The Hill in Brewer Finally Got Its Stage

For more than twenty years, summer theater in Brewer meant carrying a lawn chair or blanket up a grassy hill at Indian Trail Park. Ten Bucks Theatre would bring in a temporary stage, the audience would settle onto the slope, and Shakespeare would begin under the actual stars.

It worked because that hill was already shaped like a natural theater. People who sat there year after year kept saying the same thing: Brewer ought to build a real amphitheater here.

Last week, the city finally did.

The new Indian Trail Amphitheater gives the park a permanent outdoor stage, granite seating built into the hillside, accessibility ramps, and plenty of open space for the blankets and lawn chairs that have always been part of the experience.

Brewer Mayor Jenn Morin said the city is already hearing from bands and community groups interested in using the venue. Residents can bring their own chairs, enjoy the park, and help shape the kinds of performances and gatherings held there.

That may be the best part. This was not built only for major touring acts or ticketed events. It was built as a public gathering place. Community organizations interested in using the amphitheater can contact Brewer Parks and Recreation at 207-989-5199.

The timing could not have been better. Ten Bucks Theatre opened its production of Julius Caesar on the new stage the night after the ribbon cutting. This week is the final opportunity to see the production in Brewer before it moves to Fort Knox.

Performances run Thursday through Sunday, July 23–26, at 6:00 p.m. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and arrive early enough to take in the new setting.

For more than twenty summers, people came because somebody was putting on Shakespeare and a grassy hillside was all the theater they needed.

Now the hill can finally hold up its end of the bargain.

Bangor’s waterfront amphitheater hosted its first concert on July 27, 2010—sixteen years ago this coming Monday.

Who was the opening act?

A) Bob Dylan
B) Celtic Woman
C) The Beach Boys
D) Trace Adkins

Answer at the end of the newsletter

Brewer Opens the Indian Trail Amphitheater

Brewer officially opened the new Indian Trail Amphitheater last week, giving the city a permanent outdoor stage on the same hillside where Ten Bucks Theatre has performed Shakespeare for more than twenty years.

WABI TV5 was there for the ribbon cutting and captured the features that make the new space work: granite seating built into the slope, accessibility ramps, a permanent outdoor stage and open areas where people can still bring blankets and lawn chairs.

Mayor Jenn Morin said local bands and community groups are already asking how they can use the amphitheater. That is exactly what Brewer intended. This is not a venue reserved for major productions. It is a public gathering place built for concerts, plays, ceremonies and neighborhood events.

Residents are also being invited to share ideas about what they would like to see hosted there. Groups interested in using the amphitheater can contact Brewer Parks and Recreation at 207-989-5199.

The ribbon cutting took place just in time for Ten Bucks Theatre to open Julius Caesar on the new stage the following evening.

Watch the WABI TV5 report below for a closer look at Brewer’s newest community gathering place.

Shakespeare Under the Stars: Julius Caesar — Final Brewer Weekend

WHAT: Ten Bucks Theatre presents Julius Caesar outdoors on Brewer’s new Indian Trail Amphitheater stage.

WHERE: Indian Trail Park, Brewer. The rain location is Brewer Performing Arts Center, 92 Pendleton Street.

WHEN: Thursday through Sunday, July 23–26, at 6:00 p.m. The box office opens 30 minutes before the performance.

COST: Tickets are available at the gate.

FAMILY: Yes. Bring a blanket or lawn chair.

WALK-IN: Yes, subject to available space.

WHY: This is the final Brewer weekend before the production moves to Fort Knox—and the first full production on the city’s new permanent stage.

The Bangor Band at the Waterfront

WHAT: A free outdoor concert by the Bangor Band, one of the country’s oldest continuously performing community bands.

WHERE: Bangor Waterfront.

WHEN: Tuesday, July 21, at 7:00 p.m.

COST: Free.

FAMILY: Absolutely.

WALK-IN: Yes. Bring a chair or blanket.

WHY: The concert happens the same evening this edition reaches your inbox. It’s an easy, free Tuesday night on the waterfront with a Bangor tradition that has lasted for generations.

Mötley Crüe with Tesla and Extreme

WHAT: Mötley Crüe brings its Return of the Carnival of Sins Tour to Bangor with Tesla and Extreme.

WHERE: Maine Savings Amphitheater, 1 Railroad Street, Bangor.

WHEN: Saturday, July 25, at 6:30 p.m.

COST: Ticketed through Waterfront Concerts.

FAMILY: Best suited to older children and adults. Expect a loud show and a large crowd.

WALK-IN: A ticket is required. Lawn chairs are not permitted.

WHY: Three major rock acts share one bill, and the waterfront will be busy. Plan parking and arrival time before heading downtown.

There’s plenty more happening across the region this week, from live music in Bangor to harness racing and a first-run movie in Dover-Foxcroft.

Five Finger Death Punch with Cody Jinks and Eva Under Fire

WHERE: Maine Savings Amphitheater, Bangor
WHEN: Wednesday, July 22
COST: Ticketed through Waterfront Concerts

Five Finger Death Punch brings its 20th-anniversary tour to Bangor with Cody Jinks and Eva Under Fire. Expect a large waterfront crowd and allow extra time for parking downtown.

Live Harness Racing

WHERE: Hollywood Casino Raceway at Bass Park, Bangor
WHEN: Sunday, July 26, at 12:10 p.m.
COST: General admission information is available through the raceway

Sunday racing continues at Bass Park throughout the summer. Arrive before post time if you want a good look at the horses before the first race.

Summer Exhibitions at the Zillman Art Museum

WHERE: 40 Harlow Street, Bangor
WHEN: Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

The museum’s summer schedule includes five exhibitions, including Sam Cady’s Helter Skelter. The current exhibitions remain on view through September 5.

Disney’s Live-Action Moana

WHERE: Center Theatre, 20 East Main Street, Dover-Foxcroft
WHEN: Showing this week; call 207-564-8943 for the current performance schedule
COST: Regular Center Theatre admission

The Center Theatre is a restored 1940 landmark, and seeing a first-run movie there is part of the experience. It’s a good reason to make the drive to Dover-Foxcroft and support a nonprofit community theater.

The weekly anchors for people who like doing business face to face. Chamber-wise, it's a quiet stretch — the July Business After Hours toured the new Penquis Bright Beginnings center on the 16th, and the next one is Passport Night at the Cross Insurance Center on August 20.

•       Queen City BNI — Thursday, July 23, 8:30 a.m., The Sports Arena, 1640 Hammond St., Hermon. Full disclosure: this is my chapter. If you want to see how structured referral networking actually works, hit reply and I'll set you up as my guest this Thursday.

•       Black Bear BNI — Thursday, July 23, 8:30 a.m. — online this week. The chapter meets in person the first week of each month at the Eastern Area Agency on Aging, 240 State St., Brewer, and online the remaining weeks; visitors connect with a member to join.

•       Bangor Breakfast BNI — Friday, July 24, 7:00 a.m., in person, Elks Lodge, 108 Odlin Rd., Bangor. Early, yes — but the coffee's on and the referrals are real.

•       Paul Bunyan BNI — Tuesday, July 21, 7:00 a.m., permanently online via Zoom. Built for people whose mornings don't allow a drive; contact a chapter member for the meeting link.

This week’s business news has one clear theme: local investment in the things that make it easier to live, work and raise a family here.

Hermon Mountain Goes Year-Round

Hermon Mountain’s new owners—Tim and Amy McClary and Dave and Casee Hart—are turning the longtime ski area into a four-season destination. Plans include disc golf, lawn games, food, live entertainment and other activities beyond the winter ski season.

That matters because a small recreation business cannot depend entirely on a short Maine winter. A year-round operation can support local jobs, keep the property active and give families another reason to spend a day close to home.

Bright Beginnings Expands Childcare Capacity

Penquis’s new Bright Beginnings Child Development Center will include 16 classrooms serving infants, toddlers and preschoolers. The facility is designed to accommodate more than 200 children between six weeks and five years old, with a grand opening planned for September.

Childcare is not only a family issue. It is a workforce issue. Every dependable childcare opening makes it easier for a parent to accept a job, return to work or continue their education.

62 Homes Proposed for Grandview Avenue

Bangor’s Planning Board will consider a multiphase, 62-unit housing development on Grandview Avenue Tuesday evening. The proposal calls for 14 single-family homes followed by two buildings containing 24 apartments each on city-owned land.

That is a meaningful amount of housing in a market where available homes and apartments remain difficult to find. It is not simply another line on a planning agenda—it could become an entirely new neighborhood.

Yellen Pines Moves Through the Public Process

The proposed Yellen Pines development at 205 Corporate Drive would create 30 efficiency apartments for people experiencing chronic homelessness. BangorHousing would own and manage the property, while Preble Street would provide round-the-clock support services.

The approximately $11.2 million project has faced a funding delay and is now expected to open by the end of 2027. Supportive housing matters because an apartment alone does not solve every problem. The services attached to it can help residents remain housed and begin rebuilding some stability.

Market Season Across the Region

Late July is when farm stands and market tables really begin filling up. Early wild blueberries are appearing alongside greens, peas, herbs, baked goods and the first tomatoes of the season.

Here are several places to shop across the wider Penobscot Valley region this week.

Bangor Farmers Market

WHEN: Sunday, 11:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
WHERE: Franklin and Harlow streets, across from the Bangor Public Library

A dependable Sunday stop for local produce, meat, bread and baked goods.

Bangor European Market

WHEN: Saturday, 9:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
WHERE: 117 Buck Street at Sunnyside Greenhouse

This year-round market adds seafood, European-style pastries and prepared foods to the usual local-market mix.

Orono Farmers’ Market

WHEN: Saturday, 8:00 a.m.–noon, and Tuesday, 2:00–5:30 p.m.
WHERE: University of Maine Steam Plant parking lot on College Avenue

The Tuesday afternoon market gives shoppers a useful midweek option. The market’s 2026 Saturday season runs from May 16 through October 17.

Brewer Farmers’ Market

WHEN: Saturday, 8:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
WHERE: 318 Wilson Street, Brewer

Stop in during the morning, then make a full Brewer day of it before the evening performance at Indian Trail Park.

Newport Community Market

WHEN: Friday, 4:00–7:30 p.m.
WHERE: 409 Moosehead Trail, Newport

This evening market features local growers, makers and artisans and runs Fridays from June through August. It gives families in the southern part of the region a market that does not require a Saturday-morning trip toward Bangor.

Dover Cove Farmers’ Market

WHEN: Saturday
WHERE: Piscataquis County Ice Arena area, Dover-Foxcroft

Dover Cove brings together farmers and small producers from across the Maine Highlands. Vendors offer seasonal produce, baked goods and other locally produced items, and some accept eWIC.

Bucksport Bay Farmers’ Market

WHEN: Thursday, 12:00–4:00 p.m.
WHERE: Elm Street Congregational Church parking lot, 31 Elm Street, Bucksport

The Bucksport market gives readers on the eastern side of the region a weekday option for local produce, baked goods and Maine-made products. Its 2026 season runs Thursdays from mid-May into October.

Bring a reusable bag and leave some room for blueberries. This is the week they begin earning their place at the center of the table.

Raise the mower deck.

Cutting grass at about three inches or a little higher in late July helps shade the roots, hold moisture during dry stretches, and crowd out crabgrass before it gets established.

A healthy summer lawn may look a little less closely trimmed than it did in June. That is not neglect. It is protection.

Hydrate before you head out, not after you arrive.

Two glasses of water during the afternoon will do more for you than trying to catch up once you’re standing on a packed concert lawn or sitting outside for an evening performance.

Meet Karen!

Meet Kaida!

Looking for an adventure buddy who will keep you on your toes? Kaida is your guy! At **2 years old**, Kaida is a big ball of love with an even bigger personality. He absolutely adores people and wants nothing more than to be with his humans, whether that's heading out on an adventure or curling up for some well-earned cuddles after a busy day. **It's important to know that Kaida is a HIGH-ENERGY dog.** He isn't the type to be happy with a quick walk around the block and a nap on the couch. Kaida is looking for an active home that can keep both his body and mind busy. Long walks, hikes, games of fetch, running around the yard, training sessions, and enrichment activities are exactly what this young guy thrives on. If you're looking for a dog to join you on all of life's adventures, Kaida is ready to go! Kaida has previously lived in a home with both **cats and dogs** and has done well with them, so he may do well with other furry family members given proper introductions. Kaida is currently living in a foster home, where he's continuing to shine, so **meet and greets are by appointment only.** If you'd like to meet this handsome guy, please give us a call to schedule a time to visit with him! With the right family, Kaida is going to make an incredible companion. He's affectionate, goofy, eager to be involved in everything you do, and ready to love his people with his whole heart.

Kaida is available from the Animal Orphanage in Old Town. Call them: (207) 827-8777.    They are located at 71 Airport Road. More information: https://www.animalorphanageoldtown.com/

Early wild blueberries are starting to show up at markets across the region, and this is the right way to put the first pint to work.

A buckle is an old-fashioned Maine favorite: a soft cake that rises around the berries and settles under a crumb topping as it bakes. It is simple, dependable, and best served just warm.

Serves: 9
Prep time: About 20 minutes
Bake time: 40–45 minutes

You’ll Need

For the cake:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 cups wild blueberries

For the crumb topping:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup cold butter

Here’s How

Heat the oven to 375 degrees and butter an 8-by-8-inch baking pan.

Cream the softened butter and sugar together, then beat in the egg. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture a little at a time, alternating with the milk. Mix only until everything comes together. Fold in the blueberries gently so they do not break apart.

Spread the batter evenly in the pan.

For the topping, work the sugar, flour, cinnamon and cold butter together with your fingers until the mixture is crumbly. Scatter it over the batter.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Let it cool for about 15 minutes before cutting it.

It is good at room temperature, better warm, and best eaten on a porch topped with ice cream.

This week, we heard from reader April W., who sent us information about Friday’s Newport Community Market—and I’m glad she did.

With more than 30 vendors, food trucks, live music, children’s activities, and free admission, it’s exactly the kind of local gathering we want Penobscot Valley Voice readers to know about.

But the story didn’t stop there.

I also heard from the owner of the market, and what she shared was remarkable. This is more than a Friday-night event. There is a bigger story here about community, local businesses, and what it takes to build something people look forward to every week.

That is why I selected the Newport Community Market for this week’s Best of the Penobscot Valley feature.

Best of the Penobscot Valley: Tipped Trailer and the Newport Community Market

What started with a reader tip about the Newport Community Market led me to a much bigger story.

Tipped Trailer was created after its owner saw how much waste and unnecessary red tape existed in big retail. The idea was simple: do things differently and put customers ahead of profits.

That mission shows up in the store’s pricing. Tipped Trailer offers discounted groceries at roughly half the price shoppers might see elsewhere, while also carrying a wide range of products from Maine and nearby states. Some items are discounted because of damaged packaging, label changes, past best-by dates, or even something as minor as an address change on a spice packet. The store’s standard is clear: the products still have to meet its expectations for quality and cleanliness.

What makes the business stand out is that the discounts do not come at the expense of local producers. Tipped Trailer has built support for small businesses directly into its shelves, giving shoppers access to Maine-made goods while helping families make every dollar go further.

Then there is the Newport Community Market.

Every Friday evening, the market brings together more than 30 vendors, food trucks, live music, children’s activities, and free admission. It gives local growers, makers, and small businesses a place to meet customers face to face. It also gives families a reason to slow down, walk around, and spend time together at the end of the week.

That is what impressed me most. Tipped Trailer is not only selling groceries. It is reducing waste, stretching household budgets, supporting small producers, and creating a gathering place for the community.

That is exactly the kind of story Best of the Penobscot Valley is meant to recognize.

This week’s selection: Tipped Trailer and the Newport Community Market.

Newsletter Sponsor: Performance Physical Therapy and Sports Rehab

This edition of the Penobscot Valley Voice is brought to you with the support of Performance Physical Therapy and Sports Rehab, serving patients in Bangor and Brewer.

Performance Physical Therapy and Sports Rehab helps people recover from injuries, improve movement, and return to the work, sports, and everyday activities that matter to them.

Thank you to Brad Libby and the Performance Physical Therapy and Sports Rehab team for supporting local stories and community connection across the Penobscot Valley.

I keep thinking about that hill in Brewer.

For more than twenty years, people carried blankets and lawn chairs into Indian Trail Park because Ten Bucks Theatre was putting on Shakespeare. There wasn’t a permanent stage or rows of fancy seats. There was a grassy slope, a summer evening, and a community willing to show up.

Brewer could have left it exactly that way. Nobody was demanding anything more.

Instead, the city paid attention to what was already working and made it better. It built a real stage, improved accessibility, and kept the hillside open for the same blankets and lawn chairs that have always belonged there.

That’s what I like most about this project. Brewer didn’t try to turn the hill into something it wasn’t. It simply gave a good community tradition a proper place to continue.

Scout and I stopped by to see it for ourselves. She was mostly interested in the grass. I was looking at the stage and thinking about all the performances, concerts, ceremonies, and ordinary evenings that could happen there in the years ahead.

A community gathering place doesn’t have to be enormous or elaborate. It only has to give people a reason to come together.

Brewer built one. Now it’s our turn to use it.

B) Celtic Woman

Celtic Woman performed the first concert at Bangor’s waterfront amphitheater on July 27, 2010—sixteen years ago this week.

Bob Dylan played the waterfront later, but Celtic Woman was the act that opened the venue.