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A note from the editor

Halloween is still two weeks out, and Bangor isn't waiting.

This weekend, a few hundred witches dance on the waterfront. The Anah Shrine turns into a glowing indoor carnival. A historian at the library explains why old gravestones are covered in broken flowers. And a downtown pub that's been pouring since 1973 finally opens its second floor.

This week's Who to Know is the man who walks you through Bangor's darkest stories every October, one haunted building at a time.

We're also less than three weeks from Election Day. Twelve people want three City Council seats. If you haven't looked at the field yet, now's the time.

See you around town.

Ken, the editor

🏡 THIS WEEKEND IN BANGOR

Friday, October 16

  • Deathtrap 🎭 Time: 7:00 PM Venue: Columbia Street Baptist Church, 63 Columbia St. Closing weekend for Bangor Community Theatre's twisty comic thriller. A washed-up playwright gets a sure-fire script from a former student and jokes about killing for it. Last shows Saturday at 2 and 7. Tickets are $15. Mature themes.

  • My Day to Play: Spooky but Sweet Halloween Time: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM Venue: Maine Discovery Museum, 74 Main St. A quiet, sensory-friendly Halloween night for kids with disabilities, neurodivergent kids, and anyone who does better without the crowds. The museum closes to the general public for it.

Saturday, October 17

  • Maine Witch Walk and Goblin Market 💫 Time: 12:00 PM - 4:00 PM Venue: Bangor Waterfront, Front St. Grab your hat and broom. The market opens at noon, dance practice starts at 1, the walk leaves the compass rose at 1:45, and the big witch dance hits the green at 2:45. All ages, and you don't need to be a real witch.

  • Trick or Treat Trail 🐦 Time: 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM Venue: Walden-Parke Preserve Put the kids in costume and walk the woods. The trail mixes candy with hands-on science stations about the planet, put on with the Bangor Land Trust.

  • Stories from Maine Cemeteries: Lives Cut Short Time: 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM Venue: Bangor Public Library, 145 Harlow St. A snapped flower bud. A broken branch. A cracked column. On 1800s Maine gravestones, those carvings meant someone died too young. Cemetery historian Ron Romano reads the stones and tells the stories, from lightning strikes to shipwrecks to one sensational murder. He'll sign his new book after.

  • Halcyon & Friends: The Future is Here 🎤 Time: 4:30 PM - 7:00 PM Venue: All Souls Congregational Church, 10 Broadway Maine's Halcyon String Quartet plays Dohnányi's rousing first Piano Quintet with pianist Marlene McCarthy. Then singer Alisa Amador, an NPR Tiny Desk Contest winner, joins them for a show that mixes live music, film, and stop-motion animation about Mainers building stronger communities.

  • Halloween Burlesque 💫 Time: 8:00 PM - 11:00 PM Venue: The House of Entertainment A spooky, cheeky night of burlesque for grown-ups. $15 presale, $20 at the door. Bring small bills for tips.

Sunday, October 18

  • Pumpkins in the Park Time: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM Venue: Anah Shrine, 1404 Broadway Year 24 of UCP of Maine's indoor Halloween carnival. Walk Pumpkin Lane for trick-or-treat booths, then brave Spooky Alley with its blacklights, fog, and music. A sensory-friendly hour runs with the lights up and the sound down. Every dollar supports children and adults with disabilities.

  • Pumpkin Carving at The Emporium 🎨 Time: 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM Venue: The Emporium Spooky Goods and More Carve a jack-o'-lantern in the shop's Purple Room. $18 plus tax gets you set up.

  • Ghostly Bangor Walking Tour 🎭 Time: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Venue: Thomas A. Hill House, 159 Union St. A 90-minute walk through Bangor's murders, mysteries, and maybe a few ghosts. $12. You must buy ahead, tours cap at 25, and they sell out. More tours Tuesday and Thursday.

Know who you're voting for. Twelve people are running for three seats on the Bangor City Council. The Bangor Daily News says it's the biggest field in at least 40 years.

That's a lot of names, and slogans start to blur together. So here's a tip. The BDN asked all 12 candidates how they would have voted on seven real council decisions from the past year, including the data center pause, new firefighter jobs, and the Yellen Pines housing tax deal. Their answers sit side by side in one chart. See how they'd have voted.

Then read our free guide for the full rundown on every candidate. No paywall, no spin.

Read the Queen City Weekly 2026 Voter Guide

School Committee: Three candidates are running for Bangor School Committee, and all three are unopposed. Meet them here.

Dates to know: Now through October 29: Vote early, in person, at City Hall. October 29: Last day to vote early or request an absentee ballot. November 3: Election Day. Polls open 7 AM to 8 PM at the Cross Insurance Center, 515 Main St.

Not registered yet? You still can. Go to City Hall in person with your ID and proof of address, or register at the polls on Election Day.

Questions? Call the City Clerk & Treasury Office at 207-992-4220.

Queen City Weekly Event Listing

Friday, October 16 – Thursday, October 22, 2026

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16

  • Tech Tutoring Time: 10:00 AM-12:00 PM | Venue: Bangor Public Library, Computer Lab Stuck on email, a website, or that pop-up that won't quit? Book a free one-on-one session with the library's digital media librarian.

  • Pole Conditioning with Sam 💪 Time: 10:00 AM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B A morning strength session built around the pole. Your core will feel it tomorrow.

  • Migrating Maine's Natural World Into Fiction (and Anything We Write) Time: 10:30 AM-12:00 PM | Venue: Bangor Public Library, Crofutt Community Room A writing talk on using Maine's woods, water, and wildlife to drive a story. Bring a notebook.

  • Tai Chi Time: 12:00 PM-1:00 PM | Venue: Spiral Studio, 16 State St., 4th Floor A slow, mindful midday reset. No experience needed.

  • Inspiration from the Archive 🎨 Time: 2:00 PM-4:00 PM | Venue: Bangor Public Library, Crofutt Community Room Note the new day and time. Dig into the library's archive and see what sparks an idea.

  • My Day to Play: Spooky but Sweet Halloween Time: 4:00 PM-6:00 PM | Venue: Maine Discovery Museum, 74 Main St. A quiet, sensory-friendly Halloween night for kids with disabilities and neurodivergent kids. The museum closes to the general public so everyone can play at their own pace.

  • Benjamin's Upstairs Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting 🍺 Time: 4:00 PM-9:00 PM | Venue: Benjamin's Restaurant and Pub Benjamin's has opened a brand new upstairs dining room and bar. Go grab a seat and see the new space.

  • Nervous System Reset: Sound Healing for Stress Relief Time: 6:00 PM-9:00 PM | Venue: Thriving Proof, 33 Penn Plz Lie back and let sound do the work. $40, only 12 spots, scholarship spots available.

  • Beginner Pole with Hailey 💫 Time: 6:30 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B Never touched a pole? Perfect. This one starts at square one.

  • Deathtrap 🎭 Time: 7:00 PM | Venue: Columbia Street Baptist Church, 63 Columbia St. Bangor Community Theatre's take on Ira Levin's twisty comic thriller about a desperate playwright and a script worth killing for. Final weekend, $15, mature themes.

  • Ghostly Bangor Walking Tour Time: 7:00 PM-8:30 PM | Venue: Downtown Bangor (Bangor Historical Society) Unsolved mysteries, old murders, and a few lingering spirits. $12, advance tickets required, and tours cap at 25.

  • Time Time: 7:00 PM-8:00 PM | Venue: Versant Power Astronomy Center, 167 Rangeley Rd., Orono A planetarium show under the dome. Lean back and look up.

  • Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom 🎭 Time: 7:30 PM-9:30 PM | Venue: Hauck Auditorium, UMaine, Orono A creepy dark comedy about a suburb hooked on a zombie video game that looks a little too much like home. $15.

  • Lyra Tips and Tricks 💫 Time: 7:30 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B New moves on the aerial hoop, one trick at a time.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17

  • FOLKS Trail Days 🐦 Time: 8:00 AM-9:30 AM | Venue: Kenduskeag Stream Trail (meet behind Penquis on Harlow St.) Friends of Lower Kenduskeag Stream need hands to pick up litter and tidy the trail. Ninety minutes and a good deed before breakfast.

  • Vinyasa Breath Time: 8:00 AM-9:30 AM | Venue: Spiral Studio, 16 State St., 4th Floor Flowing yoga paired with deeper breathwork. Best if you already know the basic poses.

  • Bangor's European Market Time: 8:30 AM-12:30 PM | Venue: Bangor's European Market Meats, seafood, produce, fresh bread, and gifts from near and far, hosted by Ingrid's German Gift Shop.

  • Saturday Story Stop Time: 11:00 AM-11:30 AM | Venue: Bangor Public Library, Story Room Books, songs, and games for ages 3 to 6. Great prep for kindergarten.

  • Maine Witch Walk and Goblin Market 2026 💫 Time: 12:00 PM-4:00 PM | Venue: Bangor Waterfront Hundreds of witches on the march. Market opens at noon, the walk starts at 1:45, and the big witch dance hits at 2:45. RSVP at mainewitchwalk.com.

  • Trick or Treat Trail 🐦 Time: 12:00 PM-2:00 PM | Venue: Walden-Parke Preserve, 320 Tamarack Trail Maine Discovery Museum and the Bangor Land Trust bring costumes, candy, and hands-on science stations to the woods.

  • An Afternoon with Lois Lowry Time: 1:00 PM-3:00 PM | Venue: Books-A-Million, 490 Stillwater Ave. The Giver author talks about her new novel, Building 903, then signs. Every ticket comes with a personalized signed copy.

  • Boo Bash: Trunk or Treat Time: 1:00 PM-3:00 PM | Venue: Watch Me Shine Inc., 28 Gilman Rd. Decorated trunks, lots of treats, and a parking lot full of tiny superheroes and witches.

  • Stories from Maine Cemeteries: Lives Cut Short Time: 2:00 PM-3:30 PM | Venue: Bangor Public Library, Minsky Lecture Hall Ron Romano decodes 1800s gravestones and the untimely deaths behind them, from lightning strikes to a sensational murder.

  • Deathtrap 🎭 Time: 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM | Venue: Columbia Street Baptist Church, 63 Columbia St. Last two chances to catch Bangor Community Theatre's thriller. $15.

  • Live Harness Racing Time: 3:00 PM post time | Venue: Hollywood Casino Raceway at Bass Park Pick a favorite and cheer it home. Get there early.

  • Halcyon & Friends: The Dohnányi Piano Quintet and The Future Is Here 🎤 Time: 4:30 PM-7:00 PM | Venue: All Souls Congregational Church, 10 Broadway Chamber music, film, and storytelling. Pianist Marlene McCarthy joins Halcyon for a soaring piano quintet.

  • Chase's Big Thirtieth Birthday Show 🎤 Time: Doors 7:00 PM, music 8:00 PM | Venue: Red Rabbit Bazaar, 54 Columbia St. Four local bands throw a party for Red Rabbit's favorite doorman. All ages, $10 at the door.

  • Comedy Night at Hermon Mountain Time: 7:00 PM-9:00 PM | Venue: Hermon Mountain Ski Area, 441 Newburgh Rd., Hermon Ian Stuart of Welcome to Maine headlines with Jim Bishop and Crystal Bernard. Bring your own lawn chair.

  • Pathogenic, Leylines, Serling & Smothered Sun 🎤 Time: 7:00 PM | Venue: The Old Town Theatre, 261 Main St., Old Town Four heavy bands, one loud night in Old Town.

  • Ghostly Bangor Walking Tour Time: 7:00 PM-8:30 PM | Venue: Downtown Bangor (Bangor Historical Society) Another night of Queen City ghost stories. Book ahead, these sell out.

  • Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom 🎭 Time: 7:30 PM-9:30 PM | Venue: Hauck Auditorium, UMaine, Orono Suburban zombie horror on stage, just in time for Halloween. $15.

  • Halloween Burlesque 💫 Time: 8:00 PM-11:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B Spooky, sexy, and a little wicked from The House of Entertainment. $15 presale, $20 at the door, tips encouraged.

  • Riff Johnson at Hollywood Casino 🎤 Time: 8:00 PM-11:00 PM | Venue: Sound Stage Lounge, Hollywood Casino Bangor's own one-man band brings acoustic rock and pop with plenty of crowd play.

  • Cursed Cabaret: A Halloween Drag Show 💫 Time: 8:30 PM-10:30 PM (doors 8:00 PM) | Venue: Bangor Beer Co., 330 Bangor Mall Blvd. Carmilla Velour hosts spooky lip syncs, comedy, trivia, and a costume contest. 18+.

  • Dance Party with DJ Rob Minto 🎤 Time: 9:00 PM-1:00 AM | Venue: Penobscot Pour House, 14 Larkin St. Grab your friends and claim the dance floor. Saturday night chaos guaranteed.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18

  • Sunday All-Levels Vinyasa Yoga Time: 9:00 AM-10:00 AM | Venue: Wellness Works of Maine, 9 Central St. A welcoming flow for every level. $18 drop-in, or $40 for three classes if you're new.

  • A Spooky Pop-Up Market Time: 10:00 AM-4:00 PM | Venue: Sawyer's Shave Ice, 173 Park St., Suite C Vintage clothes, handmade pottery, and permanent jewelry. Free entry, all ages.

  • Slow Flow Yoga Time: 10:30 AM-12:00 PM | Venue: Spiral Studio, 16 State St., 4th Floor Gentle, mindful movement. Beginners always welcome.

  • Fly Pole 💫 Time: 11:00 AM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B Pole meets aerial. Get ready to leave the ground.

  • Beginner Pole 💫 Time: 11:00 AM-12:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B A friendly first step onto the pole.

  • Live Harness Racing Time: 11:45 AM post time | Venue: Hollywood Casino Raceway at Bass Park A Sunday afternoon at the track.

  • Theater 🎭 Time: 12:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B Performance and stage skills at the studio.

  • Intro to Pole 💫 Time: 12:00 PM-1:00 PM and 1:00 PM-2:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B Two chances today to try pole for the first time.

  • Pumpkins in the Park: UCP of Maine's 24th Annual Halloween Event Time: 12:00 PM-5:00 PM | Venue: Anah Shrine, 1404 Broadway An indoor Halloween carnival with Pumpkin Lane, trick-or-treat booths, and a glowing blacklight Spooky Alley. Rain or shine, since it's all inside.

  • Lyra Hoop 💫 Time: 1:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B Spin, climb, and pose on the aerial hoop.

  • Intro to Intermediate Pole 💫 Time: 2:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B Ready for the next level? This is the bridge.

  • Circus Troupe Training 💫 Time: 2:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B Group training for the studio's circus performers.

  • 3-2-1 Liftoff Time: 2:00 PM-3:00 PM | Venue: Versant Power Astronomy Center, 167 Rangeley Rd., Orono A planetarium show about rockets and blasting off. A good one for the kids.

  • Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom 🎭 Time: 2:00 PM-4:00 PM | Venue: Hauck Auditorium, UMaine, Orono Closing matinee for UMaine's spooky dark comedy. $15.

  • Sunday Community Jam 🎤 Time: 2:00 PM-5:00 PM | Venue: 2 Feet Brewing Bring an instrument, pull up a chair, and play. Craft beer and Nit-Noi's pub fare on hand.

  • Masterworks I: Force of Nature 🎤 Time: 3:00 PM | Venue: Collins Center for the Arts, Orono The Bangor Symphony opens its 131st season with Grammy-winning cellist Zuill Bailey. Big sound for a fall Sunday.

  • Circus Fitness: Aerials, Tumbling & More 💫 Time: 3:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B A full-body workout that feels like running away with the circus.

  • Pumpkin Carving at The Emporium Time: 3:00 PM-5:00 PM | Venue: The Emporium Spooky Goods and More Carve a jack-o'-lantern in the Purple Room. $18 plus tax gets you the pumpkin and the tools.

  • Styx: Mission to Mars Time: 4:00 PM-5:00 PM | Venue: Versant Power Astronomy Center, 167 Rangeley Rd., Orono A trip to the red planet, projected right over your head.

  • Sunday Restorative Flow Yoga Time: 4:00 PM-5:00 PM | Venue: Wellness Works of Maine, 9 Central St. Gentle stretches, slow flow, and soft restorative shapes to close out the weekend. Donation-based, $10 to $20 suggested.

  • Vinyasa I Time: 5:45 PM-6:45 PM | Venue: Spiral Studio, 16 State St., 4th Floor Foundational flow at an easy pace. Beginners welcome.

  • Ghostly Bangor Walking Tour Time: 7:00 PM-8:30 PM | Venue: Downtown Bangor (Bangor Historical Society) Ninety minutes of downtown's darker side. $12, advance tickets only.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 19

  • Whatever Moves You (Free Form Dance) 💫 Time: 9:00 AM-10:00 AM | Venue: Spiral Studio, 16 State St., 4th Floor No steps to learn. Climb four flights, then dance however you like to an eclectic playlist.

  • Learn About Rug Braiding 🎨 Time: 10:00 AM-12:00 PM | Venue: Bangor Public Library, Crofutt Community Room Local rug braiders show you the craft, the gear, and how hard it really is (spoiler: not very).

  • Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead Time: 11:00 AM-11:45 AM and 4:00 PM-4:45 PM | Venue: Bangor Public Library, Story Room Science-themed story time for grades 1 to 4. Register by calling 947-8336 ext. 111.

  • Vinyasa I Time: 5:45 PM-6:45 PM | Venue: Spiral Studio, 16 State St., 4th Floor Build strength and balance at an approachable pace.

  • Beginner Pole Dancing 💫 Time: 6:00 PM-7:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B Start your week with something new.

  • Beginner Lyra and Aerial Silks 💫 Time: 6:00 PM-7:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B Your first hour in the air, on hoop and silks.

  • Tutor Training with Literacy Volunteers of Bangor Time: 6:00 PM-8:00 PM | Venue: Eastern Maine Community College (room TBA) Help a neighbor learn to read or speak English. This intro session kicks off a four-week certification, $35 for materials.

  • BSO Chamber Music Series at the Gracie with Zuill Bailey 🎤 Time: 6:30 PM-8:00 PM | Venue: Gracie Theatre, Husson University A close-up night with the same Grammy-winning cellist who opens the symphony season Sunday. Chamber music at its most intimate.

  • Intro to Pole Dancing 💫 Time: 7:00 PM-8:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B The basics, taught by people who love this stuff.

  • Kickboxing & Martial Arts 🥋 Time: 7:00 PM-8:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B Punch out the Monday stress.

  • Empower Flow: Core Strength Through Movement 💪 Time: 7:00 PM-8:00 PM | Venue: Spiral Studio, 16 State St., 4th Floor Yoga, Pilates, and dance mixed into a low-impact core workout.

  • In Conversation: Debut Author Kevin Johnson with Justin Soderberg Time: 7:00 PM-8:30 PM | Venue: BookSpace, 48 Columbia St. Hosted by The Briar Patch. Horror fans, this one's for you. A talk on holiday horror, classic tales, and writing a first novel.

  • Chimera Coffee Trivia 🍺 Time: 7:00 PM-8:30 PM | Venue: Chimera Coffee Trivia with Sir_Quizzalot, plus beer, wine, and espresso.

  • Monday Karaoke at Paddy Murphy's 🎤 Time: 9:00 PM | Venue: Paddy Murphy's Grab the mic and join the rumpus.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20

  • Ladies Breakfast with Glad Tidings Time: 9:00 AM-10:30 AM | Venue: Husson Dining Center, 1 College Cir. A full breakfast for $8 and good company. All women welcome.

  • Bouncing Baby Story Time Time: 10:15 AM-10:35 AM | Venue: Bangor Public Library, Story Room Songs, rhymes, and bounces for babies up to 24 months.

  • Tiny Tots Storytime Time: 11:00 AM-11:30 AM | Venue: Bangor Public Library, Story Room Stories and finger plays for ages 2 to 4 with a grown-up.

  • Financial Fraud: Protecting Your Money, Identity, and Financial Well-Being Time: 2:00 PM-3:00 PM | Venue: Bangor Public Library, Crofutt Community Room A Bangor Savings Bank fraud analyst walks through today's common scams and what to do if you get hit.

  • Tech Club Time: 3:30 PM-4:15 PM | Venue: Bangor Public Library, Story Room Kids in grades 3 to 5 build their own video games. Limited to 15, call 947-8336 ext. 111 to register.

  • Teen Craft and Chat 🎨 Time: 4:00 PM-5:00 PM | Venue: Bangor Public Library, Teen Lounge Crafts and hangout time for grades 6 to 12. Bring your own project if you like.

  • Songwriters' Open Mic 🎤 Time: 5:00 PM-8:00 PM | Venue: 2 Feet Brewing Fifteen minutes each to share your own songs.

  • Restorative/Yin Yoga Time: 5:45 PM-6:45 PM | Venue: Spiral Studio, 16 State St., 4th Floor Long holds, props, and deep rest.

  • Poetry and the Creative Process with Stuart Kestenbaum 🎨 Time: 6:00 PM-7:00 PM | Venue: Bangor Public Library, Minsky Lecture Hall The former Maine poet laureate speaks to the Bangor Art Society. Free and open to the public.

  • Tuesday Live Irish Sessions & Open Mic 🎤 Time: Irish jam 6:00 PM-8:00 PM, open mic 9:00 PM | Venue: Paddy Murphy's Fiddles early, open mic late.

  • Beginner Pole 💫 Time: 6:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B A Tuesday night intro for first-timers.

  • Pole Conditioning 💪 Time: 7:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B Strength work to power up your pole game.

  • Movie Night Hang Out: Trick 'r Treat (2007) Time: 7:00 PM-10:00 PM (shop opens 6:30 PM) | Venue: The Emporium Spooky Goods and More A cult Halloween classic in the Purple Room. Small fee to join.

  • Ghostly Bangor Walking Tour Time: 7:00 PM-8:30 PM | Venue: Downtown Bangor (Bangor Historical Society) A weeknight ghost walk. $12, advance tickets required.

  • Visiting Artist Lecture: Julie Poitras Santos 🎨 Time: 7:00 PM-8:00 PM | Venue: IMRC Center, Stewart Hall, UMaine, Orono A Maine artist and writer performs in the black box space, then talks about the work.

  • Embody Flow 💫 Time: 7:00 PM-8:15 PM | Venue: Spiral Studio, 16 State St., 4th Floor Music-led, free-feeling movement drawn from dance, yoga, and qigong.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21

  • Scribble Sessions Time: 8:30 AM-10:00 AM | Venue: 40 Johnson St. Local business owners trade screens for whiteboards, solve each other's problems, and eat free donuts.

  • Slow Flow Yoga Time: 8:30 AM-9:30 AM | Venue: Spiral Studio, 16 State St., 4th Floor An easy start to the middle of the week.

  • Bouncing Baby Story Time Time: 10:15 AM-10:35 AM | Venue: Bangor Public Library, Story Room Twenty minutes of bounces and songs for the littlest readers.

  • Tiny Tots Storytime Time: 11:00 AM-11:30 AM | Venue: Bangor Public Library, Story Room Stories and games for ages 2 to 4.

  • Tech Tutoring Time: 2:00 PM-5:00 PM | Venue: Bangor Public Library, Computer Lab Free one-on-one tech help, in person, by phone, or on Zoom.

  • Live Harness Racing Time: 2:30 PM post time | Venue: Hollywood Casino Raceway at Bass Park A midweek afternoon at the track.

  • Teen Dungeons and Dragons Club Time: 4:00 PM-5:00 PM | Venue: Bangor Public Library, Teen Study Room A New adventurers welcome. Grades 6 to 12.

  • Stitch 'N B*tch Time: 4:00 PM-6:00 PM | Venue: Red Rabbit Bazaar Learn to sew and mend with good company.

  • Beginner Pole Dance 💫 Time: 4:00 PM-5:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B An after-work-or-school intro.

  • Mahjong Meet Up Time: 5:30 PM-9:00 PM | Venue: DREAM, 98 Central St. Tiles, snacks, and new friends with Central Maine Mahj. $10 tickets required.

  • Intermediate Pole Dance 💫 Time: 5:30 PM-6:30 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B For dancers ready to add new tricks.

  • Vinyasa II Time: 5:45 PM-6:45 PM | Venue: Spiral Studio, 16 State St., 4th Floor A faster flow with arm balances and inversions. Some experience recommended.

  • Queen City/Creative Arts Center Chess Club ♟️ Time: 6:00 PM-8:00 PM | Venue: Creative Arts Center, 54 Wilson St, Brewer, ME Open to all skill levels, every Wednesday night. Pull up a chair and make your move.

  • Beginner Burlesque 💫 Time: 7:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B Find your confidence, one shimmy at a time.

  • Kickboxing & Martial Arts Fitness 🥋 Time: 7:00 PM-8:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B A midweek sweat with real martial arts moves.

  • Out of This Warren Sci-Fi Book Club: Radiant Star Time: 7:30 PM-8:30 PM | Venue: BookSpace, 48 Columbia St. The Briar Patch's sci-fi club. Guest moderator Aislinn Sarnacki leads the talk on Ann Leckie's new space opera.

  • Lyra Tips and Tricks 💫 Time: 8:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B Late-night hoop skills for aerialists.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22

  • Next Chapter Book Club Time: 2:00 PM-3:00 PM | Venue: Bangor Public Library, Minsky Lecture Hall A welcoming book club for teens and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

  • Friends of the Bangor Public Library Book Sale (Members Only) Time: 4:00 PM-7:00 PM | Venue: Bangor Public Library, Crofutt Community Room and Atrium First pick of the fall book sale. Not a member? Join at the door for $10. Most books are a buck or less.

  • Vinyasa I Time: 5:45 PM-6:45 PM | Venue: Spiral Studio, 16 State St., 4th Floor Foundational flow. Beginners welcome.

  • Beginner Pole Flow 💫 Time: 6:00 PM-7:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B Link simple moves into a smooth routine.

  • Bangor Pub Run 🏃 Time: 6:30 PM-8:00 PM | Venue: Meet in front of Paddy Murphy's Run 3 to 5 miles, then grab a drink downtown. Walk breaks are totally fine.

  • Pole Clinic 💪 Time: 7:00 PM-8:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St., Suite B Bring the move that's been giving you trouble and work it out.

  • Broomstick 🎭 Time: 7:00 PM-8:30 PM | Venue: Penobscot Theatre Company, 131 Main St. A witch invites you into her cottage to hear her life story, love and powers and all. A perfect October night at the theatre.

  • Gravity and Other Myths 💫 Time: 7:00 PM | Venue: Collins Center for the Arts, Orono Eight world-class Australian acrobats flip, fly, and stack in a show about the hours behind the magic.

  • Ghostly Bangor Walking Tour Time: 7:00 PM-8:30 PM | Venue: Downtown Bangor (Bangor Historical Society) One more chance this week to meet the Queen City's ghosts. $12, book ahead.

  • Trivia Night at Nocturnem Draft Haus 🍺 Time: 7:00 PM-9:30 PM | Venue: Nocturnem Draft Haus Weekly prizes and a great tap list.

  • Karaoke at Penobscot Pour House 🎤 Time: 8:00 PM-11:55 PM | Venue: Penobscot Pour House DJ Mad Kat runs the mic. Pick your song.

CITY HALL & PUBLIC MEETINGS October 16-22, 2026 | All meetings open to the public Agendas posted the Friday before at bangormaine.gov/AgendaCenter. Times subject to change.

No regular City Council meeting this week. Council meets the 2nd and 4th Mondays, so the next one is Monday, October 26. Council meetings are livestreamed at youtube.com/@cityofbangor.

From the Editor

October in Bangor is a storytelling month, and this week the whole city seems to be leaning in to listen.

Walk downtown after dark and a guide will tell you who’s still haunting the old buildings. Sit in the library and learn what an 1800s gravestone was trying to say. Pull up a chair at Penobscot Theatre while a witch tells you about her first love. Ask Lois Lowry your questions on Saturday, then watch a playwright plot a murder over on Columbia Street.

And if you’ve got a couple of hours a week, Literacy Volunteers of Bangor is looking for tutors. Somewhere in this city is a neighbor who wants to read a bedtime story out loud for the first time. You could be the reason they do.

Grab a costume, grab a friend, and go hear something new. We’ll see you out there.

the editor

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Location - Bangor Waterfront

Ca C'est Bon Cajun Food Truck

Wild Cow Creamery

Salt & Cedar Kitchen

The Thai Lotus

Location - The Furniture Gallery

  • Friday, October 16 - Thai Lotus, Del’s Lemonade

  • Saturday, October 17 - Food Truck Extravaganza 4.0

  • Monday, October 19- Rizza’s Kitchen

  • Tuesday, October 20 - Mainely Taco

  • Wednesday, October 21 - Brick & Embers

  • Thursday, October 22 - Mainely Taco

Contact us to include your food truck and location.

The Inheritance You Leave Your Kids? Surprisingly Public

What you leave your kids and grandkids doesn't stay private.

What you had. Who received it. Filed with a court, open to anyone who looks.

But there's one asset that stays off it. No bank, no brokerage, nobody to notify.

And the best part? You can buy it inside your retirement account, tax-deferred and penalty-free.

See what it is:

Read the Full Story

Benjamin's Restaurant & Pub 123 Franklin St.

Look up next time you walk down Franklin Street. That's Ben Franklin himself on the plaque out front, and he's been keeping watch over this corner a long time.

The building started as the first home of the Bangor Tire Company. In 1973, John Parcak bought it, gutted it in one wild summer, and opened Benjamin's on Franklin over Labor Day weekend. The name came easy. Ben Franklin, Franklin Street. Done.

Since then, Benjamin's has been a lot of things to a lot of people. A basement bar. A nightclub. A pub that closed and came back more than once. A few years ago, owners Richard and Mandy Clark restored the first floor to the way it looked in 1973, and the place has been a steady downtown hangout since.

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Now it's going up. Benjamin's opens a brand new upstairs dining room and bar this Friday. More tables, more room, and a second bar for when the first one's packed.

The move this week: Swing by Friday between 4 and 9 PM for the grand opening and ribbon cutting. There's free merch, and you get to be one of the first to grab a seat upstairs.

Matt Bishop Curator and Operations Manager, Bangor Historical Society

Every October, a small group gathers at a big Greek Revival house on Union Street just as it gets dark. Matt Bishop meets them at the door and starts with the house itself.

Some people say it's still occupied.

Bishop runs the Bangor Historical Society's collection and its day-to-day work, and he leads the Ghostly Bangor Walking Tours that have become a fall tradition in the Queen City. He calls them a "rite of passage for fall." The route covers about a mile downtown. Along the way you hear about Bangor's first reported murder, back in 1791. You hear about a little ghost child said to slip through crowds at the Bangor Opera House. And you stand on Central Street, where the FBI and local police took down the Brady Gang.

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What makes the tours work is that Bishop doesn't oversell the spooky stuff. He tells you the legend, then he tells you what actually happened. You leave knowing more about the city than when you showed up.

The rest of the year, he's the one who looks after more than 40,000 objects. Civil War swords. Old bank printing plates. Letters from Joshua Chamberlain. And yes, a slice of wedding cake from the 1930s that he once described as surprisingly well preserved.

The society he works for is old, too. It was founded in 1864, which makes it the second-oldest historical society in Maine. Its home, the Thomas A. Hill House, dates to 1835 and was designed by architect Richard Upjohn.

If you've lived here your whole life and never taken one of his tours, this is the year.

Say hi: Ghostly Bangor Walking Tour, Sunday at 7 PM, Thomas A. Hill House, 159 Union St. $12. Buy tickets ahead.

200 more kids now have a place to go

Ask any young parent in Bangor what keeps them up at night, and childcare is near the top of the list.

So here's some good news. Penquis just opened Bright Beginnings Child Development Center at 16 Hillside Ave., near the Broadway Hannaford. It has 16 classrooms and is licensed for up to 208 kids, from infants as young as six weeks to preschoolers.

The center pulls three of Penquis's older programs under one roof. Each classroom has its own bathroom and its own door to an outdoor play space. There's a full kitchen where staff cook fresh food every day. And it was built on a bus line on purpose, so families without a car can still get there.

It offers free Head Start for families who qualify, plus full-day care from 7 AM to 5:30 PM.

Bangor was one of only three places in the country to win federal money for a new Head Start building. The city added $1.5 million. Penquis raised nearly $1 million more from local people, businesses, and foundations.

The demand is real. More than 100 kids are already enrolled, and there's a waitlist. "This building demonstrates what can happen when a community comes together around children and families," Penquis CEO Kara Hay said.

Learn more or apply: penquis.org

Presented by: Foam Rush Maine

Want to see your ad here? Reach out.

The FBI and local police took down the Brady Gang on Central Street in downtown Bangor. The gang was led by Al Brady, then named Public Enemy No. 1. What year did it happen?

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  • A world-class cellist at the Gracie. Grammy winner Zuill Bailey joins the Bangor Symphony Orchestra's chamber ensemble to open its Chamber Music Series. Monday, October 19, at 6:30 PM at the Gracie Theatre. Details here.

  • Don't get scammed. Lindsay Morales, a senior fraud analyst at Bangor Savings Bank, walks through today's most common scams, the red flags, and what to do if you've been hit. Tuesday, October 20, at 2 PM. Details here.

  • Poetry night at the library. Poet Stuart Kestenbaum talks about poetry and the creative process for the Bangor Art Society. Free and open to all. Tuesday, October 20, 6 to 7 PM, Minsky Lecture Hall, Bangor Public Library. Details here.

  • Books for a buck. The Friends of the Bangor Public Library Fall Book Sale opens Thursday, October 22, from 4 to 7 PM for members. Not a member? Join at the door for $10. Most books are $1 or less, and every sale helps the library. It opens to everyone Friday. Details here.

  • A warmer winter, maybe. The City Council is weighing whether to fund another emergency warming center this winter. Read more.

This week's photo by Ken D'Errico.

Got a great shot of greater Bangor? Submit it for a chance to be featured in Queen City Weekly. Submit your photo here.


Food Resources

If you or someone you know needs a meal or groceries, here are some places operating in Bangor right now. Call ahead to confirm hours before you go.

Salvation Army Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen, 65 South Park St. Meals Monday through Friday, 11:30am to 1pm. Food pantry Wednesdays and Fridays, 9 to 11am (walk-in). 207-535-9572.

Manna Ministry, 95 Center St. Hot meals Monday through Friday, 4 to 5pm. Food pantry Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 3 to 4pm.

Brick Church, 126 Union St. Meals Monday through Friday, 4:30 to 5:30pm. Clothes and showers also available Tuesday and Thursday, 10am to 2pm.

Bangor Area Homeless Shelter, 263 Main St. Soup kitchen daily at 11:45am. Food pantry Sunday and Tuesday, 1 to 4pm (one visit per month).

Bangor Food Pantry, 28 High St. (at Hammond Street Congregational Church). Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30am to noon. Bangor residents only.

Bangor Region YMCA, 17 Second St. Food pantry Tuesdays 6 to 8am, Thursdays 6 to 7:30pm, Saturdays 12:30 to 2:30pm.

Have an announcement, job posting, event, or local news tip for Queen City Weekly? Reply to this email or reach us at [email protected].

Got a great shot of greater Bangor? Submit it for a chance to be featured right here. Submit your photo here.

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Queen City Weekly publishes every Friday morning. Forward this to someone who loves Bangor.

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Have an amazing week, and see you next Friday. — Ken, Editor

Queen City Weekly | Greater Bangor, Maine

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