Saturday morning, a few thousand of our neighbors will walk, run, and ride out of Brewer to keep cancer care close to home. Hermon throws its all-day Summer Sizzler, and the Waterfront gets one of the biggest country shows of the summer that night. That's quite a day for one valley. The weather even plans to cooperate. See you out there.  -Sandy

Friday: sunny and 77, with a northwest breeze gusting past 25 — hold onto your hat.

Saturday: sunny and 79, going calm by evening, which is about as good as an amphitheater night gets.

Sunday: partly sunny and 80, with a slight chance of an afternoon shower before steadier rain moves in after 10 PM — get your outdoor time in early.

Forecast from the National Weather Service, Caribou.

Friday is your night to catch your breath, because Saturday asks a lot of you — in the best way. Brewer, Hermon, and the Bangor Waterfront all bring their biggest day of the summer at once, and Sunday keeps it rolling in Brewer.

Champion the Cure Challenge — Saturday & Sunday, August 15–16

Cancer survivors, families, and caregivers take over the Lafayette Family Cancer Institute at 33 Whiting Hill Road in Brewer on Saturday — cyclists roll out by distance starting at 5 AM (100-milers first, with send-offs at 6, 7, 8, and 9), and the 1K, 5K, and 10K walkers and runners get their staggered send-off at 9 AM. Every dollar raised stays right here for local patients through Northern Light Cancer Care. Sunday keeps it going: motorcycle ride registration opens at 9 AM with the ride out at 10:30, and the car show gates and food wagon open at 10. Registration for everything is at ctcchallenge.org — and if you still need your participant packet, pick-up runs today (Friday) from 12 to 4 PM under the tent between the Cancer Institute and the Cianchette Building.

Hermon Summer Sizzler — Saturday, August 15

Hermon's day-long town party — a tradition since 2005 — moves to the Patricia A. Duran School on Billings Road this year, kicking off with the kids' Slime Run at 8:00 AM and the brand-new 5K and 10K road races at 8:30. From there it just keeps going: the car show from 10 to 1, carnival land, vendors, and food trucks from noon to 5, circus and dance performances on the stage, the community BBQ at Hermon Baptist Church at 4, and free Darling's ice cream from 7 to 9. Fireworks close it out at 8:45 PM — free, all ages, and the whole town shows up.

Riley Green: Cowboy As It Gets Tour — Saturday, August 15, 7:00 PM

Riley Green brings the Cowboy As It Gets Tour to the Maine Savings Amphitheater at 1 Railroad Street on the Bangor Waterfront, with Justin Moore, Zach John King, and Hannah McFarland along for the ride. Show is at 7:00 PM, rain or shine — though this Saturday, it'll be shine. Tickets at ticketmaster.com; general parking is at the Pickering Square Garage, 100 Broad Street.

 This morning, actually — Maine Audubon runs a free guided bird walk at Fields Pond Audubon Center, 216 Fields Pond Road in Holden, Friday from 8:00 to 9:30 AM. All experience levels welcome, and late summer on that pond is worth the early start.

•  The Civil War comes back to Fort Knox on Saturday — the 20th Maine and the 15th Alabama set up their encampment at the fort in Prospect, right across the Narrows from Bucksport. Living history the way these folks do it is worth the drive down Route 15.

•  Hirundo Wildlife Refuge, Alton (just west of Old Town) — open 9 AM to dusk, free, with seven miles of trails and a canoe launch on Pushaw Stream. Saturday's sunshine was made for it — just leave the dog home; the nesting birds get the refuge to themselves.

•  Zillman Art Museum, downtown Bangor — open 10 to 5 Saturday, with five summer exhibitions up through September 5. Air conditioning with a view, if you want a break from the sun.

Mid-August is when the Valley's market tables finally have everything at once — corn, tomatoes, wild blueberries, the works. Eight markets over three days — you can shop local every single day of your weekend:

FRIDAY, AUGUST 14

Lincoln Farmers' & Artisans' Market — 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM · Veterans Square, 75 Main Street. Produce shares the market with baked goods, plants, maple products, and locally made crafts.

Hampden Farmers' Market — 2:00 – 5:30 PM · Western Avenue in Hampden. The market runs every Friday through October.

Newport Community Market — 4:00 – 7:30 PM · 409 Moosehead Trail, Newport. The Friday evening market brings together local growers, makers, and artisans and runs June through August.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 15

Orono Farmers' Market — 8:00 AM – Noon · UMaine Steam Plant parking lot.

Bangor's European Market — 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM · 117 Buck Street. This year-round Saturday market mixes local farm products with baked goods, prepared foods, and other specialty vendors.

Brewer Farmers' Market — 8:30 AM – 1:00 PM · Brewer Auditorium, 318 Wilson Street.

Dover Cove Farmers' Market — 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM · 1049 West Main Street, Dover-Foxcroft.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 16

Bangor Farmers' Market — 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM · Abbot Square across from the Bangor Public Library on Harlow Street.

Take ten minutes this weekend to walk your foundation line — pull mulch back from the siding and make sure every downspout still points away from the house. Fall rain finds every shortcut you left it.

A brisk 20-minute walk does more for your energy than a second cup of coffee — and with this weekend's forecast, you're officially out of excuses.

This Weekend Edition is brought to you by North Star Property Solutions — Maine's Property Preparation Specialist. Tony LaPrino answers his phone and shows up when he says he will. 207-745-5304.

That's the weekend. Tuesday's main edition has the full week ahead — including rockets over Bangor, if you can believe it: the Cole Land Transportation Museum and the Challenger Learning Center launch the Blast Off Bash Wednesday through Saturday, and your kids are going to want in. See you Tuesday. — Sandy