Spring is just around the corner, believe it or not, so it is time to get ready to welcome Maine’s birds back to the area. If you love birds and want to learn more about how to identify them by their songs and calls, this workshop is for you. The Piscataquis County Soil & Water Conservation District (PCSWCD) is hosting a new, free workshop this year called Birding by Ear and we are fortunate enough to have Bob Duchesne, Maine Birding Trails creator and Maine bird guide, lead the presentation.

A 10-cent "We-hope-its-Spring" book sale will be in the Thompson Free Library meeting room Thursday, March 21 from 2-7 p.m., Friday, March 22 from 9 a.m. to­ 5 p.m. and Saturday, March 23 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Local author Kaitlin Covel will be at the Guilford Memorial Library at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20 to share and discuss her new novel "Atoning For Ashes."

The Center Theatre recently announced that for the first time in its history, Theatre officials are raffling off a life-time movie pass. The pass will allow the winner to attend any movie at the Center Theatre for free for the life of the pass holder.

The Brownville Free Public Library has been selected by the Maine Humanities Council to offer “Let’s Talk About It,” a free reading and discussion group with copies of books available through the library. This program is provided by the Maine Humanities Council’s Maine Center for the Book in cooperation with the Maine State Library.

Come to the Mardi Gras! On March 5 General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) Miosac members were welcomed to a beautifully decorated Mardi Gras table with colorful masks, an antique Queen of Mardi Gras doll, doubloons and beads.

The Narrow Gauge Riders Snowmobile Club of Monson is sponsoring the 2019 Lake Hebron Ice Out Contest. Guess the date and time the ice officially goes out of Lake Hebron and win $100.

The public is cordially invited to this year's Dexter Regional High School spring musical “Annie, Jr.” from March 21-23 in the cafeteria. This shortened version of the well-loved musical includes the well known story of the plucky and positive orphan Annie and all the songs you know in only 60 minutes.

The Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District (PCSWCD) is calling all artists! The PCSWCD is holding a poster contest for its children’s garden at the Law Farm.

The Center Theatre is closed for three weeks for renovations. However, you can come see the progress, watch a great movie and enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime event at the Center Theatre if you attend one of the two showings of the “Titanic Pizza Event” scheduled for 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 16.

On Thursday, March 14 from 5-7 p.m. Sackett & Brake Survey, Inc. of Dover-Foxcroft will hold a Business After Hours Mixer for the business community and general public. As the Piscataquis Chamber’s first Business After Hours of 2019, this event will provide Chamber members and local residents an opportunity to rub elbows with other local business owners in a casual setting, while learning more about other businesses and providers in Piscataquis County.

The Highlands Classical Chamber Ensemble will appear in concert at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 10 at the Dover-Foxcroft Congregational Church located at 824 West Main Street. Admission is by donation. For more information, please call 564-0043.

Fermentation as a method of food preservation is an increasingly popular topic, and Dexter Dover Area Towns in Transition (DDATT) is pleased that Mary Margaret Ripley (of Dover Foxcroft’s Ripley Farm) will share her fermenting knowledge and experience at a “Kombucha” workshop 10 a.m. Saturday morning, March 9 at Dexter’s Abbott Memorial Library.

The Center Theatre recently announced that registration is open for all the 2019 drama camps, including a new two-week drama camp being offered in Monson. The Theatre is also offering an April vacation camp at Central Hall in Dover-Foxcroft as well as the two classic drama camps taking place at the East Sangerville Grange.

Monson Arts announced that it will partner with the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) to support two month-long design residencies for RISD graduates this summer at its facility in Monson. This initiative will bring two to four industrial or furniture designers to the Piscataquis County community once widely known for furniture manufacturing.

The General Federation of Women’s Clubs (GFWC) Miosac Club is conducting its 2019 Sebec Lake Ice Out Contest for the 43rd consecutive year. Tickets may be purchased from any club member through March 31. Monies raised will be used to maintain a variety of club projects in the Dover-Foxcroft area. The person who guesses the closest date and time the ice will go out of the Narrows at Sebec Lake will receive a $100 check.

The Center Theatre will be hosting Foxcroft Academy and Piscataquis Regional High School for two nights as students present their one-act plays before going to the regional one-act play competition. The plays will be performed on Friday, March 1 and Saturday, March 2 at 7 p.m., admission will be by donation.

On Saturday, March 2 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. PRFC is hosting the first annual Winter Carnival, a family-fun event to include carnival-style games, snow art “canvases,” and human foosball. The event will be held at the Piscataquis Valley Fairgrounds, where a custom arena is being built to accommodate both a foosball tournament for teams as well as a $1 pay-to-play time for the community.