Vintage Fashion Show

CASTINE – From the closets and treasure chests of Castine residents and the Vintage Finery in Orrington come cherished memories of the past.

The Vintage Fashion Show, sponsored by the Wilson Museum, will transport you back in time to a most exciting era at noon Thursday, July 6, at the Manor Inn, 15 Manor Drive, off Battle Avenue. Clothing and accessories will delight your senses. There will be boaters, knickers, garters, middy blouses, bathing suits, teddies and other items considered haute couture at the time.

The fashion show will be preceded by an elegant luncheon created by chef Nancy Watson. Cash bar begins at 11:30 a.m., with the luncheon and show at noon. The manor’s famous Prohibition Punch will be available as well as wine.

The show is choreographed and produced by Jean Miller, with piano music by Eddie Madden. The Miller-Madden duo has created similar shows in Arizona. As a pianist-composer-arranger, Eddie Madden is a multidimensional musical personality who has performed with such greats as Frank Sinatra, Sammy Kaye, Vaughn Monroe, Louis Armstrong and Liberace.

Madden is best known internationally as a composer for concert bands and has been a frequent visitor to Castine as guest conductor for the Castine Town Band. His compositions of “The Castine March” and “Kindersong” are frequently played by the band.

Vintage Finery in Orrington has the largest selection of vintage clothing in New England. Owner Linda Mitchell-Storer has antique clothing dating back to the 1700s. In addition, she has a wide variety of period accessories to complement the outfits available for sale or rental.

Tickets are $25, and reservations must be made by June 28 by calling 326-9247.

Tabitha King book signing

Bangor author Tabitha King will be appear at Bangor Public Library at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 29.

A prolific author with more than a dozen books to her credit, King will be bringing along her latest work, “Candles Burning.”

This Southern Gothic novel is actually the product of two pens. A friend, the late Michael McDowell, left behind an unfinished manuscript which McDowell’s estate passed along to King to complete.

The result is described by Publisher’s Weekly as a “stunning collaboration,” while the review eerily likens this Alabama murder mystery to “a water moccasin slipping through black water.”

BookMarc’s staff will have copies of “Candles Burning” available for purchase and signing.

Let’s Talk About It series on the Middle East

BANGOR – In response to widespread requests from Maine libraries for a series focusing on the Middle East, the Maine Humanities Council and Mahmud Faksh, a Middle East expert and professor at the University of Southern Maine, have developed a special Let’s Talk About It series titled “Behind the Headlines: An Introduction to the Middle East.”

Professor Alexander Grab of the University of Maine will facilitate the discussions at Bangor Public Library. The three-part discussion series will be held at 5:30 p.m. Mondays, July 10, July 24 and Aug. 7.

It is free and open to the public, but preregistration is required. Registration and information are available at the library.

“Behind the Headlines: An Introduction to the Middle East” uses the recently published anthology, “The Contemporary Middle East, as a central text.”

A collection of articles written by leading scholars, observers and policy analysts on an array of topical Middle Eastern issues and crises, the book focuses on key countries and issues such as Israel and Palestine, Iran and Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, the forces of nationalism and Islamism, and U.S. involvement and foreign policy in the region to help demystify the complexities and intricacies of the enigmatic politics of the Middle East.

To provide background and context, each of the three sessions will begin with a 45-minute presentation by the facilitator and continue with facilitated discussions for an hour and a quarter.

Dr. Grab is the Adelaide & Alan Bird Professor of History at the University of Maine, where he teaches courses on the history of the Middle East as well as early modern and modern European history.

More information about “Behind the Headlines: An Introduction to the Middle East can be found at www.mainehumanities.com/programs/talk-special.html.

Concert in the park

ORONO – The Orono Public Library has postponed the annual concert in Webster Park to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 22.

In case of rain the concert would be held at Asa Adams Elementary School.

The event is free to the public and sponsored by the Friends of the Orono Public Library and the Orono-Old Town Kiwanis.

Julie Monroe is a music teacher for 18 area child care programs. Her band, The Bug Boys, comprises two entomologists, drummer Don Berry and bass guitarist Clay Kirby. They are joined by professors Jim Artesani and Laura Artesani.

The Friends of the Library will be on hand at the concert selling hotdogs, baked goods and balloons. The proceeds from the sale will benefit library programs.

Donations of baked goods will be gladly accepted on the day of the concert. For additional information, contact the library at 866-5060.