Foliage
HIKES SOAK IN MAINE’S MOST COLORFUL SEASON
With Love,
from Maine VISIT MAINE’S MOST
PHOTOGENIC LANDMARKS THROUGH THE YEARS
WE ’ R E G
AGA
FO
R
GO
U
R
D
We’re sharing selfies from all of our favorite Maine lankmarks!
S!
Feel the
LOVE
WE’RE CELEBRATING YOUR MAINE WEDDING WITH TIPS & ADVICE
Plus!
3 COZY AUTUMN MEALS
CONTENTS
AUTUMN 2026
FEATURES 24
WITH LOVE, FROM MAINE
Lens-worthy Maine landmarks and “selfie stops” we always love to share
30
OH MY GOURD
Fun, funky gourds overflow Maine farmstands this time of year
IN EVERY ISSUE 05
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Local events and a pop quiz
06
MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS
Get to know our Bangor Metro team
10
OBSESSIONS
30
OH MY GOURD
41
MARRY ME: GOING PUBLIC
What we can’t get enough of this month
34
THE VIEW FROM HERE
Our Marry ME guide for Maine couples starts on page 37
PHOTOS: (TOP) ADOBE STOCK; (BOTTOM) BREEZY PHOTOGRAPHY
Passing the popsicle stick test
ARTS & CULTURE 08
MAINE READS, MAINE WRITES
Jane Goodrich’s historical fiction asks timeless questions
FOOD & DRINK 12
COZY AUTUMN DINNERS
3 seafood recipes to fall in love with this autumn
HEALTH & HISTORY 16
ADVENTURE ME
Trails for enjoying Maine’s colorful forest foliage
20
THE MAINE INGREDIENT
Protect your skin this fall with products from Maine companies using local ingredients
HOME & GARDEN 22
FIND MORE SPACE
Tips for creating more interior space
digital advertising • public relations • graphic design • marketing • web services • and more
Get Noticed. Make an impact.
Grow your Business. 207.947.9333 1 Merchants Plaza, Bangor pulsemarketingagency.com
bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 3
EDITOR’S NOTE
With Love,
from Maine
AUTUMN IS AN EASY PICK for the best time of year to be a Mainer. The trees put on a colorful show, the weather hits a “just right” sweet spot, the bugs (and the tourist traffic) are mostly gone… what’s not to love? We’re counting all the ways we love Maine in this issue. From local authors (see page 8) to seafood dinners you can make at home (on page 12) to Maine beauty brands using local products to keep your skin healthy as the weather changes (check out page 20). We’ve got an ode to locally grown gourds — and where to find dozens of different varieties (page 30), plus suggestions for stunning fall hikes to take in all the colorful foliage (page 16). Speaking of exploring our great state, local historian Richard Shaw is sharing lens-worthy Maine landmarks through the years, starting on page 24. When I asked our Bangor Metro writers if they had some fun selfies to share for the article, they came through in a big way. See how many of your favorite writers you can spot in those pages! And I welcome you to send me your own fun Maine landmark selfies (my email is at the right) — we’d love to share them with our readers! It’s easy to see why so many Maine couples opt for a fall wedding — myself included! If you’re in the planning stages, flip to our Marry ME section starting on page 37 for advice and tips on planning your Maine wedding. Writer Casey Bernard looks into unique spaces to hold your nuptials (think the top of Cadillac Mountain, Fort Knox, or one of our state’s stunning state parks), as well as what to be aware of when hosting an event in a public space (like park fees and uninvited guests). Our Marry ME section is full of ways to make your big day extra memorable, including custom music (meet a Maine teen composing bespoke music for local couples on page 46), fun favors, and more.
WITH SO MUCH LOVE,
Visit our website for more Metro fun between issues!
www.bangormetro.com P.O. Box 1329 Bangor, Maine 04402-1329 Phone: 207.990.8000
PUBLISHER
Richard J. Warren
EDITOR & ART DIRECTOR
Amy Allen
aallen@bangordailynews.com
VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES AND MARKETING
Angela Marcolini
amarcolini@bangordailynews.com
SENIOR SALES MANAGER
Laura George
lgeorge@bangordailynews.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, & PROOFREADERS Casey Bernard, Stephanie Bouchard, Jasmine Cabanaw, Robin Clifford Wood, Jarrod Joy, Emily Morrison, Aislinn Sarnacki, Richard Shaw, Sarah Walker Caron
AMY ALLEN EDITOR & ART DIRECTOR Bangor Metro Magazine. Autumn 2026, Vol. 22, No. 3. Copyright © Bangor Publishing Company. Bangor Metro is published 4 times annually by Bangor Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Connect With Us Online bangormetro.com facebook.com/BangorMetro instagram.com/BangorMetro talkback@bangormetro.com
This magazine may not be reproduced in whole or part in any form without the written permission of the Publisher. Opinions expressed in either the editorial or advertisements do not represent the opinions of the staff or publisher of Bangor Metro magazine. Advertisers and event sponsors or their agents are responsible for copyrights and accuracy of all material they submit. Bangor Metro magazine to the best of its ability ensures the acuracy of information printed in the publication. Inquiries and suggestions are welcome and encouraged. Letters to the editor, story suggestions, and other reader input will be subject to Bangor Metro’s unrestricted right to edit and publish in the magazine both in print and online. Editorial: Queries should be sent to Amy Allen at aallen@bangordailynews.com. Advertising: For advertising questions, please contact sales@bangordailynews.com. Accounts Payable/Receivable: For information about your account please call 207-990-8000.
COVER ART: (photo strip) contributed photos; (background) Adobe Stock, (design) Amy Allen 4 / BANGOR METRO Autumn 2026
WHAT’S HAPPENING
AUTUMN 2026 SEPT. 20 MOUNT HOPE CEMETERY WALKING TOUR
expected to garner an even bigger crowd in 2026. Enjoy free admission, family activities, demonstrations, live music, salty tales, vendors, sardine tastings, and more.
Learn little known facts about some of Bangor’s famous — and infamous — residents during Bangor Historical Society’s guided tour. Hear about the importance of symbolism in the gravestones and get a chance to take in some of the city’s beautiful vistas. Built in 1834, Bangor’s 300acre Mount Hope Cemetery is the nation’s second oldest garden cemetery. Tickets are $12 per person.
PENOBSCOTMARINEMUSEUM.ORG/ SARDINEFEST
SEPT. 27 ST. JOE’S COMMIT TO COMMUNITY: 5K/10K & KIDS OBSTACLE COURSE Join St. Joseph Healthcare at Broadway Park for the 8th Annual Commit to Community 10K Run and 5K Walk/Run and Kids Obstacle Course. Every dollar helps sustain St. Joe’s Hospital’s SAFE Program, providing crucial care and advocacy for survivors in our community. STJOSEPHBANGOR.ORG/ COMMIT-TO-COMMUNITY
OCT. 2 FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK The October First Friday Art Walk is coming Oct. 2. It’s the last one of 2026, so don’t miss this chance to enjoy Bangor’s ARTober! First Friday Art Walks are monthly community events featuring local artists and venues located in downtown Bangor. These Art Walks are produced by volunteers in cooperation with the Bangor Art Society and dozens of local businesses.
PHOTO: ADOBE STOCK
DOWNTOWNBANGOR.COM
OCT. 3 SARDINEFEST Hosted by the Penobscot Marine Museum, SardineFest celebrates all things sardines. The first-ever events in 2025 welcomed about 1,200 guests, and it’s
OCT. 3 COMEDIAN BOB MARLEY Celebrate Family & Friends Weekend at the University of Maine’s Collins Center with one of New England’s favorite comedians. Bob Marley returns with another evening of laugh-out-loud stories, sharp observations, and the unmistakable humor that has made him a regional institution. Mature content. All tickets $45.50 including fees. COLLINSCENTERFORTHEARTS.COM
OCT. 4 POUND THE PAVEMENT 5K COLOR FUN RUN/WALK Pound the Pavement to support those affected by cancer. The 14th Annual Pound the Pavement event will feature a 5K walk/run where participants are doused from head to toe in a different colored powder. Participants wear white at the starting line and finish the race plastered in color. All proceeds go to helping individuals living in Maine who are dealing with the effects of cancer. PURPLEIRISFOUNDATION.COM/ POUND-THE-PAVEMENT
OCT. 17 MAINE WITCH WALK AND GOBLIN MARKET Join us for a fun one-mile costumed walk starting and ending at the Bangor Waterfront Park. At the end of the walk, enjoy the witch dance on the green near the compass rose, as well as a vendor market, entertainment, and more. Everyone is welcome! The Goblin Market opens at 12:30 p.m., dance practice at 1 p.m., followed by the walk and then dance! Speakers, music, drum circles, and shopping at the market to follow. MAINEWITCHWALK.COM
Find the answers below!
Answers to this month’s Pop Quiz: Question 1: B; Q2: A; Q3: B; Q4: C; Q5: C
BANGORHISTORICALSOCIETY.ORG
SNAP A SELFIE!
Test your Maine landmark know-how with a Pop Quiz!
MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS
Go Team!
WE’RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE THESE TALENTED & CURIOUS WRITERS SHARING STORIES THIS MONTH. INTERESTED IN JOINING OUR RANKS? EMAIL AALLEN@BANGORDAILYNEWS.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WRITING FOR BDN SPECIAL SECTIONS.
JARROD JOY works as a salesperson at Bangor Publishing Company and a contributing writer for the Bangor Metro. He graduated from the University of Maine with a degree in International Affairs, concentrating in French, and has loved writing for as long as he can remember.
SARAH WALKER CARON is a Pushcart-nominated essayist as well as a food writer and author. Her work has appeared in Farmer-ish, The Washington Post, the Boston Globe, SheKnows, and more. Her latest cookbook, “The Pizza Planet Cookbook,” is available where books are sold. Read more from her at sarahscucinabella.com.
After a lifetime love of reading and writing, ROBIN CLIFFORD WOOD landed in Maine 23 years ago and blossomed as a teacher, author, and poet. In Maine, she completed an MFA in creative writing from Stonecoast, published her award-winning book “The Field House,” and wrote for Port City Life, the BDN, Bangor Metro, Décor Maine, the Maine Review, and more.
AISLINN SARNACKI has worked as an outdoor journalist for over a decade. She’s a columnist for the Bangor Daily News, and she is the host of Maine Public’s outdoor TV show “Borealis.” A lifelong Mainer and nature enthusiast, she’s the author of three hiking guidebooks, teaches journalism at the University of Maine, and is a registered Maine guide. Learn more at aislinnsarnacki.com.
RICHARD SHAW is a Bangor native who lives and breathes local history. In 2021, the city named him its honorary historian and presented him with a key to the city. When Dick isn’t writing freelance articles, providing television commentary, or compiling best-selling vintage photo books for Arcadia Publishing, he might be photographing old graveyards or haunted houses. His long careers with the Bangor Daily News and the City of Bangor have provided him with fodder for untold stories and editorial opportunities. On his horizon is a possible novel involving Bangor’s colorful lumbering era.
6 / BANGOR METRO Autumn 2026
EMILY MORRISON is a high school English teacher, freelance writer, and graduate writing instructor from coastal Maine. Since 2000, Emily has been teaching teens, raising children, running marathons, and writing columns. Emily has written for Bangor Daily News, Portland Press Herald, and Journal of Maine Education. Her writing is humorous and frequently insightful. Read more from her at emilydenbowmorrison.com.
JASMINE CABANAW is an award-winning essayist and the Founder of Green Bamboo Publishing. She has over 20 years of experience as a journalist, editor, and content writer and is currently a Senior Account Manager at Pulse Marketing Agency. She’s the author of two children’s books and is a dance instructor in her spare time.
STEPHANIE BOUCHARD is an editor and writer based in the Midcoast. She writes about health/wellness, business, pets and Maine life and people. She has been published locally and nationally in publications such as the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram, the Working Waterfront, Island Journal, The Maine Monitor, WSJ.com, Caregiving, Chicago Health and Cosmopolitan magazines, MensHealth.com, and the Washington Post’s The Lily. Find her at stephaniebouchard.net.
CASEY BERNARD is a freelance writer, marketing research consultant, and aspiring novelist. When she’s not writing, she’s expanding her home kitchen garden in the summer and knitting in the winter. You can find her very occasional newsletter with recipes, miscellaneous musings, and poems at ThisIsYummy.substack.com.
bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 7
MAINE READS, MAINE WRITES
Imperfect HEROES
HISTORICAL FICTION ASKS TIMELESS QUESTIONS BY ROBIN CLIFFORD WOOD
“T
he Seraph,” Jane Goodrich’s second novel immersed in late 19th century history, was released in July 2026. When we met in Southwest Harbor before her book event, Goodrich shared a story about her earliest authorial output. “I vividly remember running to the lawn chair where my mother was sitting outside. ‘Read my story!’ I said. ‘But you can’t read yet, dear,’ said my mother.” Little Jane was still too young to read and write, but she’d made a bunch of random marks on paper that she “read” to her mother, word for word. Clearly the inclination to tell stories was born early in Jane Goodrich. Running alongside Goodrich’s love of reading and writing was her early love of history. “When I was 7 or eight 8 old, my grandfather took me to an auction. Everything was 19th century, and I thought it was all fabulous,” she said. “He gave me a blue glass insulator. It was my first antique.” That was the beginning of a lifetime love of historic artifacts. Goodrich’s particular interests lie in the historic period between about 1870 and 1930. Both of her novels — which she wrote by hand with the same fountain pen — delve into lives from that period. Arguably Goodrich’s most ambitious project was unrelated to writing, though it led to her first novel. “The House at Lobster Cove” is based on the story of an extraordinary late 19th century home called Kragsyde. After seeing a photograph of the old house, Goodrich was entranced. Years later, dismayed to learn that Kragsyde had been torn down, Goodrich and her fiancé tracked down blueprints to the house. In a span of 15 years, the two of them — a master builder and a design specialist — built a reproduction of Kragsyde on Swan’s Island in Maine.
“I drove the backhoe, I laid the blasting caps…I did everything,” Goodrich said. During those 15 years, Goodrich became intrigued by the house’s original owner, George Nixon Black, whose philanthropic contributions were legendary and whose life was shrouded in secrecy. Black’s story, and Kragsyde, lit the flame of curiosity for Goodrich, who spent years researching and writing “The House at Lobster Cove.” In “The Seraph,” Goodrich puts her meticulous historical research into play again as she imagines details into the real life of Cora Page, a renowned 19th century spiritualist medium. At a time in history when women’s voices were rarely acknowledged, Page’s voice was heard by thousands who flocked to hear her speak in the words of “ghosts” from the past in meditative trances on stage. “The Seraph” explores the shadowy boundaries between fraud and authenticity, fact and speculation, right and wrong — concepts we continue to grapple with every day, 150 years later.
Goodrich’s rigor in staying true to the historic period is reflected not only in her prose but even in some of its design elements. Incorporated into “The Seraph” are several news releases from the time period, reproduced using the authentic typeset from each publication. Goodrich’s evocative writing echoes the voice, vocabulary, and syntax of the past. She pointedly avoids reading other writers’ fiction when she’s writing a novel. “I don’t want to pick up someone else’s cadence,” she says. Beyond the deftness and beauty of her prose are provocative challenges to a reader’s sense of conviction. Tapping into the best qualities of historical fiction, she examines the complexity of the human experience. None of Goodrich’s characters is without flaws, and she leaves us to question. Where do right and wrong overlap? Where do they diverge? Goodrich slips questions with no clear answers into her characters’ voices:
• “Do good intentions release us from culpability?” • “Do we know what we think we know, or is everything a bit of trickery, for all stories get twisted in the telling?” • “What if wisdom comes not from being certain, but from being able to accept the uncertain?” • “Is it wrong to use a lie to tell the truth?” The protagonists of both of Goodrich’s novels are social outcasts and imperfect heroes. Her antagonists have qualities to admire. How do we decide who is good and who is bad? “I want people to think about it,” Goodrich says. Pick up “The Seraph,” and prepare to do some thinking.
ROBIN CLIFFORD WOOD is the award-winning author of “The Field House,” a biography-memoir hybrid about Maine author Rachel Field. For the last 20 years, she has immersed herself in Maine’s writing world — as columnist, poet, blogger, essayist, teacher, student, and colleague. To learn more, visit her website: robincliffordwood.com.
OBSESSIONS
OBSESSIONS WHAT WE CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF THIS MONTH
SWEET TREAT
EAT
TIRAMISU SHOOTERS FROM CRUST TO CRUMBS
—JARROD JOY
VISIT GRATEFUL GRAIN BREWING CO. IN MONMOUTH One of the best parts of living in our giant state is exploring new places. My family recently rented a little camp just south of the Belgrade Lakes for a few days — and discovered a charming little microbrewery down the road called Grateful Grain Brewing Co. Described as “Monmouth’s first, oldest, and largest brewery,” it’s housed in an old barn with a tiny tap room tucked on the side. There’s just enough space for a handful of tables and a few taps, and in warmer months, there’s a good-sized outdoor patio space. I enjoyed the appropriately named Camp Road, an easy drinking pale ale, and Dragin Magick, a hoppy red. And for bonus points: the brewery hosts a different food truck Wednesday through Sunday, so we enjoyed a great dinner there as well, courtesy of Piggy Sue’s Food Truck. A little beer, a little dinner, and a beautiful Maine summer evening — not a bad way to discover a new corner of the state.
Oops. It was so tasty I didn’t take a picture until I was almost done! 10 / BANGOR METRO Autumn 2026
—AMY ALLEN
The upside to dropping my daughter off for her second year at UMaine is knowing we’ll be making more visits to Orono — and all its great dining options. Pat’s Pizza is always a classic, along with Woodman’s, Yamas, Nest, Harvest Moon, Tacorita, Orono Brewing Company… there are so many fantastic choices in that little downtown area. One particular fave and a downtown staple since my own college days is Thai Orchid. The cozy little restaurant has a great cocktail list (including one of the best Old Fashioneds in greater Bangor) and delicious food. I keep meaning to try other things, but I’m hooked on the mango curry. It’s the perfect combination of sweet, savory, and spicy, with fresh mango, green beans, and cooked onion in a Thai red curry and coconut milk broth — with a side of rice to help cool things down. I’m already looking forward to many more visits during our trips to Orono to see our college student this year. —AMY ALLEN
PHOTOS: AMY ALLEN & ADOBE STOCK
MANGO CURRY AT THAI ORCHID IN ORONO
Recently I have been visiting the Bangor European Market every Saturday morning, and there I stumbled upon the cutest, but more importantly yummiest tiramisu shooters from Crust to Crumbs, a local bakery and caterer. Fluffy and perfectly sweet without being too much, they’ve clearly been made lovingly by someone who knows and appreciates what specifically makes tiramisu so good. Crust to Crumbs also does catering for weddings, where they only offer their tiramisu shooters, but also a tiramisu tower. I am not currently engaged, but let’s just say I’m currently browsing venues.
READ My favorite books all seem to have a creepy, mysterious element to them — which is perfect for this time of year. Curl up with a cozy blanket, enjoy the nip in the air, and settle in with one of these dark, spooky novels. THE FROZEN RIVER BY ARIEL LAWHON I was late getting to this book, which came out in 2023, but I’m so glad I found it. And this spooky season on the cusp of winter is perhaps the perfect time to dig into this incredible book based on an 18th-century version of Hallowell, Maine. It centers on Martha Ballard, a tough, resilient, and all-around badass midwife, whose real-life diary inspired the novel. Trigger warning: the subject matter is heavy. As the town’s most trusted medical expert, Martha is called in when a body is found in the recently frozen Kennebec River. She soon becomes central to a local rape investigation, putting her reputation, everything she stands for, and her own family to the test. Despite the heavy subject matter, I couldn’t help falling in love with (most of) these characters and this beautifully written book. HISTORICAL FICTION YESTERYEAR BY CARO CLAIRE BURKE Whoa. Without giving too much away, imagine if “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” and “Little House on the Prairie” had a very toxic baby. This book is all the rage right now for good reason — it’s Instagram trad wife culture gone very wrong. Natalie is fully focused on her online persona, showing her followers how to live a simple life on a rustic organic farm, how to make perfect sourdough, raise perfect children — while hiding everything happening behind the scenes. And then it all gets turned upside down one day when she wakes up in a bizarro version of her life circa 1855. It’s totally bananas in the best way. I literally could not put it down. I was worried toward the end that the story was going to fall apart — and then it did the opposite. It’s fascinating and wildly original. SATIRICAL FICTION A FLICKER IN THE DARK BY STACY WILLINGHAM I love a somewhat unreliable narrator, a twisty plot, and a DIY investigation. Poor Chloe — her father is a serial killer who went to prison for killing a half-dozen teenage girls when Chloe was just a teen herself. She grows up to be a psychologist, helping troubled teens through their own trauma. And after years of struggling with her past, she’s finally in a good place — with a nice house and a handsome fiancé, which, of course, is when one of her patients ends up dead. As things unravel, Chloe goes into a spiral of paranoia and suspecting everyone around her. As she digs into her past and present, it’s not completely clear whether she’s losing it or there’s something much more sinister at play. It’s a fun twisty ride that kept me guessing all the way through. MYSTERY/THRILLER — AMY ALLEN
FOOD & DRINK
Cozy
AUTUMN DINNERS 3 SEAFOOD RECIPES TO FALL IN LOVE WITH THIS AUTUMN BY SARAH WALKER CARON
A
utumn in Maine is beautiful, isn’t it? The leaves changing colors, the days moving between warm and cool, the urge to wrap yourself in sweaters and blankets … Altogether, this makes for such a cozy season. Why shouldn’t your meals also have that cozy factor? From a fresh, light halibut recipe to a saucy mussels recipe served over pasta to a creamy curry inspired by the work of a beloved Maine food writer, you’re going to fall in love with these recipes.
12 / BANGOR METRO Autumn 2026
THAI CURRY SHRIMP Serves 4
On Dec. 28, 1961, the Bangor Daily News published a recipe by Mildred Brown Schrumpf for Curried Shrimp, which she indicated was good for serving to company. This isn’t that recipe, but it did inspire this one which draws on Thai flavors to make a rich, delicious dish also worthy of company.
INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 shallot, quartered and sliced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 lb extra large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup dried jasmine rice, prepared
½ teaspoon kosher salt
4 cups baby spinach
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 can coconut milk (full fat)
4 tablespoons chopped peanuts
3 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
INSTRUCTIONS Heat butter in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook for 1-2 minutes, until softened. Add the shrimp to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the shrimp is nearly cooked through. Stir the coconut milk, Thai red curry paste, light brown sugar, and soy sauce into the skillet. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes and then stir. Remove shrimp from the skillet to a bowl. Cook the coconut mixture for an additional 6-7 minutes, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until thickened. Remove from heat and stir the shrimp back in. Arrange the rice in four shallow bowls. Top each with 1 cup of baby spinach and a quarter of the shrimp mixture (with sauce). Sprinkle with scallions and chopped peanuts and serve immediately.
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 13
FOOD & DRINK
PANKO CRUSTED HALIBUT WITH LEMONY ARUGULA SALAD Serves 4
This easy recipe for Panko Crusted Halibut with Lemony Arugula Salad can be made in less than 30 minutes and yields a satisfying meal that is crunchy, lemony, fresh, and light all at once. It’s a delightful dinner.
INGREDIENTS
SALAD:
½ cup panko breadcrumbs
2 cups baby arugula
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup thinly sliced red onions
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 lb halibut, cut into 4 fillets
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS Heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a bowl, mix together the panko, garlic, thyme, paprika, salt, and black pepper until well combined. In a second bowl, add the melted butter. Working with one piece of halibut at a time, dredge the fish in the butter and then the panko mixture. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet. When all pieces have been coated, spoon additional panko mixture over the top, pressing in. Drizzle with remaining butter.
14 / BANGOR METRO Autumn 2026
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the panko is golden brown and the fish is opaque and can be flaked easily with a fork. While the fish is cooking, combine the arugula, red onions, and cherry tomatoes in a bowl. In a second small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper until smooth. Pour over the arugula mixture and toss to combine. Let sit at least 5 minutes before serving. To serve, place one piece of halibut on each of four plates. Top with arugula salad, dividing evenly among the plates. Enjoy immediately.
LINGUINE WITH MUSSELS, BACON AND TOMATOES Serves 4
This hearty, fresh Linguine with Mussels, Bacon and Tomatoes pasta is best served with crusty bread for sopping up the juices. This is a brothier pasta by design.
INGREDIENTS 4 slices bacon, chopped 1 ½ cup diced yellow onion (about 1 medium) 4 cloves garlic, minced Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste 3/4 cup white wine 2 lbs mussels, cleaned and picked over 1 ¼ cup diced fresh tomatoes (about 2 medium) 8-9 oz linguine, cooked to al dente
INSTRUCTIONS In a large skillet, brown the bacon while stirring occasionally. Remove the bacon to a bowl, leaving the drippings in the pan. Add the onion to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Add the white wine to the pan and immediately add the mussels. Cover and cook for 4-6 minutes, or until the mussels open. Discard any unopened mussels. Add the tomatoes to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Uncover and stir. Arrange the cooked pasta in a large bowl. Pour over the mussel mixture. Stir lightly. Sprinkle with reserved bacon and serve. Note that this is a brothier pasta.
ADVENTURE ME
FALL FOLIAGE
Frolics
TRAILS FOR ENJOYING THE COLORFUL FOREST STORY & PHOTOS BY AISLINN SARNACKI IT NEVER GETS OLD. Every year, starting in September, the Maine wilderness transforms as the green canopies become kaleidoscopes of yellow, red, and orange. Some leaves even display pops of peach, pink, and purple. Fall foliage is a sight to behold. This colorful season also just happens to be an ideal time for hiking, with cool, comfortable temperatures and few bugs. (Though Maine is home to a species of mosquito that pesters people well into the fall — of course.) Some hiking trails are better for viewing fall foliage than others. It depends on the makeup of the forest. If a trail threads through spruce-fir forest, common along the coast, you won’t be seeing many fall colors, just the ever-green needles of evergreens. On the other hand, if a path winds through a mixed deciduous forest of sugar maples, red oaks, big-tooth aspens, and white birches, you’re in for a treat. Those trees love to put on a show. Over the years, I’ve found many colorful fall hikes, scattered through Maine. Here are just a few, ranging in difficulty from an easy boardwalk to remote and rugged mountains.
16 / BANGOR METRO Autumn 2026
JESUP PATH IN ACADIA NATIONAL PARK EASY This long, wide, historic boardwalk travels through one of the prettiest forests for enjoying fall foliage in Acadia National Park. The forest consists mainly of white birch, which have leaves that turn bright yellow. A few maples scattered throughout add splashes of reds and oranges. If you connect this trail with the Hemlock Path, it creates an easy loop that measures about 1.5 miles, perfect for families. This hike will also take you through a part of The Great Meadow, where you’ll find some bright maple trees. If you’d like to extend your adventure, options abound, with connecting trails scaling the nearby Dorr Mountain and visiting a scenic pond called The Tairn. Also, right near the trailhead for this walk is the Wild Gardens of Acadia, a fenced-in area that contains meandering paths through carefully curated beds of native plants. Dogs are permitted on this hike if kept on leash (no longer than 6 feet), however, they are not permitted in the Wild Gardens of Acadia. All visitors must display a park pass, which can be purchased online or at park visitor centers. A 7-day park pass for a passenger vehicle is $35. For more information, visit nps.gov/acad. DIRECTIONS: This hike begins at Sieur de Monts Spring Visitor Center, where the parking lot does fill up during peak times. The address is 2 Sieur de Monts Road in Bar Harbor.
EAGLE BLUFF IN CLIFTON MODERATE A little-known bluff not far from the busy streets of Bangor, Eagle Bluff is a destination for area rock climbers, but it also features a moderately challenging hike that leads to open views atop a dramatic cliff. The view includes nearby hills and Cedar Swamp Pond, which is surrounded by wetlands. Wetlands can be especially beautiful in the fall because certain tree species that grow in wetlands, such as red and silver maples, display bright colors. In addition, the landscape viewed from the top of Eagle Bluff features plenty of mixed deciduous forest, where fall colors shine. The Eagle Bluff trail network is maintained by the Clifton Climbers Alliance and is continually expanding. The trail that leads to the top of the bluff is a little less than half a mile long and is steep in a few areas. Access is free. Dogs are permitted on leash or under voice command. For more information, visit cliftonclimbersalliance.org. DIRECTIONS: Parking for this hike is on Rebel Hill Road in Clifton. From the junction of Routes 9 and 180 in Clifton, drive 2.5 miles down 180. The small parking area for the trailhead will be on the left.
HEALTH & FITNESS
ADVENTURE ME
TROUT MOUNTAIN NEAR MILLINOCKET MODERATE TO CHALLENGING Trout Mountain is topped off by an 80-foot-tall observation tower that offers an unobstructed 360-degree view of the Katahdin Area, including a stunning view of Katahdin itself. If looking to take in the fall foliage of that region, you’d be hard pressed to find a better spot. Rising 1,409-feet above sea level, the mountain offers a moderately challenging hike over rugged terrain. The trail to the summit measures 2.7 miles, making for an out-and-back hike of just over 5 miles, most of which is gradual. The hike is located within the 3,598-acre Trout Mountain Preserve, which is managed by The Nature Conservancy as an ecological reserve where natural processes such as ice, drought, and wind shape the forest — not logging. Access is free. Dogs are not permitted. For more information, visit nature.org. DIRECTIONS: The parking area for the preserve is located on Baxter Park Road, about a mile south of the Togue Pond Gatehouse of Baxter State Park. This is about 16 miles from downtown Millinocket if heading toward Baxter State Park.
TUNK MOUNTAIN NEAR SULLIVAN MODERATE TO CHALLENGING Rising 1,157 feet above sea level, Tunk Mountain is one of the tallest peaks in eastern Maine. A fairly popular hiking trail explores the mossy forest and pristine ponds at the foot of the mountain, then leads up to open ledges near its summit. The majority of the forest on this hike is evergreen, so why is it a good fall foliage hike? The views from ledges near the top offer unobstructed views of the fiery foliage blanketing the landscape for miles around. The 1.8-mile Tunk Mountain Trail features several steep sections, including a spot where hikers must climb up using three iron rungs embedded into the rock. This hike is located on Donnell Pond Public Lands, 14,000 acres of state-owned land in Hancock County. This sprawling parcel of conserved land is home to several mountains, ponds and lakes. Access is free. Dogs are permitted if on leash or under voice control. For more information, visit maine.gov/dacf/parks. DIRECTIONS: The parking lot is off Route 182, also known as Blackwoods Scenic Byway or Blackwoods Road, between the towns of Franklin and Cherryfield. If driving from the west, the trailhead parking is just under 1 mile from Fox Pond. If driving from the east, it’s just over 2 miles from the Tunk Lake boat launch.
NUMBER FIVE MOUNTAIN NEAR JACKMAN CHALLENGING Located in the 16,934-acre Leuthold Forest Preserve, Number 5 Mountain tops off at 3,156 feet, making it a high peak by Maine standards. The trail leading to the summit measures about 2.7 miles long and travels through a leafy forest that’s perfect for viewing fall foliage. It’s an out-and-back hike, so plan for a round trip that totals over 5 miles. This hike strikes through an alpine forest that’s filled with heart-leaved birch trees, also known as mountain birch. The heart-shaped leaves of these trees turn golden yellow in the fall. This area of Maine is home to some northern wildlife species that you won’t find in southern parts of the state, including boreal chickadees. They’re similar to the abundant black-capped chickadee (Maine’s state bird), but have rich brown feathers covering their head and parts of their body. They also have a raspier call. At the summit of the mountain, you’ll find an old steel fire tower that’s closed because the structure is no longer safe to climb. You’ll also find open views that include Number 5 Bog, Attean Pond and the nearby Number 6 Mountain. Access is free. Dogs are not permitted. For more information, visit nature.org. DIRECTIONS: Primary access to the preserve is from Spencer Road, which is off of Route 201, south of Jackman, across from the Parlin Pond boat launch. Follow Spencer Road approximately 17 miles west from Route 201 to an unnamed road on the right. Follow this road for 0.5 mile to the parking area at the end.
AISLINN SARNACKI is a Registered Maine Guide and the author of three guidebooks: “Dog-Friendly Hikes in Maine,” “Maine Hikes Off the Beaten Path,” and “Family Friendly Hikes in Maine.” Follow her adventures at aislinnsarnacki.com.
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HEALTH
The Maine
INGREDIENT Find Planet Botanicals products online at planetbotanicals.com and in the L.L. Bean Home Store, Sea Bags nationwide, and local gift and natural foods shops like the Natural Living Center in Bangor.
Holmes + Hudson will be at the Common Ground Fair Sept. 25-27. Products can also be found at their new shop at 17 Friendship Road in Waldoboro, along with products from many other Maine makers.
20 / BANGOR METRO Autumn 2026
PROTECT YOUR SKIN WITH PRODUCTS FROM THESE MAINE COMPANIES USING LOCAL INGREDIENTS
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BY JARROD JOY
s fall approaches, there’s no better time to consider how best to care for our skin. With Maine’s vibrant community of farms and small businesses, it’s no surprise that the state is home to an abundance of quality skincare brands. For as long as people have lived here, Mainers have taken to the land and the sea to make their living — and many of those natural resources are great for your skin. From blueberries and calendula flowers to sea resources like kelp and seaweed, Maine’s thriving ecosystems have everything we need to keep our skin healthy. HOLMES + HUDSON is a small-batch skincare company that truly shows how far a personal touch can go. From their glass packaging with hand-drawn designs to their locally foraged botanicals, plant oils, and clays, these products will help protect your skin in winter months and look beautiful on your shelf. Each formulation has a blend of essential oils that were selected to provide aromatherapeutic benefits as well. You truly cannot go wrong with their Dandelion Magic Body Oil, their lip balm, or their bath soaks. HOLMESHUDSON.COM/PRODUCTS
PLANET BOTANICALS works with sustainable Maine seaweed harvesters to source sugar kelp and rockweed, and collaborates with women’s cooperatives and farms in Africa to source their shea butter. They were first inspired to start their brand after being instructed on perfecting the art of shea butter harvesting by one of these cooperatives in Ghana, so you could say they’ve learned from the best. Their brand also focuses heavily on consumer education, so you can read about their product sourcing on their website or attend one of their workshops. Check out their body cream, scrub, bar soap, and hand cream to keep your skin protected from the elements year-round. PLANETBOTANICALS.COM/COLLECTIONS/BODY-CARE-COLLECTION
PICKLE’S POTIONS is the perfect brand if you are looking to buy your entire self-care routine from one local source. What started as a salve to heal the brand owner’s baby’s eczema has expanded into a complete line: oil and water-based cleansers, exfoliators, toners, serums, creams, bath soaks, perfumes, candles — everything you could ask for from a face and body skincare brand. This brand presents the unique opportunity to have all of your skincare products formulated with locally cultivated ingredients in small batches from the same person — a true rarity in today’s world of globalized skincare. Among their award-winning selection are their Berry Antioxidant Ampoule, their tinted and clear lip balms, and their Aura Anti-Aging Daily Oil, but that truly doesn’t even crack the surface of what they have to offer. PICKLESPOTIONS.NET
Moisturizing your skin, especially during winter months, will do so much to prevent your skin from aging and keep skincare conditions like eczema and keratosis pilaris at bay. Local stores like Tiller & Rye in Brewer and The Natural Living Center in Bangor have ample options from Maine-owned brands to keep your skin nourished and happy all year.
www.bangormetro.com BANGOR METRO / 21
HOME & FAMILY
Find More
SPACE HOW TO CREATE MORE INTERIOR SPACE FOR THE WINTER fter a summer spent outdoors, fall and winter drives many people back inside. Homeowners may take inventory of their interior spaces in winter and find that there isn’t as much room as they would like. When entertaining inside, a home may feel particularly cramped. Creating an open, inviting indoor environment requires maximizing spatial design but not necessarily expanding square footage. By focusing on a few strategies, homeowners can maximize interior flow. CHANGE UP THE LAYOUT OF FURNITURE Being able to move around a space more easily may come down to rethinking the furniture layout. Interior design experts often emphasize traffic flow in a space, which can determine how comfortable homeowners and their guests feel. Universal design methodologies point to establishing clear, unobstructed routes to link different zones of a room. This will minimize physical congestion in the space. When entertaining, homeowners can push larger pieces of furniture against the perimeter of a room to open up a centeral gathering area. Heavy coffee tables can be swapped out for smaller tables to allow the rearrangement of the layout depending on how many people are spending time in a given space.
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SUBDIVIDE ROOMS Open-concept spaces might have lost some their appeal in recent years. Designers are now going back in the direction of room-based layouts over open concepts, according to Martha Stewart and New York-based designer Madeline Merin. Some homeowners now have a greater need for definition of the spaces they have to work with. Instead of one open room, dividing the space can create the illusion of having more square footage while providing distinctive spots for privacy and other room functions. An open-concept family room, for example, can be divided into a gaming room on one side and a home office space on the other. CHANGE HOW SPACES ARE PERCEIVED Lighting and visual elements can make spaces feel more roomy and inviting even if they haven’t gotten larger. Painting walls in soft tones will help them reflect more light, making boundaries feel like they are receding. Incorporating more natural light by removing heavy draperies is one strategy. According to the Journal of Biophilic Design, biophilic design is the intentional integration of nature into buildings and spaces to improve human health and productivity. Homeowners can incorporate natural lighting, living plants, organic materials, and organic patterns into their interior designs to make spaces feel more inviting and open.
PHOTOS: ADOBE STOCK
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COURTESY OF METRO CREATIVE
REALTORS
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FEATURE
(Left to right) Casey Bernard (middle) and friends pose for a selfie at Dyce Head Lighthouse in Castine. A corgi named Karl poses outside Stephen King’s house in Bangor. Robin Clifford Wood takes a selfie with the World Traveler Signpost in South China. Anne Gabbianelli with friends at Pockmockamus Rock near Baxter State Park.
With Love, FROM MAINE LENS-WORTHY MAINE LANDMARKS & “SELFIE STOPS” WE ALWAYS LOVE TO SHARE
hen I was a boy, enjoying out-of-town family day trips, life’s roadside camera-filmed moments were called “photo stops.” Now, in 2026 jargon, people refer to their digital counterparts as “selfies.” From the Kittery Trading Post to Fort Kent’s America’s First Mile Route 1 sign, the on-site “I was here!” choices are limitless. Following is a sampling of favorite lens-worthy landmarks, with an homage to yesterday’s pictures, when someone else snapped the shutter.
LIGHTHOUSE LUNACY What better selfie backdrop is there than Rockland’s mile-long Breakwater Light jetty? Or, the Portland Breakwater Light, also called Bug Light? Runners-up could include Nubble Light, in York, the 1791 Portland Head Light, and the lights at Castine’s Dyce Head, Pemaquid Point, and West Quoddy Head, the nation’s easternmost point. Lighthouses always seem to dominate, as hard as the selfie-taker tries to hijack the frame. Bass Harbor Head Light provided the backdrop for a 2010 Barack Obama family vacation. It was the first time a sitting president visited Acadia National Park and that famous cliffside island landmark.
(Left) Visitors snap pictures of Bug Light in South Portland in 2026, and author Richard Shaw’s father Ward poses near Pemaquid Point Lighthouse circa 2000. 24 / BANGOR METRO Autumn 2026
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF RICHARD SHAW, CONTRIBUTORS, AND THE BDN ARCHIVES
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BY RICHARD SHAW
The cottage at Roosevelt Campobello International Park in an undated photo from the Bangor Daily News archives. (Below) British visitor Angela Hargreaves poses at Stephen King’s house in 2001.
HOUSE HUNTING During a 2001 Bangor visit from two British friends, we snapped selfies at Stephen King’s iconic spider-web gate which fronts his Victorian mansion. Thousands of fans and curious visitors have stopped there over the years to mark their place in horror history. Other favored homes include Kennebunk’s 1825 Wedding Cake House, said to be the state’s most photographed residence, Augusta’s Blaine House, where governors have lived since 1920, Cushing’s “Christina’s World” farmhouse, and the Bush compound in Kennebunkport. Across the border from Lubec, on Campobello Island, Canada, is Franklin D. Roosevelt’s summer cottage, with its own picture-taking area.
(Below, left to right) Cushing’s “Christina’s World” farmhouse, the Blaine House in Augusta, and Ward Shaw at Montpelier, home of the Gen. Henry Knox Museum in Thomaston, in 1999.
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FEATURE
STANDOUT STATUES As a Bangor native, I am partial to the 31-foot fiberglass Paul Bunyan statue that has depicted the smiling lumberjack since 1959. It isn’t easy taking a selfie with a giant, but Queen City visitors are constantly trying. Other municipal statues include one in Lewiston depicting Muhammad Ali’s 1965 Lewiston knockout of Sonny Liston, and a 10-foot likeness in Lincoln shows native son, Master Sgt. Gary Gordon, who died in the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu. The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens features huge carved wooden troll sculptures, and an Eastport statue shows a fisherman holding a cod. In Searsport, the 40-foot “Big Jim” former cannery landmark was a summertime hit.
(Clockwise from top) Jayne Bowler copies the yoga pose of one of the giant trolls at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens. Visitors look up at Paul Bunyan circa 1962. A pair of children score the ultimate Paul Bunyan pic, climbing into his boots during his installation in 1959. A recently restored “Big Jim” goes up in downtown Searsport.
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Bangor Metro editor Amy Allen with her family at Sugarloaf Mountain.
Emily Morrison poses with friends at the iconic sign on top of Katahdin.
The Appalachian Mountain Club on Beech Cliff in Lafayette National Park, later named Acadia, from “Thru Maine By Camera” by Walter G. Hay, 1925.
Jasmine Cabanaw (right) and Denise Chandler from First Light Hikes on Bee Hive Trail in Acadia National Park.
Amy Allen’s dog Archie poses at the top of Mount Battie in Camden.
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF CONTRIBUTORS, RICHARD SHAW, BDN ARCHIVES, & WHITE HOUSE PUBLIC DOMAIN
MOUNTAINTOP MANIA The next time you need a chuckle, check out Katahdin summit photos on Facebook and Instagram. Images that change daily depict hikers posing in all manner of dress at the Baxter Peak Appalachian Trail terminus sign. Tourists can also drive to Mount Battie’s summit in Camden and capture the “three long mountains and a wood” and “three islands in a bay” that local poet Edna St. Vincent Millay described in “Renascence.” Cadillac Mountain’s auto road takes drivers to one of the East Coast’s most stunning ocean views. And Maine’s trifecta of ski resorts — Sugarloaf, Saddleback, and Sunday River — offer many selfie white-out stops, along with summer and autumn views.
President Barack Obama’s fam ily visit Cadillac Mountain in 2010.
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FEATURE
SINGULAR SIGNAGE One of Maine’s most photographed highway landmarks is Lynchville’s World Traveler Signpost at the junction of Routes 5 and 35 near Bethel. Erected by the state to promote tourism, the 1930’s oddity lists nine international place names, including Norway and Mexico. A similar sign is located in South China. Historic signage also hangs outside Moody’s Diner in Waldoboro and Hussey’s General Store in Windsor, where “Guns, Wedding Gowns, and Cold Beer” are sold. Kokadjo, north of Greenville, boasts two selfie favorites. One sign notes the population as “not many,” and a rustic 1930s billboard states: “This is God’s country. Why set it on fire and make it look like hell.”
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF RICHARD SHAW, CONTRIBUTORS, AND THE BDN ARCHIVES
(Clockwise from top left) Jodi Hersey at the World Traveler Signpost in South China. Fort Kent’s America’s First Mile Route 1 sign. Hussey’s General Store in Windsor. Kokadjo’s welcome sign notes their population: Not many.
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MISCELLANEOUS MAINE Some selfie stops resist being categorized. Many were created by nature, others by humans. Visitors love to pose in front of Freeport’s 16-foot-tall rubber-bottom boot — size 410 — outside of L.L. Bean’s flagship store. There is Red’s Eats lobsterroll mecca in Wiscasset and Perry’s Nut House in Belfast. Chamberlain Lake’s abandoned “ghost trains” are a half-mile hike away from a parking lot. Visitors can drive up to the painted Pockwockamus Rock near Baxter State Park, but another boulder, which hangs off of Mount Desert Island’s South Bubble Mountain, takes sweat to see. MDI’s Thunder Hole, Freeport’s Desert of Maine, downtown Bangor’s West Market Square Christmas tree — pick your selfie spot and have fun.
(Above, clockwise) Robin Clifford Wood with the giant L.L. Bean boot. Visitors pose for a selfie at Thunder Hole on MDI. Amy Allen and daughter Maggie visit the Desert of Maine. Julia Bayly and Chiclet pose near the West Market Square Christmas Tree in Bangor. (This photo) The original painters of Pockwockamus Rock near Baxter State Park in 1979. COURTESY OF DOT LAMSON
Josh Archer and friends at Pockwockamus Rock in more recent years.
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FEATURE
Oh My
GOURD FUNKY, FUN, AND SOMETIMES EDIBLE, GOURDS OVERFLOW MAINE FARMSTANDS THIS TIME OF YEAR BY JASMINE CABANAW
30 / BANGOR METRO Autumn 2026
Gourds are piled high at Shute’s Pumpkin and Squash Stand along Route 7 in Brooks.
PHOTOS: (INSET) COURTESY OF SHUTE’S PUMPKIN AND SQUASH STAND; (BACKGROUND) ADOBE STOCK
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e’re all familiar with the charm of the classic pumpkin when autumn arrives. These orange orbs line front steps, fill farm stands, appear in pies and coffees, and become jack-o’-lanterns by the end of October. Pumpkins are easily one of my favorite things ever, but when I’m looking to illuminate the strange, especially as it gets closer to Halloween, I let another member of the squash family take center stage. Across Maine, gourds offer a more unexpected way to celebrate the season. Knobby, striped, speckled, twisted, and sometimes downright strange, these colorful members of the squash family bring plenty of personality to fall decorating. Like a Tim Burton character, their imperfections are part of the charm. In fact, the stranger the gourd, the more interesting the display. Part of the appeal of gourds is that no two seem exactly alike. Some are pear-shaped with long, curved necks. Others are covered in bumps and ridges. Colors range from creamy white and deep green to golden yellow, orange, and combinations of all four. While a row of traditional orange pumpkins creates a classic fall look, a collection of gourds feels a little more spooktacular. I like to fill a wooden bowl with miniature varieties, pile them into an old bushel basket, scatter them down the center of a dining table, and mix them with pumpkins, dried corn, and fall foliage on the front porch.
Yes, I get a little obsessive with gourds this time of year, turning my house into an autumn version of an Easter egg hunt. Months can go by after Halloween, but I’ll still stumble upon a gourd tucked away in some nook I had forgotten about. GO BIG OR GOURD HOME Maine is no stranger to the appeal of gourds. With Maine farm stands overflowing with locally grown autumn produce, there is no shortage of interesting varieties. Some farms go all out, with dozens of varieties to choose from. Wallingford Farm in Kennebunk offers over 35 varieties of gourds, pumpkins, and squash. Shute’s Pumpkin and Squash Stand along Route 7 in Brooks boasts 70 kinds of squash, over 100 kinds of pumpkins, and 30 kinds of gourds. One of my favorite fall outings is a visit to a Maine farm stand to find the perfect gourd. With all those varieties, I can easily spend a lazy afternoon pouring over bins filled with colorful choices. The question is what to do with all those gourds once I get home! Luckily, I can turn to Maine’s craft scene, where gourds have already carved out a niche. Their unusual shapes, hard shells, and natural textures make them especially ap-
bangordailynews.com BANGOR METRO / 31
FEATURE
Gourds are perfect for adding to an outdoor display or tablescape.
Inside Shute’s Pumpkin and Squash Stand in Brooks are dozens of varieties of gourds and squash.
THE EDIBLE GOURD Some of the squashes piled high at Maine farm stands are just as useful in the kitchen as they are on the front porch. Popular squash varieties include striped delicata and dark green buttercup to hefty blue Hubbard squash. There is such a wide range in flavors 32 / BANGOR METRO Autumn 2026
that Shute’s Pumpkin and Squash stand includes tasting notes next to each variety. “Mashed Potato Squash: Mild, buttery and subtly sweet, with a creamy, fluffy texture and light nutty notes.” When it comes to eating gourds, however, there are only a few that please the palate. Most gourds are tough and bitter, making them perfect for crafting but a horror for eating. The exceptions to this are the bottle gourd and the luffa gourd. Also called calabash, when harvested young and tender, bottle gourds can be cooked much like zucchini. Luffa gourd is also edible when harvested young, before its interior becomes fibrous. Mature luffas are the ones dried and turned into natural sponges. From seed to table is your best bet for gathering edible gourds. Fedco and Johnny’s Selected Seeds are two options for getting started with luffa and calabash. HOW TO COOK BOTTLE GOURDS SELECT: Choose small, tender bottle gourds with smooth skin. PREP: Rinse the gourd, peel the outer skin with a vegetable peeler, and chop it into cubes or slices.
COOK: For an easy side dish, add enough oil to coat a pan and fry the chopped or sliced gourd at medium heat. Add spices, salt and herbs to taste. Bottle gourd can also be added to stir-fries, or dropped into soups and stews where they soften like summer squash. LET THE GOURD TIMES ROLL Collecting oddly shaped gourds can become its own fall tradition. Instead of searching for the largest pumpkin in the patch, children can compete to find the bumpiest, curliest, or funniest-looking gourd. A few ideas include such gems as gourd naming competitions, gourd craft days, gourd scavenger hunts, and a gourd swap (even better when paired with cookies). Fall in Maine has never needed much embellishment. Apple orchards, weathered barns, farm stands, changing leaves, and stacks of firewood already provide the backdrop. Gourds fit naturally into that landscape. The next time you stop at a Maine farm stand this fall, I invite you to look beyond the pumpkin pile and peek into the gourd bins. Pick up the striped one. Grab the one covered in bumps. Choose the strange little gourd that doesn't quite look like anything else. Let this be the year the pumpkins on your porch get some competition.
PHOTOS: (FAR LEFT) COURTESY OF SHUTE’S PUMPKIN AND SQUASH STAND; (OTHERS) ADOBE STOCK
pealing to artists who enjoy working with organic materials. Crafters are transforming gourds into everything from birdhouses and bowls to ornaments, vases, lanterns, and decorative sculptures. Some are painted with distinctly Maine imagery such as loons, moose, lighthouses, pine trees, and coastal scenes. Others are carved with intricate patterns, fitted with lights to create glowing lamps, or turned into whimsical figures and seasonal decorations. One notable artist and farmer is Aaron Letourneau of New Gloucester, who grows hundreds of gourds each year (in 2025, it was 900!), training the sprawling vines over tunnels before harvesting and drying them for future art projects. His creations include gourd birdhouses and elaborate lamps, including a Maine-grown gourd lamp featuring the silhouette of a bull moose.
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THE VIEW FROM HERE
Passing the
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POPSICLE STICK TEST BY EMILY MORRISON
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No amount of running laps around a grassy track could fix that, but we tried. I biked to her place (a four-minute drive) then we’d run back to my house, jogging for two telephone poles, then walking two telephone poles. Did we ever make it the whole way back? Can’t say. The real test of our endurance came at the hands of our Polish, septuagenarian gym teacher, Mr. G. He would administer “the popsicle stick test” in gym class every year, and if you’re old like me, you might have done this too. He gave us four popsicle sticks at the beginning of class and said, “Give me one of d’ese sticks every time you do a lap, and when you’re outta sticks, you’re done for da day.” We each found/paid a friend to take two of our popsicle sticks and called it “da day” two laps in. But here’s where the story gets good. Since high school, I’ve completed three full marathons and eight halfs, and my best friend, the one who’s currently running a 6:15 mile, runs two miles daily, sprinting the first and jogging the second. Isn’t that astounding? We were trying to be good at the wrong things. If only we’d just had a track team, maybe we wouldn’t have felt so lame. As an English teacher, I’m always looking for good stories to tell my kiddos, and this is one of their favorites. Why? Because sometimes it helps to be reminded that the yard stick you’re measuring yourself by just isn’t accurate. There’s an old saying, “If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” Sometimes you don’t know what you’re good at because you haven’t tried it yet. It takes a lot of trial and error to find the right popsicle stick, but when you do, you’re willing to practice it every day. So what are you waiting for, dear reader? Go find your own popsicle stick.
PHOTO: OLLY/ADOBE STOCK
MY HIGH SCHOOL had a track around the football field, but we had no track team. Back then, in the early stone age, it was covered in grass. We had football, soccer, field hockey, basketball, baseball, softball, and wrestling, and I participated in three of those. I say “I participated” because that’s all I did: participate. Except in softball. I grew up playing, so when spring came, I knew I’d see some real minutes. “They used to call me Hoover,” I tell my kids, “because I sucked all those popflies into my glove like a vacuum cleaner.” “Yeah right, Ma,” they say, and honestly, I’m not sure if that’s true or part of my false memory syndrome my sister says I suffer from. Anyway, vacuum cleaner nickname or not, you get the point. You get good at the things you practice and sub-par at the stuff you don’t. I was fine being sub-par at basketball and soccer. I wasn’t going to school on an athletic scholarship. Part of my complacency came from my best friend, the valedictorian of our class, who “participated” right along with me. We had as much fun laughing at our own dearth of talent as any two people can have riding the pine. She still makes fun of me for asking our coach if I could “sit out” for the last 40 seconds of a particularly hypothermic soccer game because it was less embarrassing than going through the motions of attempting to kick a ball with no feeling left in my legs. One year, we got it into our under-utilized sports brains that we should run more. If only we could sprint up those hills faster, outpace those girls in practice, then our coach would have to play us sooner. Newsflash: it wasn’t our running holding us back. At least, that wasn’t my friend’s problem. She was always the fastest person on every team. She still is. That woman can run a 6:15 minute mile at age 47, but I digress. Our problem? Our lack of coordination which, you guessed it, came from a lack of practice.
EMILY MORRISON is a high school English teacher, freelance writer and editor from coastal Maine. She is living happily-ever-after with her handsome husband, three beautiful children, and two beloved dogs. And a cat.
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z Celebrating your Maine wedding
Big News!
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marry Celebrating Your Maine Wedding
Make it
MEMORABLE
HOST YOUR
Maine WEDDING
WITH FUN FAVORS & PERSONAL TOUCHES
Custom
MUSIC TO WALK DOWN THE AISLE
IN A PUBLIC PARK
PHOTO COURTESY OF BREEZY PHOTOGRAPHY
marry Celebrating your Maine wedding
breezy-photography.com
Love these photos?
Many thanks to Breezy Photography for sharing these stunning Maine wedding photos that appear throughout this Marry ME section. Breezy Photography, out of Bar Harbor and Acadia, specializes in weddings and elopements, documenting beautiful people in beautiful places all over Maine.
38 / BANGOR METRO Autumn 2026
39 YOU’RE CORDIALLY INVITED WEDDING INVITATION ESSENTIALS
41 GOING PUBLIC
TIPS FOR HOSTING A WEDDING IN A PUBLIC SPACE
44 MAKE IT MEMORABLE
SMALL TOUCHES TO MAKE YOUR DAY UNIQUE
46 WEDDING BELLS
MEET A MAINE TEEN COMPOSING WEDDING MUSIC
48 PLEASE TAKE ONE
FUN AND FESTIVE WEDDING FAVORS
marry
You’re Cordially
INVITED WEDDING INVITATION ESSENTIALS
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eddings tend to embrace the traditional, formal and elegant. While digital correspondence may befit other occasions, when it comes to hosting a wedding, most couples opt for paper invitations that are stamped and mailed. A wedding invitation is more than just fancy stationery; it is a guest’s first look at the tone and style of the celebration. Although design is important, the primary job of a wedding invitation is to inform guests of key details. Here is the essential information that a wedding invitation should convey.
r THE HOSTS & NAMES
The traditional first line of the invitation indicates who is hosting the wedding (i.e., who is paying for it). While it was once customary for the bride’s parents to host, many couples now pay for their own weddings or finance their nuptials with help from family. As the centerpiece of the wedding invitation, the couple’s names should be prominent and often in a fancy font. The bride’s name traditionally precedes the groom’s, and middle names may be used.
r THE REQUEST
Some other notable components of the wedding invitation include the date, time, and location. Formal invitations will spell out the date and year in words. Couples should always include the day of the week so guests can double-check the calendar.
IMAGES: (INVITES) AMY ALLEN; (BACKGROUND) ADOBE STOCK
r THE RECEPTION DETAILS
Reception details might be included on a separate card in the wedding invitation package. That card will include the venue name and address, as well as when the cocktail hour will begin. The reception details also should include a clear replyby date. Guests may be directed to go to a wedding website to RSVP digitally; otherwise, couples traditionally provide an RSVP card with a complementary addressed and stamped envelope. The invitation also may feature a line in the lower-right corner that will mention the dress code. To convey that children are not invited, the polite option is just to address the invitation to the adults or include a line on the RSVP card that says, “We have reserved two seats in your honor.”
bangordailynews.com BANGOR METRO / 39
PHOTO COURTESY OF BREEZY PHOTOGRAPHY 40 / BANGOR METRO Autumn 2026
marry
Going
PUBLIC CONSIDERATIONS FOR WEDDINGS IN PARKS AND PUBLIC SPACES
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BY CASEY BERNARD
oastal views, serene lake sunsets, iconic lighthouses — any of these can make for an ideal wedding location. And some of the best spots to find these across Maine are state and national parks and other public locations. Besides the natural beauty of hosting an event in a public space, these unique locations can offer more intimate and cost effective options. Planning a wedding often has challenges, but when planning a wedding at a public location, brides and grooms need to take extra considerations and plan ahead. Below are some things to keep in mind when planning an event at a public space.
r LIMITED NUMBER OF GUESTS AND AREAS OF USE
A ceremony with a lighthouse backdrop may be the ultimate Maine wedding location. At Marshall Point Lighthouse, weddings are allowed a maximum of 50 guests and ceremonies are limited to lighthouse grounds. Portland Head Light on Cape Elizabeth allows much larger parties, up to 150 guests, but requires special approval, which can take up to 90 days. Considering a wedding ceremony at the top of Cadillac Mountain or at the base of Jordan Pond? Both would provide a stunning backdrop for photos. Acadia National Park requires wedding ceremonies with more than 10 guests to obtain a special permit no later than 72 hours in advance, and some areas, including Cadillac Mountain, limit ceremonies to 30 guests with sunrise and sunset ceremonies not permitted.
r ADMISSION FEES
At state parks across the state, a small per person entry fee is required, in addition to other rental fees. At Moose Point State Park in Searsport, which boasts views of Penobscot Bay as well as Islesboro, Sears Island, and Northport Harbor, visitors must pay $3-4 per person for entry — an affordable but perhaps unexpected charge. The park has a pavilion and picnic benches which could be reserved for a casual reception after a waterfront ceremony, for an additional fee. At all Maine state parks alcoholic beverages are not permitted in historic sites, day-use areas, or in the common public areas in campgrounds.
r LACK OF SERVICES AND LIMITED ACCESSIBILITY
Some public parks and spaces can be tricky in terms of access to bathrooms and electricity, as well as walkability or wheelchair access. At Fort Knox, located in Prospect at the mouth of the Penobscot River, event planners have a variety of options for hosting an event. Weddings and ceremonies can be hosted at one of several locations among the 144 acres on the property, including pavilions, simple picnic tables, and parade grounds in the center of the fort. bangordailynews.com BANGOR METRO / 41
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF BREEZY PHOTOGRAPHY
“The backdrop at Fort Knox is magical and castle-like, but there are some challenges to an outdoor venue,” said Dean Martin from Friends of Fort Knox. For one, depending on where the event will be held, restrooms may not be immediately available. Electricity is also limited in some areas. Because Fort Knox is built on the side of a hill and was constructed in the 1840s, many of the spaces are not ADA compliant. For guests with limited mobility, accessibility should be considered when looking at spaces with uneven terrain and long walks. At Fort Knox, some accommodations can be made with golf carts or limited car access for guests who need extra assistance.
r LOCAL CONNECTIONS
History lovers might want to consider Castine on the Blue Hill peninsula, where weddings can be held at one of the historic forts, the grassy traditional Town Common, or a small ceremony in the garden in front of Dyce’s Head Lighthouse. Fort Madison, erected in 1808 and under British occupation during the War of 1812, sits at the edge of Castine’s peninsula with unobstructed views of Penobscot Bay. Fort George sits at the top of the hill of Castine and is the site of one of the most significant battles in the Revolutionary War, with remnants of the original fort still standing. Dyce’s Head lighthouse has a small grassy area in front of the lighthouse that would provide a stunning backdrop for a ceremony, but in Castine the lighthouse keeper’s home is occupied by the local kindergarten teacher. The resident has made accommodations to allow for events in the space, but has the right of refusal. To have a ceremony at any of these spaces, brides and grooms must have a connection to Castine. Residents can rent the spaces for $100 and non-residents with a connection to the town pay $200. A connection to Castine can mean a family member is a resident or homeowner in the town or the reception will be held at one of the local inns. The rule was created to limit the number of ceremonies in town. Those wishing to arrange a ceremony at one of the public spaces in Castine have to work with the team in the town office for approval and payment.
r PUBLIC SPACES MEAN UNEXPECTED GUESTS
Of course, hosting an event in a public space often means other visitors to the space may become uninvited guests to the ceremony. Karen Moytcka, who works at the Castine town office, explained that most people who stumble upon a wedding stay out of the way and find a way to enjoy the public space without impeding the ceremony. However, these extra guests may be seen walking in the background or may linger to watch the ceremony from afar.
r RENT A SPACE WITH A PARK FEEL
If hosting an event at a public space is not the right fit for a couple, local farms and camps across the state can provide a relaxed atmosphere with a more private experience. Toddy Pond Farm in Monroe is a working farm that hosts farm-to-table dinners and private events. Away from the coast, on the banks of Lake Webb, the Kawanahee Inn is a small lakeside resort with rentable cabins that provides that Maine woods camp experience.
With some creativity and planning ahead, local brides and grooms can find many affordable outdoor options at public spaces with some of Maine’s best vistas. bangordailynews.com BANGOR METRO / 43
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Make it MEMORABLE SMALL TOUCHES TO MAKE A WEDDING UNIQUE
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COURTESY OF METRO CREATIVE
couple’s wedding day is one they will remember forever. Whether they’re saying “I do” in front of hundreds of loved ones or tying the knot at a more intimate affair, couples put a lot of effort into planning their special days. Wedding planning enables couples to ensure the day reflects who they are as individuals and as couples, and various unique touches can help set ceremonies apart even further.
r AUDIO OR VISUAL GUEST BOOK: It’s customary for guests to sign their names into a guest book at the reception, and couples keep those books as mementos for years to come. But this popular tradition can be tweaked in the form of an audio guest book in which guests call a number and leave verbal instead of written messages of love and support from their guests. Guests will appreciate this novel approach and couples can save recorded messages and replay them for years to come. If an audio guest book isn’t meeting couples’ wishes, swap the phone with a Polaroid camera that provides the components of a visual guest book instead.
r PERSONAL NOTES OF APPRECIATION: While it can be time-consuming, one way
to make guests feel special is to leave handwritten notes at each guest’s seat thanking them for coming and being a part of the festivities. These keepsakes will be particularly cherished by parents and grandparents who played a significant role in the bride and groom’s upbringing.
r PERSONAL PHOTOS AS WEDDING FAVOR: Another nice and unique touch is to print and frame small personal photos of the bride and/or groom with each guest. A grandmother might love a small framed photo of herself with the bride or groom from years ago, while friends might be moved to find a framed photo of themselves with the bride or groom as children or during the period when they first became friends.
r DONATIONS: Another thoughtful and unique touch is to make a donation in guests’ names supporting a favorite charity. Weddings can be costly, but a small donation in a guest’s name to support a cause they’re passionate about can be a moving and meaningful gesture. If a loved one attending the wedding is passionate about rescue animals, a small donation in his or her name to a local animal shelter can be a heartfelt gesture.
to dance with their daughters and mothers to dance with their sons during the reception. But there’s no limit to the amount of special dances that couples can arrange during the reception. If a large contingent of a couple’s college social circle will be in attendance, arrange for the school fight song to be played and encourage all alumni to come out and dance and sing along while it’s being played. If a group of childhood friends will be attending, pick a favorite song from childhood and invite everyone who danced or sang together with the bride or groom as kids out to the dance floor to reenact those fun times as adults. 44 / BANGOR METRO Autumn 2026
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r EXTRA DANCES: It’s customary for fathers
PHOTOS COURTESY OF BREEZY PHOTOGRAPHY
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46 / BANGOR METRO Autumn 2026 PHOTOS: COURTESY OF RONAN SANDS
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BELLS MEET A TEENAGE CELLIST COMPOSING CUSTOM WEDDING MUSIC FOR LOCAL COUPLES
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BY STEPHANIE BOUCHARD
hen Emily Hanna Hackett got married in 2024, it was pretty special that the wedding took place in the same church as her husband’s parents’ wedding. But the icing on the (wedding) cake was the music she walked down the aisle to: a custom piece of music written by the bride’s 15-year-old godson as a wedding gift. Cellist and composer Ronan Sands of Eddington, now 17, began writing music when he was 10, only three years after he started taking cello lessons. His interest in classical music began when he randomly heard a piece on the car radio. It was not a genre of music he was familiar with at 7 years old — his parents are big fans of Tom Petty — but he was transfixed. “It felt magical almost,” he said of hearing that classical music. “Kind of like one of those old Disney movies with the sparkles and the birds and stuff and sunshine and rainbows and all that. That’s kind of what it felt like.” Sands turned to his father in the car and said, “I want to do that.” His parents took him to RDL Strings in Bangor to get him set up with a beginner instrument and lessons. When Sands saw a cello in the music shop and heard its deep, rich sound, there was no other instrument for him. Through his childhood, he practiced his cello for an hour or two nearly every day and that hard work paid off. A video of him performing was selected for From the Top’s young musician video series, “Daily Joy,” and he has won several music competitions, including being
awarded Bay Chamber’s Glenn Jenks Future in Music prize in 2025, and this year, placing first in the Bangor Symphony Orchestra’s Maine High School Concerto Competition, which earned him the opportunity to play as a guest soloist with the orchestra last spring. While cello is his main instrument, Sands also began experimenting with piano and a bit of guitar, and is taking composition seriously. Besides being a wonderful art form for self-expression, he said, what really engaged him was working with others to try and convey their ideas. “You can act as kind of like a musical translator for them,” he said. And that’s his goal when he sets out to write music for someone — whether that be for a special occasion like a wedding or a video game. His godmother’s wedding was the first piece of music he composed for a wedding. “I really wanted something that was joyful, hopeful,” he said. Hackett was delighted with her gift and chose to use his composition for her processional, not just because of their relationship, but because in the music he captured the energy and style of her wedding. “The tone of the song matched my expectations of that moment,” she said. She frequently tells other people about it, she said, because it transformed her traditional wedding into something a little different. What neither Hackett nor Sands knew was that custom wedding music is part of a broader trend toward more personalized wedding ceremonies. Platforms like Foreversongs. com are connecting couples with songwriters and musicians to create custom wedding music. Sands says, along with one day forming his own chamber group and performing as part of an orchestra, he wants to write more custom compositions for weddings. “I really want to make this a special, special occasion for them,” he said, “and a wonderful personal artwork that is completely theirs.” Go to ronansandscello.com to hear Sands perform and watch the processional clip from Hackett’s wedding. bangordailynews.com BANGOR METRO / 47
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PHOTO COURTESY OF BREEZY PHOTOGRAPHY
48 / BANGOR METRO Autumn 2026
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Please TAKE ONE FUN AND FESTIVE WEDDING FAVORS
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COURTESY OF METRO CREATIVE
edding favors are commonplace at modern weddings. Although guests plan to offer gifts to the happy couple to get them started on their life together, the newly betrothed also can say thank you to all in attendance with small tokens of appreciation. Typically, wedding favors are not very expensive and lean toward trinkets that guests can keep as mementos. The Knot says couples spend between $2 and $5 per favor. That may require budgeting around $500 to $700 for wedding favors. It is recommended to order one favor per guest or one per couple if larger items are chosen. There is no limit to the creativity that can go into choosing wedding favors. Couples who have good senses of humor may want to bestow fun favors on their guests. Here are several fun wedding favor ideas that merit consideration. · EDIBLE FAVORS: Guests may appreciate edible favors because they will not add to any clutter in a guest’s home after the wedding. Favors can be local treats from a particular region (think saltwater taffy if the couple is from a coastal town) or custom-made cocoa or tea kits. Edible favors also may be sugar cookies iced with custom messages, like “We’re sweet on you.” · CUSTOM CARDS: Custom playing cards with the wedding date or image of the couple printed on them can be a fun and classic favor. Guests can pull them out for their game night rotation. · PLANTS: A small plant or succulent is a lasting reminder of your special day that guests can enjoy long after the celebration. It also symbolizes love, growth, and new beginnings — making it especially meaningful for a wedding. · SHOT GLASSES: Shot glasses are small vessels designed to hold or measure liquor. Couples who want to show their playful sides can opt to gift guests who are 21 and over with custom shot glasses they can feature at their bars back home.
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· FAVOR BAR: Rather than choose the favor for the guest, couples may want to let wedding attendees choose something from a selection of options. By creating a favor bar, guests can build their own favors from the items provided, which can include food or candy, beads and jewelry elements, or some home decor options. · HANGOVER KITS: Hangover kits can be a clever touch for wedding favors. Whether guests overindulged at the wedding or tend to party hard at other times, a bag featuring an ibuprofen tablet, electrolyte powder or liquid, mini water bottle, and eye mask can be a quirky favor. Wedding favors are a nice touch to offer guests. While not very expensive, they are meaningful and can be fun at the same time.