Friends of Congress Square Park

S'mores Night
2021-12-23 16:00 - 18:00, 2021-12-30 16:00 - 18:00, 2022-01-06 16:00 - 18:00, 2022-01-13 16:00 - 18:00, 2022-01-20 16:00 - 18:00, 2022-01-27 16:00 - 18:00, 2022-02-03 16:00 - 18:00, 2022-02-10 16:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) and 2 more dates | Congress Square Park, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Gather around a cozy fire with friends and neighbors and make your own s’more! S’more fix’ns are free of charge with a suggested donation of $5 to Friends of Congress Square Park: http://congresssquarepark.org/donation
The Pink Waffle will also be on-site selling hot beverages and waffles to supplement your marshmallows!

Plus, we’ll have a limited supply of special S’mores Night-themed fleece blankets for a suggested donation of $10.

S’mores Nights are every (tentatively) Thursday from 4-6pm.

FoCSP’s winter programming is generously sponsored by The Hiawatha, PK Realty Management, The Westin Harborview Hotel, Friends & Family, and cPort Credit Union.

Drawing Circle
2022-04-14 16:00 - 18:00, 2022-04-28 16:00 - 18:00
A non-instructional drawing group with a live model. Free to all, though donations to the model are greatly appreciated.
All skill levels welcome. BYO easel and supplies, though some drawing pads and charcoal pencils are available.

Drumming Circle
2022-04-16 13:00 - 15:00, 2022-04-30 13:00 - 15:00, 2022-05-14 13:00 - 15:00
Non-instructional, free, open to all levels and a safe space for all.
BYO drums, although some will be available to share.

Movie Night: Frederick Law Olmsted: Designing America
2022-04-26 19:30 - 20:30
Join us as we kickoff a celebration of Frederick Law Olmsted, famous landscape architect, on what would be his 200th birthday!
We’ll be showing the documentary “Frederick Law Olmsted: Designing America,” and Fred’s Fried Dough food cart will be on-site with treats for purchase.
Rain date is May 1.
Click here for the trailer.

Season Kickoff!
2022-05-01 12:00 - 14:00
Celebrate the start of the 2022 season with us!

The Ideal Maine Social Aid & Sanctuary Band will make an appearance, plus we’ll have food by Fred’s Fried Dough, Plot Twist Pretzels, and La Fritanga!

Come by, meet your neighbors, grab a bite to eat, and get excited.

Plus, from 11am – noon we’ll have a volunteer open house, so show up early to learn about how you can get involved this summer!

T'ai Chi
2022-05-03 09:15 - 10:15, 2022-05-04 10:00 - 11:00, 2022-05-10 09:15 - 10:15, 2022-05-11 10:00 - 11:00
Free Tai Chi Chih/Qigong classes will be taught in Congress Square Park May through September. All classes will occur twice weekly — on Tuesays from 9:15 until 10:15 am and Wednesdays from 10 until 11 am, led by Sara Leonard.

Old pros and those who have just started practice, as well as curious bystanders of all ages welcome!
Always FREE to the public.

*What’s Tai Chi?*
Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese tradition that, today, is practiced as a graceful form of exercise. It involves a series of movements performed in a slow, focused manner and accompanied by deep breathing.
A noncompetitive, self-paced system of gentle physical exercise and stretching, each posture flows into the next without pause, ensuring that your body is in constant motion.

Tai Chi is low impact and puts minimal stress on muscles and joints, making it generally safe for all ages and fitness levels. In fact, because Tai Chi is a low-impact exercise, it may be especially suitable if you’re an older adult who otherwise may not exercise.

Movie Night: Citizen Jane: Battle for the City
2022-05-06 20:00 - 21:30
Join us for a special screening of Citizen Jane: Battle for the City. Writer and urban activist Jane Jacobs fights to save historic New York City during the ruthless redevelopment era of urban planner Robert Moses in the 1960s.
This event is sponsored by Portland Downtown as a kickoff for Jane’s Walk, happening statewide on May 7th.
Watch the trailer here.

Chess in the Park!
2022-05-07 11:00 - 13:00, 2022-05-14 11:00 - 13:00
Come play! Chess boards and pieces provided, but please feel free to bring your own. All levels welcome.
Chess in the Park happens every Saturday starting at 11am till about 1pm.

Congress Square Market
2022-05-08 11:00 - 15:00
Congress Square Market is back — Mother’s Day Edition! This open-air shopping experience features local makers and artists as well as plenty of food options.

Makers:
The Milk Bottle
Roots and Co.
Nava Embroidery
Merry Meeting Kitchen
The Cultivated Thread
Portraits As You Pass
Lin Snow
Tenderly Bound Books
Scrambled Egg Shop
Myles’ World of Art
SICK Magazine
Wild Plum Ceramics

For munching:
Niyat Catering
Ghee
Fred’s Fried Dough
Plot Twist Pretzels
Lady Shuckers
The Challah Shoppe

Doggie Social Hour
2022-05-10 12:00 - 13:00
Networking for the pups! Bring your friendly, leashed canine to Congress Square Park the second Tuesday of every month from 12 to 1 to meet other four-legged locals.

Wagamuffin, a local maker of organic and plant-based dog treats, will be on-site selling snacks and goodies for your hairy best friend!

Thank you for practicing good social etiquette and for cleaning up after your pet!

Blurb Club
2022-05-12 12:00 - 13:00
A book-recommendation sharing-circle! Bring a book you’ve recently read (or are currently reading) to share (or not!), and listen to some folks do the same. Co-presented with Portland Public Library and Mechanics’ Hall.
In inclement weather we will meet in Mechanics’ Hall, just down Congress Street.

KidsPeace Maine 1st Annual Blue Ribbon Festival
2022-05-12 17:00 - 19:00
Join us for an evening of fun as we celebrate National Foster Care Month!
With music from Portland supergroup The Bambinos, a talk from comedian Micaela Tepler, and more.

Portland Bike Party
2022-05-13 18:00 - 20:30
Portland Bike Party is a monthly group slow ride complete with music, lights, candy, good cheer, and good folks that meets the 2nd Friday of every month in various locations around Portland, ME.
https://www.portlandbikeparty.com/

Longfellow Books Presents: Chris Van Dusen's "Big Truck Little Island"
2022-05-14 10:00 - 11:00
Join us at 10:00am in Congress Square Park as we celebrate the release of Chris Van Dusen’s Big Truck Little Island! The Play Me A Story crew from Portland Stage will be performing the book, and Van Dusen will be signing copies of Big Truck Little Island (as well as other titles).

Inspired by a real event that happened in Maine, Big Truck Little Island is the story of a community coming together when the only road on the island is blocked by a truck that is, maybe, just a little too big. Told in Van Dusen’s utterly delightful signature rhymes, this is sure to delight kids and parents alike as they follow along to see how the truck gets unstuck!

Longfellow Books would like to thank Portland Stage and the Friends of Congress Square Park for their collaboration on this event.
