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Bangor

Brady Gang re-enactment

Gerry Palmer, playing the role of Dakin’s Sporting Goods owner Shep Hurd, and Dick Shaw, as gangster Al Brady, will present historical talks on the Brady gang at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 5, at the Hammond Street Senior Center, 2 Hammond St. The free talks are open to the public.

“Flashes From the Past: The Day the Brady Gang Came to Bangor” will be held Sunday, Oct. 7, beginning with a 2 p.m. antique auto parade. A re-enactment of the shooting will be held at 3 p.m. on Central Street, then a dance at 4 p.m. with Wicked Blue bluegrass and Skyliners dance orchestra.

For information, visit www.albradygang.com.

Auditions for ‘Peter Pan’

Scott R.C. Levy, producing artistic director of Penobscot Theatre, invites local talent to audition for a role in the company’s production of J.M. Barrie’s original version of his classic story “Peter Pan.”

Auditions will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 13, at the Bangor Opera House, 131 Main St. Levy, who will direct “Peter Pan,” is seeking actors of all ages to fill roles, with the exception of Peter and Wendy. Actors will read portions of the play and engage in physical exercises during the audition. Rehearsals begin Nov. 12. For an audition, call 947-6618.

Penobscot Theatre also is seeking crew members.

Mothers & More party

The Greater Bangor area Mothers & More chapter, the women’s organization for mothers, will celebrate its 20th anniversary at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 10, at Eastern Maine Medical Center, Room 2D.

“Mothers & More has done important work over the last two decades reaching out and connecting to mothers,” said Connie McVey, chapter leader. “In order to continue that work, we continually reach out to mothers, connecting with them through our common experiences, helping them realize that they are not alone, encouraging them to explore their ‘other than mother’ interests.”

The evening will take mothers back to 1987. The flash from the past will recount issues, songs and entertainment of the time and the founder’s story – and encourage participants to share their own stories.

Mothers & More is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of mothers through support, education and advocacy. For five years, the Greater Bangor chapter has offered thought-provoking meetings, moms’ nights out, children and family activities, playgroups and special events. Meetings are at 7 p.m. the second Wednesday and fourth Thursday at Eastern Maine Medical Center. For information, visit www.bangormothersandmore.org or e-mail bangormoms@yahoo.com, or visit www.mothersandmore.org.

Cooking for a crowd

The University of Maine Cooperative Extension will sponsor a two-day workshop, “Cooking for a Crowd,” 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesdays, Oct. 16 and 23, at the Penobscot Extension Office, 307 Maine Ave.

Organizations and community groups are invited to participate, since many volunteers prepare food for fundraising events. There’s a lot to learn about safe food preparation and handling. Those who don’t do it for a living may be unaware of the special techniques involved.

The two-part workshop will cover planning and purchasing; storing food supplies; preparing and cooking food; transporting, storing and serving cooked food; serving cooked food and handling leftovers.

Small group work with quantity recipes and other activities will be featured.

The cost is $15 a person or $30 per organization for up to three people. Louise O. Kirkland, Extension educator, will be the instructor.

For information or a brochure, call 942-7396 or 800-287-1485. Preregistration is necessary and participants must attend both sessions.

Home-buying course

MaineStream Finance, a wholly owned subsidiary of Penquis, will offer a free, 12-hour certified training course to help potential home buyers make prudent decisions. Classes will be held 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesdays, Oct. 16 and 23, at Penquis, 262 Harlow St.

The course uses a qualified trainer and discusses the roles of attorneys, realtors, lenders, insurance agents and home inspectors. Components include budget and debt management counseling and credit counseling. There is no cost, but registration is required. Call MaineStream Finance at 974-2424 or 800-215-4942 to register.

Annual sunrise service

The public is invited to join Congregation Beth El for its annual Sunrise Service atop Cadillac Mountain in Bar Harbor on Saturday, Oct. 6, to celebrate Shabbat atop Acadia’s Crown Jewel.

Dress warmly, bring the rabbi a cup of joe, and make the trip to pray with joy and ruach – spirit. For information, call Beth El at 945-4578.

Hospital benefit

The St. Joseph Hospital Auxiliary invites the public to a jewelry sale extravaganza 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 16, at the hospital cafeteria. The event will feature jewelry and watches for men and women. A portion of the proceeds will benefit St. Joseph Hospital.

Ireland in photographs

Ruined castles, rugged seascapes, scenic vistas and fascinating people drew photographer Jim Counihan to the west of Ireland in 2006. Visitors can follow his travels through Galway, Clare, Kerry and Cork, and the Aran Islands in his exhibition, “The West of Ireland: A Photographer’s Journey,” through October at Bangor Public Library.

“The west of Ireland is my family’s home and it holds a special place in my heart,” Counihan said. “It’s also a place of great natural beauty and human-made wonders – a great place to photograph.”

Photos in the exhibit are some of nearly 1,000 slides and digital images Counihan made over a nine-day period in May 2006. Subjects include the Poulnabrone Dolmen, a passage grave older than Egypt’s Cheops pyramid; a rusting shipwreck in the Aran Islands, landmarks along the Ring of Kerry roadway, the rugged coastline of the Dingle Peninsula, the Bunratty Folk Park and sheep – “lots of sheep,” Counihan said.

Book talk by Stelmok

Author Jerry Stelmok of Atkinson will be speak at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4, in the Lecture Hall at Bangor Public Library. Stelmok is known best for his works on canoe building, but now he has written his first work of fiction, “Not Your Average Bear.”

Castine

Annual meeting

The Friends of Witherle Library invite the public to attend its annual meeting and potluck supper at 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4, at the parish house of the Unitarian Church on the Common. Pre-meeting signup at the library is encouraged.

Entertainment will be Harry Kaiserian and a cast of thousands (well, maybe hundreds) in his talk, “The Role of Cuisine in Film and Literature.”

Hermon

Volunteers for Ecotat

Volunteers are needed at Ecotat Gardens in Hermon anytime between 8 a.m. and dusk from Sunday, Oct. 7 to Saturday, Oct. 13. Volunteers may stay as long as they like for one or more days.

The major effort will be to cut back perennials, or “dead head” and pull obvious weeds out of the flower beds. This not only prepares the beds for spring, but improves the general appearance of the area for autumn visitors.

Volunteers can be shown trees that need pruning if they would rather have a standing activity. Those with a chain saw and a “spotter” can help by cutting out dead trees and branches.

The cathedral arbor is in need of repair by anyone handy with a hammer and small saw. There is an activity for anyone. Volunteers are encouraged to bring a friend. The caretaker will be available at all times for assistance, instructions and provision of tools.

Old Town

Blessing of the Animals

St. James’ Episcopal Church, at the corner of Center and Main streets, will hold a service of Blessing of the Animals at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 7.

Pets of all kinds, large and small, and their owners are invited to gather for prayers outside, weather permitting, followed by a procession into the church for an individual blessing. Refreshments will be served afterward to both humans and their pets.

The Blessing of the Animals is an annual event held in conjunction with the Feast of St. Francis and celebrates all creatures great and small. For information, call 827-6950.

Orono

Audubon book discussion

The Fields Pond Audubon Center book discussion group will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11, at Dirigo Pines to discuss “Living on the Wind” by Scott Weidensaul. Discussion leader is Joyce Rumery. The free group is open to the public. “Living on the Wind” follows flocks of hawks swirling over the Mexican coastal plain.

Boardwalk nature walk

Ronald Davis, founder of the Orono Bog Boardwalk, will offer a nature walk at the bog at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 6. Davis is a retired University of Maine biology professor and Maine Audubon Teacher of the Year.

Using a special device, Davis will probe down into the peat and bring up small peat samples from a series of depths. These samples will indicate what the wetland was like 1,000, 5,000 and 10,000 years ago.

An attempt will be made to obtain a sample of the material from under the peat, more than 20 feet below the boardwalk, to determine conditions prior to 10,000 years ago before the peatland formed.

Participants are encouraged to bring hand lenses or magnifying glasses to examine the contents of ancient deposits.