Friends of Congress Square Park

T'ai Chi
2023-07-06 08:30 - 09:30, 2023-07-11 09:30 - 10:30, 2023-07-13 08:30 - 09:30, 2023-07-18 09:30 - 10:30, 2023-07-20 08:30 - 09:30, 2023-07-25 09:30 - 10:30, 2023-07-27 08:30 - 09:30 (America/New_York)
Free Tai Chi Chih/Qigong classes will be taught in Congress Square Park May through September. All classes will occur twice weekly — on Tuesdays from 9:30 until 10:30 am and Thursdays from 8:30 until 9:30 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.

Blurb Club
2023-07-06 12:00 - 13:00, 2023-07-20 12:00 - 13:00
A book show and tell! Bring a book (if you like) to share, and get some great book recommendations. We meet every other Thursday at noon.
Our rain location is down the street at Mechanics’ Hall.

WMPG Live!
2023-07-06 16:00 - 19:00, 2023-07-20 16:00 - 19:00
Come hang out and listen to tunes spun by local DJs!

Kids' Block Party!
2023-07-08 10:00 - 14:00
A kid-friendly takeover of Congress Square Park! Music, activities, and more. Details forthcoming!
Presented in partnership with MePowered Pastries.
Rain date: July 15

Chess+
2023-07-08 11:00 - 13:00, 2023-07-15 11:00 - 13:00, 2023-07-22 11:00 - 13:00, 2023-07-29 11:00 - 13:00
Come play chess! This weekly meetup is open to all skill levels. There will also be a bunch of additional hand-picked board games!
This ongoing event is hosted in collaboration with FriendConME.

Congress Square Night Market
2023-07-09 17:00 - 21:00
Food, artists, makers, and the best vibes in town! Shop local and hang out with us.
Vendor lineup:
Plot Twist Pretzels
Meadowsweet Bakery & Kitchen
Crooked Look
Seabird Aromatic Therapy
Moonlighter Ceramics
Fleet Street Vintage
Lily & Quartz
Milk Bottle
Naturalis Handcrafted Soaps

Dila’s Kitchen
Portraits As You Pass
Goosepoop
PineView Pottery
Mellifluous Portland
The Goblin Museum
Mudmist
Kittylamb

Afternoon Music with Spitfire
2023-07-12 16:30 - 17:30
DJ Spitfire in the park! Settle in with some background tunes!

Yarn in the Park
2023-07-12 17:30 - 19:00
Come and craft with fellow knitters! Bring your own supplies and current projects. All skill levels welcome!

PIGEON: Storytelling Series
2023-07-13 17:00 - 18:00
Mostly true stories, told to a live audience, under the lights of Congress Square Park. Join us on the second Thursday of June, July, and August to hear diverse stories about the human experience.

Old-Time Music Jam
2023-07-13 18:00 - 20:00
The Portland Old-Time Music Jam has been meeting regularly on Tuesday evenings for 30 years. In recent years, it meets at Post Office Park in Portland during the summer months on Tuesday evenings from 7-9 pm, and tips received in the banjo case are donated to 317 Main in Yarmouth to support their stringed instrument programs. “Old-Time Music” may be described as a genre of North American folk music that includes Appalachian mountain music, and Southern, New England, Midwest, and Western fiddle and banjo tunes, or as one Jam member says, “the top 40 from 1840.” Fiddle, banjo, mandolin, guitar, and bass are commonly played in Old-Time Music.
This summer (2023), The Portland Old-Time Music Jam is looking forward to adding three more jam opportunities — at Congress Square Park on the second Thursday of June, July, and August, from 6-8 pm.

Circus in the Square
2023-07-14 17:00 - 18:00

Queer Makers Market
2023-07-16 17:00 - 21:00
Dozens of local makers and artists! Best vibes around!
Organized by R Nicole Studio.

Hip Hop in the Park
2023-07-17 18:00 - 20:00
An evening of family-friendly hip hop with Monday of the Minds!
Free! Open to all!

Congress Square Night Market
2023-07-23 17:00 - 21:00
Food, artists, makers, and the best vibes in town! Shop local and hang out with us.
Vendor lineup:
The Challah Shoppe
Portland Pouring Company
Rene and Gerty
Yellow Bird Thrift
Art by Abbeth
InkCap Illustrations
Kelly Kreates Artwork
Milk Bottle
Ki Ceramics

Draw Perlmutter
Lucky Fox Bookshop
Portraits As You Pass
Earth Spiral Apothecary
Sylvi Roy Creative
Pristine Pearls Project
Mudmist
Breakaway Bread

OLS Presents: Gawler Family Band
2023-07-27 18:00 - 20:00
John and Ellen Gawler and their daughters Molly, Edith, and Elsie, and joined by Ethan Tischler and Bennett Konesni, bring you an assortment of old and new sounds from many folk traditions. They accompany interweaving family harmonies with fiddles, banjo, cello and guitar, as well as a few surprises.
Whether they are crooning a poignant ballad or delivering a rollicking fiddle tune, their unique arrangements are especially engaging and often go along with anecdotes of historical or humorous content.
Although the Gawlers may be best known for their extensive collection of dance tunes in the Scots-Irish and French Canadian traditions, their repertoire may include a gutsy a’capella worksong or an amusing ode to everyday life.
With their infectious spirit and sparkling musicianship, and with several albums to their credit, the Gawlers have earned a beloved place in the delighted hearts of varied audiences across the Northeast.

Sounds n Sizzle
2023-07-28 12:00 - 20:00, 2023-07-29 12:00 - 20:00
A BIPOC food and music festival!

Silent Movie Sunday: "Safety Last!"
2023-07-30 20:30 - 22:00
Join us for another of this year’s series of silent movies! Presented in partnership with Kinonik on the last Sunday of every month, we’ll enjoy classic silent movies on real 16mm film with live musical accompaniment!

SAFETY LAST! (1923)
A boy (Harold Lloyd) moves to New York City to make enough money to support his loving girlfriend (Mildred Davis), but soon discovers that making it in the big city is harder than it looks. When he hears that a store manager will pay $1,000 to anyone who can draw people to his store, he convinces his friend, the “human fly,” (Bill Strother) to climb the building and split the profit with him. But when his pal gets in trouble with the law, he must complete the crazy stunt on his own.

Some Good Badminton
2023-08-01 18:00 - 20:00
How about a friendly game of badminton?

Join us in Congress Square Park every Tuesday evening (6-8pm) for a friendly, all-ages, all-abilities mini-tournament! This will be played in doubles. Bring a friend — or make one at the park!

This program is made possible thanks to support from AARP through the Community Challenge Grant.
