For those students who reside in the Portland area year-round, there will be no shortage of events to keep you busy this summer. Care to check out the Rockwell Kent exhibit at the Portland Museum of Art? No problem! Want to rock ’till you drop with Def Leppard? Rock on! Or maybe you just want to see Portland at its finest during the Old Port Festival. That can be arranged, as well. The options for an eventful summer are most definitely in the cards no matter what your tastes are.
The Portland Museum of Art (which is free to USM students) is offering various exhibits this summer, and each exhibit is sure to please the inner artist in us all. The 2005 Portland Museum of Art Biennial is currently on display. The Biennial showcases all of Maine’s finest artists, both old and young. Artists ranging from Maine natives transplanted to the West coast, to USM and MECA students have their work on display at the Portland Museum of Art until June 5.
Another exhibit that runs from June 23 to October 16 is the Rockwell Kent exhibit. Kent’s work has ranged from beautiful depictions of Maine’s coast line to colorful renderings of Moby Dick and Paul Bunyan. His work has graced the pages of “Vanity Fair,” and his reverse glass paintings will be available for viewing when on display this summer.
If you care to indulge in some music while you roam around the museum, then maybe “Eat, Drink, Art!” should be on the docket. Every Friday night in July, the Portland Museum of Art will bring in a musical group to play some tunes while guests enjoy fine food and tasty beverages-read: cash bar. Tickets for these Friday night affairs will be $5.
If you are of the concert-going persuasion, then this summer will be sure to please. The likes of Sarah McLachlan, 3 Doors Down, Def Leppard, and Sting are on the way with more to come. The Cumberland County Civic Center is playing host to some of the biggest musical acts in the world, and the prices aren’t that bad, either.
If you want to stay close to home and support your local musicians, that’s cool too. The Big Easy always has music for those in need. Sly Chi is a regular on the Big Easy’s bill, as well as 80’s cover band The Awesome. Other venues for good music include the Asylum, Brian Boru, Ri Ra, and many other late night establishments scattered about the Portland area.
Still not convinced that you should get up and check out the city a little more this summer? Well, if this is the case, then the Old Port Festival is sure to cure what ails you. The festival takes up the entire waterfront of the Old Port, and there is no cover charge. There is music of all genres, food of all tastes and booze of all kinds.
The festival is scheduled for June 5, and kicks off at roughly 11 a.m. with a parade that goes throughout the Old Port District. If you can’t make it to the Old Port Festival, don’t worry; there’s always the Yarmouth Clam Festival from July 15 to 17, and the Strawberry Festival in South Berwick which takes place on Saturday, June 5.
There are so many things to do and see in Southern Maine, all of which are only more enjoyable because of the fact that it’s summer time. So, throw on some shorts and a t-shirt, check out a Sea Dogs game, and cruise the streets to enjoy Portland’s night life, the way life should be!