21-04-2025
This week's best bets: Sea Dogs and real dogs, 'Sleeping Beauty' and singer Mary Fahl
Apr. 21—Maine Wildlife Park
Gates 9:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. daily (visitors can stay until 6 p.m.). Maine Wildlife Park, 56 Game Farm Road, Gray, $11, $8 seniors and kids 3-12, $6.50 veterans/military.
Maine Wildlife Park opened for the season last week. The animals are ready to frolic, romp and live their best lives. Beat the summer rush and spend a few hours seeing more than 30 species of Maine wildlife that have found a home at the sanctuary after injury, illegal captivity or other reasons that make life in their natural habitats not possible. Walking around the park's many acres is an educational experience. You'll encounter owls, otters, moose, bears, bobcats, cougars and several other birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians.
Bark in the Park
1 p.m. Saturday. Hadlock Field, 271 Park Ave., Portland, $17. $8 dogs.
There will be a whole lot going on when the Portland Sea Dogs face the Reading Fightin Phils for an afternoon ballgame. The first 150 fans to enter Hadlock Field will be given a Fraser fir seedling to plant, courtesy of O'Donal's Nursery. Also, all fans are encouraged to wear Kentucky Derby hats and outfits in honor of the historic horse race happening a week later. Best of all, it's Bark in the Park day. Three hundred tickets will be sold to humans who will be able to bring their dogs to the game in a special seating section. Be sure to get there early for the pregame doggie parade around the warming track.
EqualityMaine 40th Anniversary Gala
6-10 p.m. Saturday. Brick South at Thompson's Point, Portland, $50-$250.
EqualityMaine is throwing a huge party to celebrate its 40th anniversary. The nonprofit is Maine's largest and oldest organization dedicated to creating a fair and just society for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Mainers. The bash features performances by Grammy-nominated singer and songwriter Cidny Bullens, "American Idol" contestant Julia Gagnon and the Maine Gay Men's Chorus. DJ Disco Dungeon will be spinning tunes and food is provided by Black Tie catering, with Brick South's signature cocktails. Tommy Waltz will host the night, and all proceeds benefit EqualityMaine.
'The Sleeping Beauty'
7 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday. Westbrook Performing Arts Center, 471 Stroudwater St., Portland, $35.
Portland Ballet closes out its 44th season with its twist on "The Sleeping Beauty." You'll be transfixed as the Lilac Fairy saves Princess Aurora and her kingdom from the sinister Caraboose. Over the course of two acts, the dancers will delight, dazzle and enchant audiences of all ages. The performance's choreography is based on that of Marius Pepita, who first staged it in the late 1800s.
Mary Fahl
8 p.m. Saturday. One Longfellow Square, 181 State St., Portland, $35 in advance, $45 at the door.
Singer Mary Fahl's first claim to fame was as the lead singer and co-founder of the '90s chamber pop act October Project. Since then, Fahl has released several albums as a solo artist. Her work includes the original song "Going Home," which was used as the theme for the Civil War film "Gods and Generals." Fahl's extraordinary vocals were also referenced in Anne Rice's novel "The Wolves of Midwinter." Rice later reached out to Fahl and asked her to write and record a song for the audio version of the book. Fahl's most recent release is "Can't Get It Out of My Head," with some of her favorite songs from the '60s and '70s from artists like The Rolling Stones, Neil Young and Pink Floyd.
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