PAST 2016 EVENTS
Trivia Night and Chili Cook-Off!
Saturday, April 16, 2016 @ 5:30pm (Old Town Hall)
This event was a blast! A chili taste testing and contest (with prizes!) mixed in with rounds of Trivia, or vice versa! Teams of up to 5 people brought their appetite and a crock of their favorite/award winning chili recipe for taste testing, enjoyed an evening of trivia with many prizes awarded for both!
Westport Island Antiques Appraisal Event
Saturday, May 14, 2016 @ 3-5pm (Old Town Hall)
If you’re a fan of the PBS “Antiques Roadshow” series, you would have enjoyed this event, which was inspired by the hit show. It was part adventure, part history lesson and part treasure hunt! John D. Bottero, Vice President of the Thomaston Place Auction Galleries, and a professional appraiser, evaluated items and offered informal appraisals to all who brought something to the event.
Thomaston Place Auction Galleries is a Maine’s premier auction and appraisal company located on U.S. Route 1 in Thomaston, Maine. Thomaston Place is a leader in discovering Maine’s antique and fine art treasures by offering Free Appraisals each Tuesday at the gallery, creating fundraiser events for civic and charitable organizations, and providing house call appraisal service. Their expertise in researching and marketing antiques and fine art has earned Thomaston Place the respect of buyers, collectors and experts worldwide. Event Sponsor: Fuller Marine Services
Meet and Greet (WCA Annual Meeting)
Saturday June 18, 2016 @ 3pm-5pm (Old Town Hall)
Attended my many islanders and family and friends, a great afternoon of wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres eating, and craft table browsing was had! We wrapped up the event with a brief Annual Meeting where we voted on changing our non-profit status to a 501c3 status and voted in new officers for the coming year. Great to see all of you there! Event Sponsor: Copy Shop
Annual Westport Island WVFD Benefit BBQ,
Saturday, July 9, 2016 @ 5:30pm
Lawn between Old Town Hall and the Historic Church
What a successful benefit event! Nearly 200 people braved the chilly day to chat, eat, listen to some great tunes provided by Back to Basics Blue Grass Band and dunk the chief in a water tank!
This is annual event is a fundraiser. The Westport Volunteer Fire Departments relies on donations for operation. Please read Mary Ellen Barnes recapture of this wonderful event. Event Sponsors: Bath Savings Institution, John Bailey (in Memory of Alan Anderson,) Reliance Auto Repair
Fashioned Square Dance
Saturday, August 20, 2016 @ 6pm (Old Town Hall)
Just as much fun as last year, but this time it’s in August. Put your dancing shoes on and join us for this high energy Square Dance with caller Al Hipkins returning! Please bring a light refreshment to share. (This event is free, however food pantry and cash donations are greatly appreciated!) Event Sponsor: Wiscasset Ford
Folklore Ballads
Sunday September 25, 2016, 3-5pm
Johnny Scott is the Editor of the non-profit, “Folksong in the Classroom”, an organization that promotes the use of folk songs as primary source material for teaching and enlivening history.
Bill Bonyun was the organization’s inspirational founder. This unique approach to teaching history to children through folksongs was pioneered by Bill & Gene Bonyun of Westport Island. Bill established the music department at Old Sturbridge Village, Massachusetts, and founded Heirloom Records, which issued themed recordings such as The American Revolution, The Civil War through Its Songs and Ballads, andSongs of Yankee Whaling. Many of Bill Bonyun’s records are listed in the Smithsonian Institute’s “Smithsonian Folkways Recordings”.
The Bonyun’s fell in love with Westport Island and its people, and bought the Frank Thomas 150-acre farm off West Shore Road in 1940. After Bill’s death in 2001, 69 acres of shoreline on Knubble Bay were donated to the Kennebec Estuary Land Trust, which maintains trails for public access. Two of Bill and Gene Bonyun’s sons, Archie and Paul, live on the the remaining parcels.
Johnny Scott is a retired high school History Teacher. Johnny co-authored with his father, J. Anthony (Tony) Scott, the book, “Ballad of America – A History of the United States Through Folk song – Third Edition.” Johnny now lives in Holland, Massachusetts.
The event took place at Westport Community Church at 1211 Main Rd, Westport Island, Maine. A wonderful afternoon singing songs, sharing stories and memories. Event Sponsors: E. Davies Allen and Nancy Shaul
Halloween Costume Party and Dance
Saturday, October 29, 2016 @ 7pm-9pm (Old Town Hall)
A party in true Halloween fashion! Family friendly, The Old Town Hall was decorated to the hilt with fantastic Halloween decor and lights! There were adult and kid costume contests with prizes, games, edible delights and lots of dancing with music provided by one of the areas best party DJs! Open to all Westport Islanders and the local mid-coast area! (Thank you for the food pantry and donations!)
Old Fashioned Christmas Celebration
Sunday, December 4, 2016 @ 3-5pm (Historic Church)
Come share the spirit of Christmas and the season with your neighbors at the Westport Community Church. Led by a wonderful chorus, many well known and loved Christmas and Holiday carols will be sung by all! This year, the event will be held in the afternoon, yet we’ll still bask in the warm glow of the oil lamps. Enjoy the holiday atmosphere of the Historic Church and help fill it with your voices and good cheer! Afterwards, enjoy seasonal delights, goodies, and hot cider at the Town Hall next door and continue caroling with our first ever Tree Lighting! Event Sponsors: Micro Mainea, The First