Here’s your official start to June with a weekend packed with art openings, storytelling and a slavish dedication to America’s most beloved fat injector: the Donut.

Jam-packed Art Walk Openings

Friday, June 3—Rockland

Rockland’s First Friday art walk has so much going on, we’re going to break it up into three parts. New openings include Carver Hill Gallery’s show “FEMMetonymy” from 5-8 p.m. in which the artists use clothing as a vehicle to “challenge convention, tell a story, express an opinion and elicit an emotional response.” Jonathan Frost Gallery hosts an opening for “Leo Brooks and Jonathan Frost: Works on Paper” from 5-8 p.m. with Steve Lindsay accompanying with jazz piano. The Landing Gallery will hold an opening for two shows: “Postcards from Home” with new oil paintings by Sarah Faragher and “Passages: Time & the Sea” with ceramic boats by David Riley Peterson from 5-8 p.m. And CRAFT Gallery will open “In Bloom,” featuring watercolors by Susa Van Campen and rugs by Sara Hotchkiss. Finally, art hounds, don’t forget, you can check out the new Art Loft in the back of the Thorndike Building. There will be a table for people who want to “give art a try.”

Hole History Show

Friday, June 3—Rockland

Rockland artists have been working for months to elevate and celebrate Maine’s ties to the Donut Hole in a two-venue art opening happening at Asymmetrick Arts (405 Main Street) and Win Wilder Hall (328 Main Street) titled “Hole History: Origins of the American-Style Donut.” Curated by artist Alexis Iammarino, this show features more than 60 contributions from artists, writers, videographers and culinary historians and continues until June 25. The reception kicks off 5-8 p.m at both places with of course, coffee and donuts to celebrate National Donut Day. Look for more of the background story in our forthcoming summer issue of The WAVE.

Free roof deck and hotel art tour

Friday, June 3—Rockland

250 Main, Rockland’s newest boutique hotel is finally completed and this might be the closest locals will get to seeing what went into its architecture, design and thought process with a grand opening starting at 4:30 p.m. followed by a complimentary wine and beer reception and room tours of the five-story building. The jewels of this unique hotel include room 405 with an attached balcony and the roof deck with stunning views of Rockland’s harbor. Check out our latest Cheap Dates story on it.

National Doughnut Day & National Trails Day

Friday, June 3 and Saturday, June 4—Midcoast

If you want six-pack abs AND you want donuts, you are not alone. (And you know what’s going to win out anyway.) Local donut havens such as Willow Bake Shoppe in Rockland are celebrating National Donut Day. Lucky for your pathetic abs, tomorrow also happens to be National Trails Day. In Maine, there are several hikes planned and the closest one to the Midcoast is the Grand Opening of School Nature Trail in Tenants Harbor, meeting at the Jackson Memorial Library at 10 a.m. The public is invited to celebrate with refreshments and hike the path through woods.

Killer Road Trip: Moth Story Telling in Portland

Saturday, June 4—Portland

If you’ve ever listened to The Moth Radio Hour on NPR, likely you’ve heard a dang good yarn from an everyday storyteller who made you laugh, cry or think about it long after the story was done.  Each Moth Mainstage features simple, old-fashioned storytelling, by five wildly divergent raconteurs who develop and shape their stories with The
Moth’s directors. The hottest ticket this weekend is a live Moth storytelling event in Portland at the State Theatre. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the stories stat at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $30-$45, depending on seats.  FMI: MOTH Stories

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com