Friends of Congress Square Park

Coffee Tasting!
2026-02-15 11:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | ME
Taste a variety of fresh coffee from local roasters!
Featuring: Lay Day Roasters, Rwanda Bean Coffee, Cantilever Coffee and more (TBD).
Free and open to all! BYO sipping vessel or grab a mug from our mug market, featuring local ceramicists! And consider purchasing a bag of coffee beans to support these lovely local businesses!

*Rain date: February 22

S'mores Night featuring Shadow Puppets
2026-02-12 16:00 - 18:00, 2026-01-15 16:00 - 18:00 | Congress Square Park, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Come gather around the fire and make a s’more! S’mores Nights are every Thursday from 4-6pm December through February. Special guest performances and events will pop up from time to time as well.
Free and open to all! Vegan and gluten-free options available!

S'mores Night
2026-02-05 16:00 - 18:00, 2026-01-29 16:00 - 18:00 | Congress Square Park, Portland, ME, 04101, United States

S'mores Night featuring Mama Mia Making
2026-01-22 16:00 - 18:00 | Congress Square Park, Portland, ME, 04101, United States

Hot Cocoa Sip-off
2026-01-11 11:00 - 13:00 | Congress Square Park, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
It’s a sip-off!
Come enjoy a taste of some creative hot-cocoa recipes from local food-makers The Milk Bottle, The Whole Almond, and more (TBD). Then, cast your vote for category winners!
Sippers are encouraged to bring their own sipping vessels — but we’ll also have a mug market featuring locally handmade mugs! The fire pits will also be out to snuggle up around, of course.
This event is free and open to all, with a suggested donation of $5 or more per sipper. Your donations help Friends of Congress Square Park keep this little urban space active and vibrant year-round. Click here to donate in advance: http://congresssquarepark.org/donation

*Rain date is January 18

S'mores Night featuring Community Sing
2026-01-08 16:00 - 18:00 | Congress Square Park, Portland, ME, 04101, United States

S'mores Night
2026-01-01 16:00 - 18:00 | ME

S'mores Night special Hanukkah Celebration
2025-12-18 16:00 - 18:00 | Congress Square Park, Portland, ME, 04101, United States

Cozy Winter Market
2025-12-14 11:00 - 15:00 | Congress Square Park, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Buy a treat or two, cozy up around the fire, and get your holiday shopping done all in one place! We’ll have tons of local vendors with art, baked goods, hot food, and more. Let’s get cozy!
Vendors:
B McCormick Art
Tell us a story?
Maine Breathes Easy
Stevie’s Poem Store
GrungyTree
Monona Bread
Let It Be Art
Robyn Towle
ZaoZe Café & Market
Backyard Saffron
Backriver Blends
Bub’s Home Kitchen
Challah Shoppe
Mukrat
Electric Oven Bakeshop
Bracken & Briar
Nokomis Nuts
Lady Krispie

CANCELED! S'mores Night featuring The Lavender Choir & Shadow Puppets
2025-12-11 16:00 - 18:00 | ME

S'mores Night featuring the Ideal Maine Band
2025-12-04 16:00 - 18:00 | Congress Square Park, Portland, ME, 04101, United States

Community Write: Halloween Edition
2025-10-27 17:00 - 18:00 | ME
Enjoy a Halloween-inspired writing prompt and get creative with other writers! All are welcome!

All Hallows' Market
2025-10-26 11:00 - 15:00 | Congress Square Park, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Our beloved Halloween market is back! This year’s lineup will feature snacks, spooky and seasonal handmade creations, and so many Halloween vibes. Support local artists as you get into the spirit!

Costume Tea Party (featuring your pup!)
2025-10-25 10:00 - 12:00 | Congress Square Park, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Don your costume and sip some tea! This year, we’re encouraging folks to also bring along their costumed, friendly pups!

Shadow Jam!
2025-10-23 18:00 - 20:00 | Congress Square Park, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Play with spooky shadow puppets! Scare your neighbors! Cause a scene! Have fun! All are welcome!

Movie in the Square: Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
2025-10-21 18:00 - 19:30 | Congress Square Park, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Happy Halloween! Celebrate with a screening of the German expressionist classic, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari! Local podcasters Speak All Evil will provide a well informed intro and we’ll get started just after sunset.

Print Your Own Monster with James Sylvester
2025-10-19 13:00 - 15:00 | Congress Square Park, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Local artist James Sylvester will guide participants in using his hand-made stamps to print their own Halloween scene with customized monsters! All are welcome!

Sea Shanty Singalong with The Shank Painters
2025-10-18 17:00 - 18:30 | Congress Square Park, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Y’arr!
We’re thrilled to welcome back The Shank Painters, Maine’s premier Pirate band, for a sea shanty sing-along! Wear your best Pirate costume (or not!) and join the fun. All are welcome!

Writing Workshop with Maya Williams
2025-10-04 12:00 - 13:00 | Congress Square Park, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Former Portland Poet Laureate Maya Williams will lead a group with writing prompts! All are welcome!
Rain date: October 5

Music in the Square: Taiko Maine Dojo
2025-10-03 18:00 - 19:30 | Congress Square Park, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
The third and final performance in our DRUM global music series, we’re so excited to welcome back Taiko Maine Dojo for October First Friday!

Movie in the Square: The Muppet Movie
2025-10-02 18:00 - 20:00 | Congress Square Park, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
It’s time to light the lights!
Join us along with the Bicycle Coalition of Maine and Portland Downtown as we celebrate the national Week Without Driving — with a frog on a bike, of course.
We’ll be screening The Muppet Movie (the original) just after sunset. You’re encouraged, of course, to walk, bike, or roll to the show. Free and open to all!

Language Table: English & French
2025-09-28 11:00 - 15:00, 2025-09-21 11:00 - 15:00 | Congress Square Park, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
The Language Table is an open resource to language learners and native speakers of the Portland area! We engage in a mixture of open and guided conversation to give learners a consistent means to practice and learn, as well as to build community and cultural awareness within Portland!
The English Table is every Sunday from 11am to 1pm.
The French Table is every Sunday from 1pm to 3pm.
Rain location: Novel

Queer Makers' Market
2025-09-28 11:00 - 15:00 | Congress Square Park, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
The beloved market series featuring a dozens of local makers is back!

Language Table: Spanish & Portuguese
2025-09-27 11:00 - 15:00 | Congress Square Park, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
The Language Table is an open resource to language learners and native speakers of the Portland area! We engage in a mixture of open and guided conversation to give learners a consistent means to practice and learn, as well as to build community and cultural awareness within Portland!
The Spanish Table is every Saturday from 11am to 1pm.
The Portuguese Table is every Saturday from 1pm to 3pm.
Rain location: Novel

Doggie Social Hour
2025-09-27 10:00 - 11:00 | Congress Square Park, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Networking for friendly leashed pups!

Blurb Club
2025-09-25 12:00 - 13:00 | Congress Square Park, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Bring whatever you’re reading, chat about books, and get some new recommendations! All are welcome! Rain location: Mechanics’ Hall

Movie in the Square: Tremors
2025-09-23 19:00 - 20:30 | ME
Presented in partnership with PMA Films and SPACE Gallery.
*This film will be shown indoors at Kinonik, located at Cassidy Point, and will feature very special guest (and star of the movie) Finn Carter!
