NEW ENGLAND AUTHOR - JESSICA SHATTUCK - MAY 17 @ 3:00 PM
2025-05-17 15:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York) | Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library @ 18 Maine St, Kennebunkport, ME 04046, USA, 18 Maine Street, Kennebunkport, ME, 04046, United States
As part of the Patsy Bray Mahoney Lecture Series, we are pleased to welcome Jessica Shattuck to the Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library on Saturday, May 17 at 3:00 pm. Ms. Shattuck will read from her latest book Last House (William Morrow, May 2024) and talk about the writing process.

Jessica Shattuck is The New York Times Bestselling author of the novels Last House (William Morrow, May 2024), The Women in the Castle (William Morrow 2017), a New York Times Bestseller, #1 Indie Next Pick, and winner of The New England Book Award; Perfect Life (W.W.Norton 2009) and The Hazards of Good Breeding (W.W.Norton 2003) which was a New York Times Notable Book, a Boston Globe Editor’s Choice Best Book of the Year, and a finalist for the 2003 PEN/Winship Award. Her fiction has appeared in The New Yorker, Guernica, Glamour, Open City, and The Tampa Review among other publications. Her other writing has appeared in The New York Times, LitHub, Electric Literature, Wired, The Believer Magazine, and The Boston Globe. She lives in Massachusetts with her husband and three children.
Refreshments will be provided by the Graves Library Snack Team. Copies of the book will be for sale and signing after the program. The Library is located at 18 Maine Street, Kennebunkport, Maine. Please call the Library (967-2778) with any questions. Additional parking available at Kennebunkport Consolidated School (Route 9) and Fire Department Parking Lot (North Street).
We hope you will join us for this very special afternoon.

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS - WEDNESDAY, MAY 21 @ 9:00 AM
2025-05-21 09:00 - 10:00
We invite you to join us for our “Community Connections” session. Library staff will be here to share Library resources. Light refreshments will be provided!
Following this event, each month will bring a new member of our Town’s government to share updates and essential information. For further details about Community Connections, please contact the Library at 207-967-2778. The Library is located at 18 Maine Street, Kennebunkport.

AUTHOR TALK WITH LOCAL AUTHOR ANDY YOUNG - MAY 21 @ 5:30 PM
2025-05-21 17:30 - 18:30
LIFE IN 600 WORDS BY ANDY YOUNG
Back by popular demand, our friend and author Andy Young will be here at Graves Library on Wednesday, May 21 @ 5:30 pm to read from his new collection of stories, Life in 600 Words.
Mr. Young is a familiar face at Kennebunk High School, where he is in his 24th year as a teacher of English and literacy. Before that, he worked as a play-by-play announcer for several minor-league professional baseball and hockey teams. Young has done everything from digging ditches and washing dishes to selling athletic footwear and Christmas trees (though not at the same time). He and his three children live in Cumberland.
Copies of Andy’s new book will be for sale and signing at the event. Please call the Library for further details 207-967-2778.
The Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library is located at 18 Maine Street, Kennebunkport, Maine.

WINE TASTING & ART RAFFLE ~ MAY 22 @ 5:00 PM
2025-05-22 17:00 - 19:00
Join us on Thursday, May 22 at 5:00 p.m. for a very special wine tasting and unveiling of the art for our raffle fundraiser.

Local wine experts Lani Dietz and Betsy Ross will guide us through the program with ideas, pairings, and educational tidbits of the selected wines from around the globe.

A suggested donation for this program is $30 pp. Please call the Library 207-967-2778 to register; space is limited for this event.
One hundred percent of the proceeds will benefit Graves Library.
You Won’t Want to Miss it!

The print for the raffle is by Gretchen Huber. Gretchen Huber Warren has been exhibiting her work in galleries nationwide for over four decades. She has sold over 950 original pieces to collectors and corporations. She has participated in a wide variety of nationally juried shows. She also licenses her images for reproduction as limited edition prints, calendars, cards, and puzzles. Locally, her work has been displayed at The Wright Gallery in Cape Porpoise since 1986.

Gretchen’s oil paintings showcase an illustrator’s storytelling ability combined with an artist’s eye for composition and beauty. Gretchen’s paintings are distinguished by vibrant colors, striking light effects, and clear lines, giving them immediacy and a sense of presence. She enjoys capturing interesting scenes, whether they are a bucket of flowers, frogs in a pond, or a vintage gas station.

DEATH CAFE - WEDNESDAY, MAY 28 @ 9:00 AM
2025-05-28 09:00 - 10:00
Please join us for our Death Café – Community, Conversation, and Coffee. We will be meeting in the Community Room from 9:00 to 10:00 a.m.
What is a Death Café? A Death Café is a safe and relaxed space to gather with people to discuss topics related to death and dying. The objective is to engage in interesting, thought-provoking, and life-affirming conversations. Please join us for this community conversation. Registration is required.
Facilitated by: Marilyn R. Gugliucci, MA, Ph.D., AGHEF, GSAF, AGSF, NAOMEF, Professor and Director of Geriatric Education and Research at the University of New England.
Hosted by: Kennebunkport Public Health Department and Graves Library. Please call (207) 967-2778 to register. Space is limited.

EVENING BOOK GROUP - MAY 29 @ 5:00 PM
2025-05-29 17:00 - 18:00
Evening Book Group
Join us on Thursday, May 29, at 5:00 p.m. for this month’s book group. The book this month is James by Percival Everett. All are welcome to attend.

Please give us a call at 207-967-2778 for more information on this event and other upcoming reads.

MOVIE NIGHT AT GRAVES LIBRARY - MAY 29 @ 6:45 PM
2025-05-29 18:45 - 20:30
We hope you will join us in the Community Room for our monthly movie night! Bring your family and friends, it’s always a fun time. Enjoy beverages and popcorn. Let us know if you have any questions 207-967-2778.

LOCAL AUTHOR - ALBERT WAITT - THURSDAY, JUNE 5 @ 6:00 PM
2025-06-05 18:00 - 19:00
We are so thrilled to welcome back local author and friend of Graves Library Albert Waitt on Thursday, June 5 @ 6:00 pm. Mr. Waitt will be reading from his new book Springbrookville, the third in his LT Nichols mystery series. Copies of the book will be for sale and signing after the reading.

The first in the series, The Ruins of Woodman’s Village, was published in 2023, followed by Flood Tide in 2024. Waitt is a graduate of Bates College and the Creative Writing Program at Boston University. His short fiction has appeared in The Literary Review, Third Coast, The Beloit Fiction Journal, Words and Images, and other publications. His first novel, Summer to Fall was published in 2013 by Barrel Fire Press.

The Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library is at 18 Maine Street, Kennebunkport. For further information, please call 207-967-2778 or visit our website at www.graveslibrary.org.

ON THE NIGHTSTAND - BOOK DISCUSSION GROUP
2025-06-07 09:00 - 10:00
Please join us for some coffee and conversation. This group will meet in the Dow Room.
Bring a book that is currently being read on your nightstand. During the hour, we will share what we are reading and create a list for others to explore. We hope to see you here.

Please call the Library with any questions. (967-2778)

JUST HISTORY PROJECT - SATURDAY, JUNE 7 @ 1:00 PM
2025-06-07 13:00 - 14:00
We are pleased to welcome Kennebunk resident Bill Grabin to Graves Library on Saturday, June 7 @ 1:00 pm to give us an overview of the Just History Project Website recently launched by the Brick Store Museum. Mr. Grabin will go through the goals of the JHP website and how to contribute to this ongoing resource.
The Just History Project website, an initiative aimed at uncovering and documenting the often-overlooked histories of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in Kennebunk and the surrounding towns of Wells, Kennebunkport and Arundel, has been launched by the Brick Store Museum. The resulting Just History Database can be found on the Museum’s website at www.brickstoremuseum.org/justhistory. The site intends to tell the stories of individuals who lived in the region before European colonization and through periods of enslavement and oppression.
The project will continue to expand as new information is uncovered, continuously offering a more complete picture of the region’s past. The Museum welcomes contributions regarding individuals that could be added, or related information. The Database includes hundreds of people; as well as a search and index page. Additionally, the website contains a section for research articles that complement and expand on the information included in the database. It is designed to be an educational resource for students, researchers, and community members alike. Work to develop the technology behind the database was supported by a grant from the Kennebunk Savings Bank Foundation and additional advisory contributions from the Museum’s community partner BBsquared.
The complex relationships between interconnected groups dramatically shaped this region’s past, and continue to impact us today. Through extensive research now published in the online database, the project has uncovered hundreds of names and stories of people whose lives were previously undocumented or forgotten.
“When I began this project, I did not anticipate how many stories I would uncover and how many of the early settlers of our towns would be involved. I was particularly impacted by the primary source documents that I was able to locate,” said lead researcher Bill Grabin. For more information about the Just History Project or to access the database, please visit www.brickstoremuseum.org/justhistory.
The Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library is located at 18 Maine Street, Kennebunkport, Maine. Parking for this event is available at Consolidated School (Route 9) and the Village Fire Station (North Street). Doors open at 12:30 pm

The above photo is from the New Hampshire Gazette and Historical Chronicle, appearing in the December 30, 1774, January 6, 1775 and January 13, 1775 editions.

ADULT FLOWER POT PAINTING - JUNE 10 AT 5:30 PM
2025-06-10 17:30 - 19:00
Flower Pot Painting on Tuesday, June 10 at 5:30 PM
Join us for a fun night out with Maine artist Marguerite Genest. For this program, you will paint a five-inch white terracotta flower pot using acrylic paints and complete the project from start to finish. All adult skill levels are welcome, all supplies are provided, and registration is required. Light refreshments will be served.

The Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library is located at 18 Maine Street, Kennebunkport. For further information, please call 207-967-2778 or visit our website at www.graveslibrary.org.

PORTSIDE READERS PRESENTS - WEEKLY READINGS
2025-06-11 19:00 - 19:30, 2025-06-18 19:00 - 19:30
Who Does Not Like to be Read a Story?
Remember how great it was to be read to as a child? Now you can relive that joyful experience as an adult! Just tune us in and tune out the world for a few minutes of well-chosen words. Graves Library presents a merry band of readers to share a story, maybe some music, or parts of a play each Wednesday evening at 7:00 pm on Facebook, Youtube, and the local cable channel (#1301).

Tune in, sit back, and listen to a diverse mix of quality stories, poems, tales, essays, drama, songs and more by the Portside Readers, a small group of local actors, writers, book club members and a musician who love the written word and want to share the joys of reading and listening. Readers include Steven Price, Val Reid, Bob Danzilo, Karen Stathoplos, Cynthia Graves, Bob Domine, Joe Foster, Bart Weyand, Nancy Viehmann and Pam Thompson.
You are in for a real treat!

MORNING BOOK GROUP
2025-06-12 09:45 - 11:00
Morning Book Group
The group will be discussing Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus. This group meets on the second Thursday of every month at 9:45 in the Dow Room. For further information, please call 967-2778.

Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library, 18 Maine Street, Kennebunkport www.graveslibrary.org.

OSHER LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE INFORMATIONAL SESSION
2025-06-12 17:30 - 18:30
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Informational Session
We are very excited to welcome members of OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) to Graves Library on Thursday, June 12, at 5:30 PM to give us an overview of the upcoming courses and workshops offered at the University of Southern Maine campus in Portland. These courses are offered to anyone over the age of 50 with a curious mind and an interest in learning just for the joy of it. OLLI at USM is committed to providing its members with a wide variety of stimulating courses, lectures, workshops, and complementary activities in a creative, inclusive environment.

The Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library is located at 18 Maine Street, Kennebunkport. For further information, please call 207-967-2778 or visit our website at www.graveslibrary.org.

A DOUBLE EXPOSURE - BOOK LAUNCH - JUNE 17 @ 5:30 PM
2025-06-17 17:30 - 19:00
A “DOUBLE EXPOSURE” – BOOK LAUNCH – JUNE 17 @ 5:30 PM

We are so excited to welcome Bob Dennis and Jim Groleau to Graves Library on Tuesday, June 17 @ 5:30 pm for a special book launch of their joint venture, Cape Porpoise, Portrait of a Maine Fishing Village. Bob and Jim will be here to sell and sign copies of their book that is hitting store shelves now! This 84-page keepsake is filled with 130 color photos of sunrises, sunsets, and seasons. We hope you will join us for this special event!

Bob and Jim are not just good friends. Both began pursuing their passion for photography after successful careers in the business world. After living most of their lives in other New England states, both chose Kennebunkport. Bob Dennis has been active in photography for several decades and has published 25 annual Kennebunkport calendars and several books. Since beginning to show his photos in recent years, Jim Groleau has gained an enthusiastic following for his work and displays his photos in local galleries.

The photographers love shooting all over Kennebunkport and in other parts of Maine but they have a special passion for their hometown of Cape Porpoise. They appreciate and respect the villages’ long and glorious maritime traditions. Whether it is the dazzling sunrises and sunsets, the lobster boats in the harbor, the majesty of Goat Island Light, or the colorful changing of the seasons, Bob and Jim are there to capture the beauty throughout the year.

EVENING BOOK GROUP - JUNE 26 @ 5:00 PM
2025-06-26 17:00 - 18:00
Evening Book Group
Join us on Thursday, June 26, at 5:00 p.m. for this month’s book group. The book this month is Forgotten on Sunday by Valerie Perrin. All are welcome to attend.

Please give us a call at 207-967-2778 for more information on this event and other upcoming reads.

MARY-LOU'S RETIREMENT - OPEN HOUSE - JUNE 28 - 2:00 PM TO 5:00 PM
2025-06-28 14:00 - 17:00

WIN THIS FRAMED PRINT- A FUNDRAISER FOR GRAVES LIBRARY
2025-07-08 16:00 - 17:00
Win a framed print “Zinnias” by Gretchen Huber Warren, 3 raffle tickets for only $20!

Gretchen Huber Warren’s oil paintings showcase an illustrator’s storytelling ability combined with an artist’s eye for composition and beauty. Her “Zinnias” painting, distinguished by vibrant colors and striking light effects, captures the essence and beauty of a summer day, year-round. Drawing for this framed print will take place at the beginning of July. Tickets are 3 for $20 and are available for purchase at 18 Maine Street in Kennebunkport. All proceeds will go to support the Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library.

*The winner is responsible for shipping and handling costs (if applicable).

MORNING BOOK GROUP
2025-07-10 09:45 - 11:00
Morning Book Group
The group will be discussing James by Percival Everett & Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. This group meets on the second Thursday of every month at 9:45 in the Dow Room. For further information, please call 967-2778.

Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library, 18 Maine Street, Kennebunkport www.graveslibrary.org.

MARK GUNTER, JANET WENTWORTH & MARY KENNEDY CONCERT - JULY 10 AT 6 PM
2025-07-10 18:00 - 19:00
Mark Gunter, Janet Wentworth & Mary Kennedy Concert
Join us for some good vibes and live music in the garden on Thursday, July 10, at 6 PM. Graves Library Summer Music Series. Bring your friends, bring your chair, sit back, tap your feet, and listen to some local beat. Mark, Mary, and Janet are part of a variety of bands in the area playing country blues and jazz with keyboard and vocals. Let’s celebrate summer, our community, and our fondness for talented artists right in our own backyard! A suggested donation of $10 per person would be appreciated.

This event will be held in the community room if it rains. Parking is available on Maine Street or at Consolidated School. Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library,18 Maine Street, Kennebunkport. For further information, please call 967-2778 or visit our website at www.graveslibrary.org.

LISA MILLS & DON WESSELS CONCERT - JULY 16 AT 6 PM
2025-07-16 18:00 - 19:00
Lisa Mills & Don Wessels – July 16 at 6:00 PM
Join us for some good vibes and live music in the garden at Graves Library Music Series. Bring your friends, bring your chair, sit back, tap your feet, and listen to some local beat. Let’s celebrate our community and our fondness for talented artists right in our own backyard! Lisa Mills and Don Wessels will wow us with duets. A suggested donation of $10 per person would be appreciated. This event will be held in the community room if it rains. Parking is available on Maine Street or at Consolidated School.

The Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library is located at 18 Maine Street, Kennebunkport. For further information, please call 967-2778 or visit our website at www.graveslibrary.org.

WRITE ON
2025-07-17 15:00 - 16:00
Write about the place where you grew up. The sights, the smells, the sounds. In a short memoir. In a poem or a song.
Write about today. Your worst fear or your greatest hope for the future.
Or… share what you are working on now.
The muse hasn’t visited in a while? Participate by simply listening and sharing your thoughts.
It’s Summer! Let us move forward and WRITE ON!
THURSDAY 3 PM Enjoy putting pen to paper with your thoughts and stories. Join us for a different kind of writing group. We will discuss our findings, share our writing, and learn about our unique inner talents when we meet! Creative writing prompts will be given at the end of each meeting.

The Louis T. Graves Memorial Public Library is located at 18 Maine Street, Kennebunkport. For further information, please call 207-967-2778 or visit our website at www.graveslibrary.org.

MORNING YOGA WITH KRIYA YOGI, VIRGINIA WILLIAMSON
2025-07-21 09:00 - 10:00, 2025-07-23 09:00 - 10:00, 2025-07-24 09:00 - 10:00, 2025-07-25 09:00 - 10:00, 2025-07-26 09:00 - 10:00, 2025-07-28 09:00 - 10:00, 2025-07-30 09:00 - 10:00
MORNING YOGA WITH KRIYA YOGI VIRGINIA WILLIAMSON
Yogi Virginia Williamson is returning this summer for morning yoga at the Graves! Please call us to sign up for a session. Classes will also be available via Zoom so friends far and wide can join.
Virginia Williamson (Ginny) is a Kriya Yogi, in the lineage of Paramahansa Yogananda, initiated by Roy Eugene Davis. She has been practicing Yoga for 33 years; teaching in Southwest Florida for 24 years. She teaches traditional, ‘old-school’, Classical Yoga, with emphasis on meditative movements coordinated with the breath. Her instruction accentuates moving from one posture to another in a progressive manner that supports the nervous system while developing strength and relaxation in the rest of the body and calmness in the mind. Ginny is committed to providing an environment wherein the students may learn from an internal perspective. Students are encouraged to practice according to their own physical, mental, and emotional contexts, not by trying to replicate what works for someone else. She holds multiple teaching certifications and has had more than 2200 hours of training, study, and practice.
Call us at 207-967-2778 or www.graveslibrary.org for more details.
A $15 donation is suggested for morning yoga with Kriya Yogi Virginia Williamson and can be paid to the instructor on the day of the class. www.virginiawillaimson.com
