The Rising Tide is a free, community-powered news source celebrating the people, places, and businesses of the Blue Hill Peninsula and Deer Isle-Stonington. Featuring breaking news, arts & lifestyle spotlights, and stories that matter to our community; including public meetings, voter information, etc.
Communities We Serve: Castine, Penobscot, Bucksport, Orland, Blue Hill, Surry, Sedgwick, Brooksville, Brooklin, Sargentville, Little Deer Isle, Deer Isle, Stonington
Binnie Media is New England’s largest locally owned media company that reaches 1.5 million people each week, including over 425,400 radio listeners in New England, with digital marketing, Connected TV advertising, and outdoor assets delivering millions of impressions to people in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Massachusetts. Our team strives to achieve long term relationships with our clients that are mutually beneficial, cost effective, and successful! We can help businesses of any size with their advertising and marketing challenges.
We own and operate 16 radio stations in Maine and New Hampshire. Locally, we have 106.9 Frank-fm, a Classic Hits format playing music from the 70s, 80s and 90s as well as 105.5 The Wave, a Soft Rock format playing music from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. Both of those stations cover the entire Blue Hill Peninsula.
Our mission:
The mission of the Downeast Chapter of Maine Audubon is to educate and engage the people of Hancock County, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats, for the benefit of local communities and their natural environment.
We sponsor local nature programs, field trips, school events, nature camp scholarships and conservation projects.
Grassroots nonprofit breaking the silence of domestic abuse across Maine with innovative survivor-led initiatives as well as peer support.
The Trinitarian Congregational Parish of Castine is an open and affirming congregation of the United Church of Christ. Our people are friendly and welcoming, our faith is alive and enthusiastic, and our mission is loving and serving our neighbors. We gather for worship on Sundays at 9:30am in our sanctuary at 68 Main Street in Castine or by livestream on our YouTube channel. Care and activities for children are offered during Sunday worship.
Community Support for Holbrook Island Sanctuary State Park
The Blue Hill Garden Club provides resources, programs and networking opportunities for the full-time and seasonal residents of the Blue Hill peninsula that will inspire the creation and stewardship of gardens that beautify and feed both our bodies and our souls.
Colloquy Downeast was formed in 2000 to provide a program for learning and thoughtful discussion of topics of general interest. Since then, we have organized more than 100 colloquies on a wide variety of subjects. The organization is managed by an all-volunteer Steering Committee comprised of up to 15 members of the community.
The mission of Colloquy Downeast is to create an independent learning community (supported and nourished by residents of the Blue Hill Peninsula, Deer Isle and beyond) engaged in enriching discussions through exchange of thoughts and ideas. This mission is supported by informed volunteer facilitators who offer analytical, interactive and conversational learning experiences to participants willing to share ideas and challenge their own assumptions.
Maritime Heritage Festival held in August (date is tide dependent) taking place at the Blue Hill Town Wharf and adjacent historic village.
In 2025 the 6th annual Festival will take place on Saturday, August 9th, 10am-4pm.
TSCA is a national 501c3 organization that hosts and cosponsors the Festival. It is registered in Maine.
I am a mobile soft serve ice cream business. I travel on the peninsula and to events in the state during the warmer months while my trailer has a designated local spot 1 or 2 evenings a week.
The Community Childhood Learning Place is a year round, full-day program serving children, three-months to 4 years of age and an after school and summer programming for school aged children (5 years to 12 years), that recognizes the rich potential of each child physically, cognitively, and emotionally through child centered, play based discovery in the Reggio Emilia approach. The program values the contribution of family interaction, community involvement and the importance of engaging teachers well grounded in child development, learning philosophies and wellness principles
We are a family owned and operated Brazilian jiu jitsu gym. We offer classes for kids and adults of all skill levels in a safe and welcoming environment.
Created to manage the business affairs of Flash! in the Pans, the community steelband based in Blue Hill, our mission is to continue a decades-long tradition of performing and supporting steel drum music, and in the process strengthen the tradition of community-based live music on the peninsula.
Arborists in our Mount Desert office are committed to helping local residents and businesses maintain beautiful, healthy trees and shrubs. Our arborists are experts in diagnosing and treating tree and shrub problems specific to the Mount Desert and surrounding area. Some of our services are: storm response, tree removal, pruning, tree inspections, cabling & bracing. Tree & Shrub care plans, including root invigoration, shoreline zoning and inventory, soil sampling and diagnostics. Insect & Disease management, Browntail Moth, Dutch Elm, Beech Leaf, Tick & Mosquitoes.
We are similar to a YMCA — but also very community centered in our programs and events. We offer programs, events, and activities that center around health & Wellbeing for all members of our community – socially, emotionally & physically.
This is an interactive outdoor trail. You get a paper of clues and a mystery to solve. Hints can be seen throughout the trail and a prize at the end for those who solve the mystery!
We are a small K-8 Micro-school and believe in hands-on, minds-on learning.
Donation based fabric & fiber craft store with desire to provide affordable materials to all kinds of makers. We will take in donations from members of the community who have an overflow in their stash, give their things a loving name, and keep it all out of the landfill! I envision a community space as well as store, where we can gather and exchange knowledge and skills. I would love to collaborate with our local schools, artists, etc. to grow a space of learning and fun for all our local crafters!
I provide quality, accessible, mental health support, especially focused on moms / femme parents. My sessions are online, choose-your-own-price, & flexible scheduling to make it as easy as possible for moms / femme parents to find support through behavioral questions, boundaries, development, & more.
Osprey’s Echo Sea Kayaking (est. 2021) is a small family-owned business dedicated to taking visitors and locals out on guided kayak tours of the amazing Stonington archipelago – touted by many as the best sea kayaking on the east coast. The Steinharter family have been devoted to Deer Isle for over 50 years and Founder/Lead Guide Will Steinharter focuses earnestly on his customers’ experience, telling tales about the history of the area, the amazing wildlife (ospreys, eagles, seals, porpoises, etc.) and the over 60 islands to explore.
Osprey’s Echo provide 1/2 day tours, full day tours, overnight camping experiences on an island, and serene 2-hour sunset tours, as well as custom experiences,
Community Compass is a collaboration of community members, Neighborhood Navigators, and partner organizations working collectively to break the cycle of poverty by engaging the financially struggling, reducing barriers to prosperity, and building opportunity for all citizens of Blue Hill, Brooklin, Brooksville, Castine, Deer Isle, Orland, Penobscot, Sedgwick, Stonington, and Surry.
We offer a year-round schedule of professional theater, music, film, dance, educational programs, community events, and more.
“We are a welcoming, engaged and diverse community of faith dedicated to the spiritual, physical and social well-being of ourselves and our neighbors. Whoever you are, whatever your beliefs, come explore and experience with us the mystery of God’s love.”
Island Meadow Art is an art studio for kids located in Brooklin Maine. Our classes aim to encourage students’ exploration, enliven imaginations, and bring art history to life through a variety of mediums. Painting, drawing, sculpting, and printmaking are among some of the mediums students have the opportunity to work with. Students get individual attention in a focused environment.
The Beth C. Wright Cancer Resource Center provides compassion, support, wellness groups, advocacy and education for patients, families, and friends in the midst of a cancer diagnosis, treatment and/or remission. We strive to enhance cooperation, collaboration, and connection among medical providers, other nonprofit groups, social support, and educational resources in Hancock and Washington counties. Established in 2004 and located in Ellsworth, the non-profit resource center was born from an organization created by Beth C. Wright, who died of breast cancer in 2000. Over the years, our educational, supportive, and wellness programs have expanded to several additional locations in Washington and Hancock counties.
P.O. Box 322 | 23 Commerce Park
Ellsworth, ME 04605
Star 97.7 is the hometown radio for Downeast Maine. We love to be on the air, talking about events and the people of Hancock and Washington counties.
The Grand is an iconic Art Deco theater in Downeast, Maine
that fosters social interaction and growth in artists and audiences
through the arts, entertainment, and education.
Childcare Center on the Blue Hill Peninsula providing amazing care and education for your children.
Accepting children from 6 weeks – 5 years old!
The mission of Native Gardens of Blue Hill is to create public gardens of Maine native plants to demonstrate their beauty and value and to encourage sustainable gardening practices. Since 2015, we have been building a demonstration garden at the campus of Bagaduce Music on South St with the help of volunteers. Recently, we have begun to deepen our mission to include training and support for existing and new businesses in the field of sustainable landscaping, including the nursery trade. We envision serving as a training ground for entrepreneurship and innovation, a hub for ecological best practices in the community, and the supportive home to a regional guild of sustainable landscape stewards.
We are a community composting business that collects compostable waste from around the peninsula and turns it into a high quality soil amendment.
Non-Profit Organization that brings Chamber Ensemble concerts to Blue Hill in the winter months.
When you step through the front door of the Cynthia Winings Gallery in Blue Hill, you enter one of the most dynamic and engaging art spaces in Maine. The humble façade (the building was once a barn) belies its compelling contents, from choice Maine landscapes and thought-provoking narrative and figurative work to abstract and conceptual art of the first order. Two floors of aesthetic surprises and delights await the art aficionado. And a new sculpture garden welcomes you to walk around outdoors and find contemporary sculpture artfully placed in the landscape.
24 Parker Point Rd
Blue Hill, ME 04614 United States
We are a local Subaru dealer providing excellence in new and used Subaru vehicle sales, service, parts and accessories. stanleysubaru.com
Independent community radio station serving Midcoast, Downeast & Central Maine. Listener supported, volunteer powered.
Our vision is to create a vibrant, multi-use space where anyone can find opportunities for connecting with others, the arts, learning, real food, entertainment and good health.
The building has a big meeting room downstairs with an adjoining small kitchen and café. A small co-working space is also being set up. The recently renovated second floor, opening in early 2018, will have a game / craft room and another large open room that can be used for activities such as yoga or meditation.
Offering two-week residency, one- and two-week workshops, conference; May-September. blacksmithing, ceramics, glass, graphics, metals, textiles, wood, writing, and more. Scholarships available. Residency and Scholarship applicant deadline: March 1. General applicant deadline: April 1. All levels welcome.
Haystack Mountain School of Crafts
89 Haystack School Drive, Deer Isle
On campus tours are offered on Wed., 1 p.m.,
for a nominal charge, from June 3 to August 26;
evening presentations, open to the public, 7:00 p.m.
348-2306 HYPERLINK http://www.haystack-mtn.org
89 Haystack School Drive
Deer Isle, Maine 04627 United States
1345 State Highway 102
Bar Harbor, ME 04609 United States
While the Blue Hill Peninsula has a rich and vibrant artistic and literary tradition, most literary events occur piecemeal and during the busy summer months while the shoulder season of summer/fall offers few events. In addition, there is no unifying community structure that brings word-lovers together to celebrate. Establishing a festival to occur each October will encourage year- round residents and visitors to connect with one another, enjoying author readings, workshops, performances, and panels without the distractions of the peninsula’s hectic summer schedule. Word will share and promote the many voices of Maine, including local voices not always given the opportunity to be heard, and will seek out diverse voices to ensure a full and rich cultural experience.
In addition to events scheduled throughout the weekend, a literary marketplace will serve as a central meeting ground for the festival, providing vendors and nonprofits an opportunity to share information about their roles in the literary life of the peninsula, as well as encourage festival-goers to interact and engage in crafts and collaborative activities.
In addition to the festival, Word promotes literary events year-round.
We are a non-profit, community-based health and fitness center with membership and programming for all ages.
32 Mines Road
Blue Hill, Maine 04614
Mon - Fri 5:30am - 8:00pm / Sat - Sun 8:00am - 12:30pm
The Tree of Life Food Pantry and TurnStyle Thrift Shop work together as a unique, self-supporting organization. Sale of good quality used clothing at the TurnStyle is the primary source of funding, along with donations, for the Food Pantry.
Food is given free of charge to citizens from the eight towns on the Blue Hill Peninsula: Blue Hill, Brooklin, Brooksville, Castine, Orland, Penobscot, Sedgwick and Surry. No one in need of food is turned away. Currently over 900 families are registered. About 212 families come in for food each week.
Join the more than 5,000 visitors each year seeking insights into the workings of the fishing community and information about what is happening in our ocean ecosystem. We strive to ensure that every visitor learns something new about Maine’s coastal fisheries, the natural environment supporting the fisheries and MCCF’s work to sustain these important resources and support our coastal communities.
Discovery Wharf provides a positive and memorable experience for all visitors, so please plan to make us part of your travel plans May through October 2024. Discovery Wharf is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 4pm. We strongly recommend that you make your reservation today at https://coastalfisheries.org to guarantee you premiere limited access around our touch tank, you won’t regret it!
Admission Fees:
Adults (13 and older) $10
Children (2 – 12 years old) and seniors 65+ are $5
Children under 2 and Military are FREE
Families (up to 5 people) $25
Reservation Times:
10am –10:45am
11am – 11:45am
noon – 12:45pm
1pm – 1:45pm
2pm – 2:45pm
3pm – 3:45pm
Penobscot Bay Press is an independently owned community information services company with offices in Blue Hill and Stonington. We publish The Weekly Packet, Castine Patriot, and Island Ad-Vantages weekly newspapers, as well as books, maps and special publications. We also share news and information about the local community through our website.
Two Locations:
PO Box 36, 69 Main St., Stonington, ME 04681, 207-367-2200
PO Box 646, 13 Main St., Blue Hill, ME 04614, 207-374-2341
BHHT maintains a vast network of trails and road systems across the Blue Hill Peninsula and offers free programming year round. Visit their website for a list of events, trail maps, and more!
Who We Are:
We are a nationally accredited nonprofit, donor-based land conservation organization founded in 1985 by residents of the Blue Hill Peninsula in coastal Maine. We are working to conserve the farmland, forest, wetlands, and wildlife habitat needed to sustain ecological and community health in a changing climate. Our goal is to protect the resources and sense of place upon which traditional livelihood depends, and to work with our communities to embrace a stewardship ethic. We recognize the value of conserving land and water for its own sake, as well as valuing the recreational, economic, and quality-of-life benefits of conservation. By advancing this vital connection between healthy land and healthy communities, the Trust strives to be fully involved in peninsula communities through strong collaborations with our partners, including municipalities. To date, Blue Hill Heritage Trust has protected over 10,000 acres of land that will be forever stewarded for wildlife, recreation, scenic beauty, sustainable use and historical importance.