Pine Tree Hospice celebrates 30th Annual Variety Show at Center Theatre
DOVER-FOXCROFT — Get ready to clap your hands and tap your feet at the 30th Pine Tree Hospice Variety Show, scheduled to take the stage at the Center Theatre at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 11. Master of Ceremonies Toby Nelson will guide audiences through an entertaining afternoon featuring a diverse lineup of talented local performers.
This family-friendly event offers something for everyone. In addition to live entertainment, guests can take part in two beloved Variety Show traditions: a raffle for a beautiful handmade quilt and a competitive pie auction featuring some of the finest homemade pastries in the community.
The Variety Show began in 1996 when Mayo Regional Hospital staff and friends first shared their talents in a lighthearted performance titled “Medical Acts Never Before Seen in Public.” Over the past three decades the event has grown into one of Pine Tree Hospice’s most cherished traditions, celebrating the creativity, generosity and spirit of the community while raising vital funds for local hospice services.
QUILT RAFFLE — Helen Higgins shows off this year’s Pine Tree Hospice Variety Show Raffle Quilt. She has donated a quilt to this cause for the last 20 years! In the past she worked with her friend Rita Mountain to create the quilt. The quilts are finished by Vickie Brackett of Quiltingmania in Dover-Foxcroft.
This year’s show is made possible through the partnership of the Center Theatre, which serves as a major planning partner for the event. The Variety Show has been held at the Center Theatre since the Theatre’s re-opening in 2006, making the event part of the theater’s history from the very beginning! As the Center Theatre celebrates 20 years of operation, Pine Tree Hospice is grateful for their ongoing collaboration and support in bringing this community tradition to life.
The 2026 event lineup will feature a lively cast of performers, including a children’s dance routine by Weatherbee School of Dance students, a solo vocal performance by Hannah DeRespino, violinist Thomas Bailey, the Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church Choir, selections from “The Sound of Music”, local comediennes The Q-Tips, a solo vocal performance by Beth Weatherbee and a performance by the Foxcroft Academy Select Choir. The pie auction and quilt raffle add to the excitement throughout the afternoon.
One highlight of the event is the annual raffle quilt, created by longtime Pine Tree Hospice volunteer Helen Higgins with finishing by Vicki Brackett of Quiltingmania of Dover-Foxcroft. Higgins has supported the organization for nearly two decades, both as a quilter and a direct care volunteer. Her beautiful handmade quilt, featuring a message of HOPE, will be raffled during the show.
All proceeds from the Variety Show support Pine Tree Hospice’s mission of providing compassionate, non-medical support, education and resources to individuals with life-limiting conditions, their caregivers and those navigating grief. Community members are invited to join this special celebration of local talent and generosity while supporting an organization that has served the region for decades.
For more information about the Variety Show, please contact Pine Tree Hospice at 207-802-8078 or info@pinetreehospice.org. Tickets are available by donation through the Center Theatre website (https://www.centertheatre.org/) or at the door on the day of the event.