the Main Beach Music Stage begin at 11 a.m. Guests are encouraged to mix in some unique
shopping with local crafters as they enjoy the performances on stage. The Main Beach Music Stage will showcase Stages of Ogunquit, featuring theater performances by the Ogunquit Playhouse Arts Academy per-
formers and live music from Eric Andrews Quintet (Jonathan’s Ogunquit), George Howe (The Front Porch Piano Bar), Dueling Drag Divas (MaineStreet) and The Dirt Boys (the Leavitt Theatre). Between sets, performers from Maine Youth
Circus will entertain audiences of all ages. Additions may include an art walk from Perkins Cove to downtown on Friday night and BonAire at Beach Plum Farm on Saturday afternoon, featuring artisan goods, a raptor program and refreshments. The Ogunquit Chamber would like to thank the 2025 sponsors of “BonAire!,” who make the event possible: 93.3 The Wave/98.7 Frank FM, Aland Realty, Bangor Savings Bank, Barnacle Billy’s, Brickyard Hollow Brewing, Café See BONAIRE on page 4 . . .
Land Trust Collaboration Highlights Indigenous Authors YORK COUNTY Saturday, June 14 marks the launch of “Tales on the Trails” at York Land Trust, Kennebunk Land Trust and Great Works Regional Land Trust in Newichawannock. Kennebunkport Conservation Trust, at 57 Gravelly Brook Road, is already set up for summer with its children’s Storybook Trail, where Minquansis Sapiel (Passamaquoddy), author of “Little People of the Dawn,” was one of the first featured authors. Kittery Land Trust, Wells Reserve at Laudholm, and Arundel Conservation Trust will announce their grand openings throughout the summer and fall. All the trails will be freely available for
the public to walk – with the books remaining in place for months at a time. Some authors will participate in the launches, presenting or reading their books, and visitors will have the opportunity to buy copies to take home. Every few months, the books will rotate among the different land trusts so each community can experience the various stories. Featured books include “Who Am I?” by Julie Buchholtz, “The Canoe Maker” by Jean Flahive and Donald Soctomah, “The First Blade of
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WELLS As June begins, piping plover chicks are hatching on Wells beaches. This is an extremely delicate time, as the chicks are flightless, fragile, and beginning to explore their surroundings. They often move up and down the beach in search of food and shelter, sometimes traveling far from posted signs or fenced nesting areas. It takes about 28 to 35 days for chicks to fledge, or take their first flight. Until then, they are especially vulnerable to human activity, pets, and environmental threats. The storm and high tides on May 23 impacted several active nests, displacing some pairs. Some plovers have already begun
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Bruchac and James Bruchac. The collaborating land trusts hope these stories and illustrations will entice children and their families outdoors
to explore nature and trails in different areas. They also provide an opportunity to learn See TRAILS on page 3 . . .
The Piping Plovers are Beginning to Nest
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Sweetgrass” by Suzanne Greenlaw and Gabriel Frey, “Little People of the Dawn” by Minquansis Sapiel, and “Turtle’s Race with Beaver” by Joseph
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to re-nest, and monitoring teams are hopeful for continued success throughout the season. In 2024, Wells recorded a high of 17 piping plover pairs, with 37 fledged chicks. This was part of a larger trend of increasing plover populations in Maine. For the past seven breeding seasons, Maine’s piping plover numbers have risen, breaking records year
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after year. After a record high of 157 pairs in 2023, the state had 143 breeding pairs in 2024. Piping plovers in Maine fledged 237 chicks, producing 1.66 chicks per pair, surpassing the state’s recovery goal of 1.5. By comparison, in 2023, plovers fledged 201 chicks, with a productivity rate of 1.28 – the lowest recorded since 2007. The rebound in productivity, despite fewer breeding pairs, is reassuring. Many of those fledged chicks are expected to return to the beaches and help grow the breeding population in future years. Much of Wells’ success can be attributed to its dedicated volunteer force, led by lead plover monitor Suzanne Craig and a
team of about 35 volunteers. Landowners who allow fencing to be erected to protect nesting areas also play a crucial role in keeping the birds safe. Additionally, the town of Wells ceased all raking activity on the beach until the plover breeding season ended, and extreme precautions are taken whenever vehicles are needed on the beach or when lifeguard chairs are put out for the season. Howeve r, des pite t he growth seen here, there are still only 2,000 pairs of Piping Plovers estimated to nest along the whole Atlantic Coast. For this reason, it is important that Maine’s Piping See NESTS on page 11 . . .
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