Friends of Congress Square Park

Chess in the Park!
2021-06-12 11:00 - 14:00, 2021-06-19 11:00 - 14:00, 2021-06-26 11:00 - 14:00, 2021-07-03 11:00 - 14:00, 2021-07-10 11:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York) | Congress Square Park, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Come play chess! All equipment will be available on-site. Free and open to the public.

Music in the Square: Nuclear Bootz
2021-06-12 18:00 - 20:00

T'ai Chi
2021-06-14 10:00 - 11:00, 2021-06-16 09:30 - 10:30, 2021-06-21 10:00 - 11:00, 2021-06-23 09:30 - 10:30, 2021-06-28 10:00 - 11:00, 2021-06-30 09:30 - 10:30, 2021-07-05 10:00 - 11:00, 2021-07-07 09:30 - 10:30 and 1 more date
Free Tai Chi Chih/Qigong classes will be taught in Congress Square Park May through September. All classes will occur twice weekly — on Mondays from 9:30 until 10:30 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.

Crafts in the Park
2021-06-15 09:30 - 11:00, 2021-06-22 09:30 - 11:00, 2021-06-29 09:30 - 11:00, 2021-07-06 09:30 - 11:00
Get out of the house, meet neighbors and chat — all while keeping your hands busy (or not!). You can knit, crochet, draw, paint, make jewelry, sew, or any craft where you can carry your tools. And yes, come even if you are not working on a project.

The event is weekly on Tuesdays at 9:30am and cancelled in inclement weather.

Attend part or all one event, all events, or anywhere in between. All are welcome here!

Literary Lunch: Evening Edition
2021-06-16 18:00 - 19:30
Join us for a special Literary Lunch: Evening Edition in Congress Square Park with Gibson Fay-LeBlanc and Max GarciaDeke Dangle Dive by Gibson Fay-LeBlanc Conover. Gibson and Max will have a conversation about Gibson’s new book Deke, Dangle, Dive, and discuss songwriting, poetry, and more with some live music from Max. Print: A Bookstore will have copies of the book for sale at the event.

About Deke, Dangle, Dive
What is a person to do upon finding out that his older brother has six months to live? What is a father to tell his young sons about the everyday violence, inequities, and injustices of the world? What is a husband to do when confronted with his domestic foibles and failings? What can poems possibly offer us in the face of unanswerable questions? Deke Dangle Dive explores illness, fatherhood, brotherhood, and masculinity through a variety of lenses, including ice hockey, contemporary culture, and the natural world. This unique collection considers how poems can speak to us and through us when all seems lost.

Juneteenth featuring Maine Inside Out
2021-06-18 17:00 - 19:30
Enjoy a performance from Maine Inside Out!

Juneteenth
2021-06-19 13:00 - 17:00
Portland Juneteenth event continues community dialogue and engagement through active art making. Through collaboration with local social change organizations to keep contemporary context, thoughtfully crafted inclusion by offering youth, multi-ability and multi-generational events to facilitate conversations and education. All done under the framework of traditional BIPOC storytelling to pass history and cultural knowledge and art making. Juneteenth will keep its roots in historical knowledge while focusing on the present by strengthening and reinforcing a strong cultural future.

Congress Square Market
2021-06-20 11:00 - 15:00
Shop in the Square! Explore local shops, makers, artists, and more from 11am to 3pm. Dog-friendly!

Blurb Club
2021-06-24 12:00 - 13:00
Come hear some great book recommendations and share your own! Plus, The Pink Waffle food truck will be on-site. No obligation to share; the shy are welcome here.

PMA Films Presents: Sign o' the Times
2021-06-25 20:00 - 22:00
Free film screening! Presented by PMA Films.
Sign o’ the Times is a 1987 American concert film written and directed by Prince.

Mixtape #4
2021-06-26 15:00 - 18:00
Hosted by SPACE Gallery, this is a family-friendly event with all sorts of surprises! Come by and enjoy a little music, dancing, and more.

Hip Hop in the Park
2021-06-28 17:00 - 19:00
Hip Hop in the Park is back! Presented by Monday of the Minds. Free and open to the public.

East End Vend
2021-07-02 15:00 - 19:00
East End Vend brings makers, artists, and farmers to Congress Square Park! Come shop!
Learn more at https://www.eastendvend.com/

Blurb Club
2021-07-08 12:00 - 13:00
Come hear some great book recommendations and share your own! Plus, The Pink Waffle food truck will be on-site. No obligation to share; the shy are welcome here. Rain location: Mechanics’ Hall.

PMA Films Presents: Sigur Ros: Inni
2021-07-10 20:00 - 22:00
SIGUR RÓS: INNÍ
75 min. Not Rated. Directed by Vincent Morrisset

Inní is Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós’ second live film following 2007’s tour documentary Heima. Whereas that film positioned the group in the context of their Icelandic homeland, Inní focuses purely on the band’s performance. Filmed in a manner that invites both intimacy and claustrophobia, Inní cocoons the viewer in a one-on-one relationship with the band, eschewing the audience for closeness, depicting how it feels for both band and fan to experience Sigur Rós live.

The film’s atmosphere is enhanced by filmmaker Vincent Morisset’s re-filming of the original digital footage on 16mm, which was then re-filmed again, sometimes through prisms and other found objects with the help of godspeed you! black emperor visual collaborator Karl Lemieux, allowing Inní to look and feel like something recovered from the past.
