Maine
Maine changing 'chickadee' license plate design after 25 years in use
Bye-bye, birdie: Maine’s state warbler, the chickadee, is making way for other images on a new license plate that gives homage to an old flag growing in popularity and reappearing on hats, tote bags and T-shirts.
The plate unveiled Monday features a tall green pine — the state tree — and the North Star, icons featured on the state’s first official flag in 1901. Maine residents will vote in November on whether to adopt a similar design for a new state flag.
KANSAS SCRAPS ‘UGLY AS SIN’ LICENSE PLATE REDESIGN REBUKED BY PUBLIC
Many plates featuring the chickadee, a design introduced in 1999, are now peeling and delaminating, and in need of replacement.
Maine’s new license plate design, set to be unveiled on Feb. 26, 2024, is seen in an illustration. (Maine Secretary of State’s Office via AP)
“Public safety is the No. 1 reason we’re retiring the chickadee plate and replacing it with a pine tree today. But we also love the new design,” Secretary of State Shenna Bellows told reporters at the unveiling ceremony.
The chickadee flew in to replace a license plate featuring a crustacean that critics said looked more like a cooked crawdad than a Maine lobster, the state’s signature seafood. The Bureau of Motor Vehicles won’t have to worry as much about criticism with the new plate; motorists have the option of requesting a plate without a design.
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Rekindled interest in Maine’s first official flag coincided with the state’s bicentennial in 2020. The flag was used for eight years before being replaced by the current banner, a coat of arms on a blue background.
Maine
Supreme Court won’t hear Maine case about parental rights on gender in schools
The nation’s highest court will not take up a Maine mother’s lawsuit against a Damariscotta-based school district, which she argued violated her parental rights by not disclosing information about her child’s gender transition.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday released the latest round of cases that it has agreed to take, and those it rejected. It denied the appeal from Amber Lavigne, whose case had been dismissed by lower courts.
Lavigne, of Newcastle, first sued the Great Salt Bay Community School Board in April 2023, alleging it violated her parental rights and the 14th Amendment by allowing her child to use a different name and pronouns in school than they had been assigned at birth. She also said school employees provided the 13-year-old with a chest binder, an undergarment often used by transgender individuals to flatten breasts.
The district has long maintained that its policies were in accordance with state law.
A federal judge dismissed the case in May 2024, writing that Lavigne had no claims that were eligible for relief. She appealed that ruling to the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston, which upheld the lower court’s dismissal. In December, she asked the Supreme Court to take up the case.
Lavigne has been represented by the Goldwater Institute, a conservative Arizona-based think tank.
Nearly 20 states, all led by Republicans, submitted briefs supporting Lavigne’s appeal. They argued school districts do not have the right to withhold information that affects the rights of parents to be the primary decision-makers in raising their children.
The court has taken up multiple cases this term related to transgender rights and public school districts, including two lawsuits about the rights of transgender athletes to participate in sports teams aligned with their gender identity.
In a statement Monday, Lavigne’s attorney Adam Shelton said he was disappointed with the court’s decision.
“It signals to schools across the country, and especially in Maine, that hiding information from parents does not run afoul of the Constitution,” Shelton said. Lavigne was not available for an interview.
Melissa Hewey, an attorney for the Great Salt Bay Community School Board, noted in a statement that Lavigne’s case has now been dismissed at every level.
“It is gratifying to all our clients that this claim, which had no merit from day one, is finally over,” she said.
This story was originally published by the Maine Trust for Local News. Riley Board can be reached at rboard@pressherald.com.
Maine
12 ways to celebrate spring in Maine, from openings to festivals
April 7-12. Hadlock Field, 271 Park Ave., Portland, $14-$25. portlandseadogs.com.
“Play ball!” are baseball fans’ two favorite words this time of year, when it’s time to bundle up and take yourself out to the ballgame at Hadlock Field. The Portland Sea Dogs kick off their home season with six consecutive games against the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. It’s never too cold to enjoy a Sea Dog biscuit and to root, root, root for the home team. Tickets for the April 7 game are free for kids 17 and under with the purchase of an adult ticket.
April 10-12. Sugarloaf, 5092 Access Road, Carrabassett Valley, $33.85-$76.54. sugarloaf.com.
Reggae Fest celebrates its 38th anniversary at Sugarloaf with three fun days of reggae music and parties on the outdoor patio known as The Beach, and at bar and restaurants The Widowmaker, King Pine Room and Bullwinkle’s. Reggae DJs will be spinning, and there will be live performances by Marlon Asher, Double Tiger, Mighty Mystic and Annie in the Water among other acts.
Starting May 1. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, 105 Botanical Gardens Dr., Boothbay, $28, $24 seniors and veterans, $19 students 18 and older, $12 for 3-17, free for under 3. mainegardens.org.
Put a spring in your step with a stroll around Coastal Maine Botanical Garden’s nearly 300 acres. The grounds are brimming with ever-changing beauty as spring blossoms into summer. Along the way, you’ll discover five giant wooden trolls, a native butterfly house and a whimsical fairy house village tucked among the gardens’ many delights.
3-10 p.m. May 2. Riverbank Park, Westbrook. seafest.me

” data-image-caption=”<p>Khmer Maine dancers, including Soriyah Tit, 10, rehearse a dance while preparing for a Cambodian New Year Festival in 2025. Khmer Maine is participating in SEAFEST May 2 in Westbrook. (Derek Davis/Staff Photographer)
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SEAFEST celebrates the colors, flavors and traditions of Southeast Asia, and how they’re woven into Maine’s multicultural identity. The festival is presented by the local Cambodian community group Khmer Maine, along with members of local Thai, Filipino and Vietnamese communities. SEAFEST features arts, music, dance and a variety of Southeast Asian food. All are welcome.
May 2. Downtown Kennebunk locations. kennebunkmaine.us.
Shriners cruise along Main Street during Kennebunk’s annual May Day Festival parade. (Carl D. Walsh/Staff Photographer)Kennebunk’s long-running May Day festival is packed with a full day of family-friendly events and activities. It starts with a pancake breakfast and features a farmers market, food trucks, fishing derby, live music, book sale and all sorts of things for kids to do. Best of all is the parade with Shriners’ classic miniature cars, floats, a marching band and variety of familiar mascots.
May 2-3. Statewide pottery and ceramics studios. mainepotterytour.org.
(Joe Phelan/Staff Photographer)
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The annual Maine Pottery Tour is a weekend for dozens of pottery and ceramics studios statewide to open to the public. You can meet artists, watch demonstrations, see the kilns and shop for pottery and ceramics.
Participants include Peeper Pond Studio in Yarmouth, Tall Pines Pottery in Westbrook, Fine Mess Pottery in Augusta and Work In Progress Art Studio in Lisbon. The Maine Pottery Tour website includes information about the Plan My Tour app featuring online maps of the studios to help you craft the perfect pottery adventure.
CiderFeast happens at Oxbow Blending & Bottling in Portland.(Photo by Benjamin Moore)
Noon-3 p.m. May 3. Oxbow Blending & Bottling, 49 Washington Ave., Portland, $35, 21-plus. ciderfeasthq.com.
If you love hard cider, you’ll want to snag tickets to the annual CiderFeast, where the best ciders in the region will be poured. Everyone gets a souvenir glass, and there will be plenty of local food to pair with the delicious cider you’ll be imbibing. Participants include Rocky Ground (Hampden), Bon Vent (Hancock) and Run Amok Mead (West Gardiner) among many others.
10 a.m.-3 p.m. May 3. Waterfront Park, Augusta. ritualmaine.com.
Ritual Maine is a central Maine-based crystal business that also hosts eclectic markets in the Kennebec Valley. This year marks the 5th anniversary of the Spring Ritual Market, where you’ll find more than 35 vendors peddling crystals, gems, upcycled clothing, pottery, candles, herbal goods and more. Two food trucks and a coffee truck will be parked on-site. A mini version of the market will also take place on from noon-5 p.m. May 31 at Absolem Cider in Winthrop.
Aklilu Tsaedu, owner of Niyat Catering, scoops vegetarian lentils into a tray during the 2024 A Taste of Nations culinary event at Mayo Street Arts in Portland. Niyat Catering’s Ethiopian cuisine will be part of this year’s festival on on May 9-10. (Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer)11 a.m.-3 p.m. May 9-10. Mayo Street Arts, 10 Mayo St., Portland, $10 in advance, $13 at the door, $5 for tastes from the food vendors.
Here’s a chance to taste a wide range of international cuisine under one roof. A Taste of Nations Food Festival is an annual culinary event presented by Mayo Street Arts and Fork Food Lab. Some of this year’s food vendors are Amira Cuisine (Middle Eastern), Eduardo’s Brazilian Grill One, Yardie Ting (Jamaican) and Choma Zone (East African). There will also be live DJ sets by Moody Lords Vinyl and Vintage co-owners Andrew Chang and Nick Robles.
Griffin William Sherry at the Back Cove Music and Arts Festival at Payson Park on Aug. 2, 2025. Sherry will be playing at the All Roads Music Festival in May. (Libby Kamrowski Kenny/Staff Photographer)May 15-16. Portland locations, $60-$90 single day, $152-$150 for two-day pass. allroadsmusicfest.com.
The All Roads Music Festival makes its Portland debut in a huge way. Over two days, nine venues including State Theatre, One Longfellow Square and Portland House of Music will be hosting more than 40 performances and events. With a lineup that features local, regional and national acts such as Beaches, Monrovia, Bahamas, Genevieve Stokes, Louisa Stancioff, Touching Ice, Becca Biggs and Myles Bullen, among many others, All Roads will be downright epic. The festival also includes talks, panel discussions, exhibitions and workshops centered on music.
May 23-24. Narrow Gauge Amphitheater, 123 Narrow Gauge Square, Farmington, $40 per day, $70 weekend pass. whistlestopconcertseries.com.
Spend part of Memorial Day weekend with live outdoor music in Farmington. The Sandy River Music Festival features two days of performances, with a total of 11 acts. The lineup includes Rigometrics, Griffin William Sherry, Gina and the Red Eye Flight Crew and The Last Revel. Level up your experience by adding camping to the weekend. There are tent rentals, bring your own tent and bring your own camper options.
June 13. Piscataquis Valley Fairgrounds, Dover-Foxcroft, $6, free for 12 and under. mainewhoopiepiefestival.com.
Do whoopie pies taste better in the middle of June? Find out by hitting the annual Whoopie Pie Festival, where you’ll find plenty of Maine’s official state treat. The festival includes a road race/walk, live wrestling, food and crafts, music and whoopie pies as far as the eye can see. You can also make your whoopie pie dreams come true by entering the whoopie pie-eating contest. Stretch pants recommended.
Maine
44th annual State of Maine Sportsman’s Show in Augusta draws big weekend turnout
AUGUSTA, Maine (WABI) – Thousands flocked to the 44th annual State of Maine Sportsman Show at the Augusta Civic Center this weekend. The event is organized by The Maine Sportsman magazine and the Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine.
“We have 125 exhibitors, with anything you want that relates to the outdoors, ATV’s, boats, fishing gear, hunting gear, trapping gear. We average around 8,000 people through here over 2 1/2 days,” says Will Lund, Managing Editor of The Maine Sportsman.
Organizers say it’s a great opportunity to not only meet readers of the magazine, but to bond over shared interested in the Maine outdoors.
“Sometimes I’ll ask them what their favorite article is, and what really puts a spring in my step is if they tell me that my article is their favorite one, and that is very enjoyable to hear,” says Douglas Tibbetts, a writer for The Maine Sportsman and retired game warden for the state of Maine.
“All of the readers are looking forward to the open water season coming up, but many of our subscribers are here and we get to see them every year,” says Lund.
Many seminars, demonstrations and exhibits throughout the weekend helped to satisfy attendees during a period of downtime.
“We’re in between ice fishing, so you can’t really go to that anymore. For most places in the state, open water starts next week, so it’s a way to release some of that that pressure for kids and their parents,” says David Trahan, Executive Director of Sportsman’s Alliance of Maine.
Local businesses and non-profits were also given the chance to promote the significance of outdoor culture across the state. Those in attendance say the event provides a warm welcome going into the upcoming season.
“Maine outdoor industry is really just one big family, so we’re all kind of in the same boat. We all support the same activities in the outdoors and its therapeutic for everyone to get outside,” says Nicole Waite, President of Operation Reboot Outdoors — a recreational therapy non-profit that assists veterans.
“This has been a really tough, cold winter. People are itching to get out. Our organization represents sportsmen, conservationists, trappers — This is a way for us all to get together and come out of our homes in that new fresh spring air. I think it’s kind of a sign of spring,” says Trahan.
Copyright 2026 WABI. All rights reserved.
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