Ben Zabin, one of America’s top young magicians, is coming to back to Dover-Foxcroft for a one-night show at the Center Theatre at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 29. The award-winning show, which has been witnessed by audiences world-wide, is a unique fusion of Las Vegas style illusions, mind reading and sleight of hand, all weaved together by Zabin’s perfect comedic timing.

On Sept. 14-16 Dexter will once again host the Harold J. Crosby Community Band Camp at the Ridge View Community School on the Fern Road. This three-day band camp brings in musicians from throughout the country to play the music of Maine composers and arrangers to include Dexter’s own Harold J. Crosby, a contemporary of John Phillip Sousa.

The Center Theatre will be hosting the grand finale of its Central Maine Talent Search program at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15. The fourth event in the series will bring the two winners from each of the previous three events together to compete for $500 and other prizes.

Turn the page. As in, move on to new activities, make a fresh start or proceed to the next page in a book. September at the Thompson Free Library is filled with page-turning programs and books that are real page-turners.

The Center Theatre and Slightly Off-Center Players have announced auditions for the fall and winter productions. Auditions will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15 and at 6 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 17. Auditions will be held at the Commons at Central Hall, 152 East Main Street.

In 1901 a Piscataquis County family was brutally murdered by a person or persons unknown. It now appears a serial killer, who murdered many families throughout our country, was responsible. Come to the Sept. 5 meeting of the Dover-Foxcroft Historical Society which will be held at 7 p.m. that Wednesday evening at The Commons at Central Hall.

This year marks the 131st anniversary of the Piscataquis Valley Fair, which began in 1887. The 2018 fair will run from Thursday, Aug. 23 to Sunday, Aug. 26 at the fairgrounds located at 77 Fairview Avenue. The four days will feature exhibitions, rides, concerts and fun for all ages.

The East Sangerville Grange is resurrecting its famed tradition of putting on a not-to-miss public dinner. The meal, a “Farm-to-Table Suppah,” is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 7. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., with “suppah” starting at 6 p.m. Live old-time Americana sting-band music will be played by the local band Timberdoodle.

The Guilford Memorial Library is pleased to be hosting local educator and author Michele Maingot Cabral. She will be doing a presentation about her books series “Waking Up From the American Dream” at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 22

The Center Theatre for the Performing Arts recently announced that they updated their mission statement to more clearly reflect their community work. The theatre’s updated mission is “to make arts, culture, education, and entertainment accessible to our rural communities.”

Maine Gov. Paul LePage is waiving state park fees for residents as a show of appreciation. His office said that day use fees will be waived for residents at Maine State Parks and Historic Sites from Saturday, Aug. 11 through Labor Day.

The Maine Red Hot Festival will be back in downtown Dexter on Saturday, Aug. 11 as the third annual event will feature activities, with free admission, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. -- rain or shine.

The 27th annual Maine Forest Heritage Days is scheduled for Aug. 9-12. The weekend includes a bus tour through Maine’s working forest, a craft fair, carriage rides, chainsaw carving, a woodsman demonstration featuring chopping and ax throwing and the regional Game of Logging competition.

In the cool and pleasant basement of the Abbott Memorial Library Friday evening (Aug. 3) for the monthly gathering of Dexter Dover Area Towns in Transition (DDATT), about two dozen area people watched the short film “A Farm for the Future” in which the foundations of modern agriculture are questioned by a young farmer trying to figure out how to make her family’s land productive and profitable.

Bring your inner child and see a show for free. The Wayside Grange and Theatre is a proud sponsor of the free Frogtown Puppeteers show at the Maine Red Hot Dog Festival in downtown Dexter at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 11. Great entertainment for all ages.

The fourth annual Dexter Sunrise Kiwanis CRUISE-IN will be held from 4-7 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 4 (rain date is Aug. 5) in the parking lot at the Ridge View Community School on Fern Road off Route 94.

This weekend the annual Dover-Foxcroft Shiretown Homecoming and Foxcroft Academy’s 2018 Alumni Weekend together will feature a number of events on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Observer photo/Stuart HedstromTALES OF THE WATER — A mid-morning parade from outer Elm Street to the downtown athletic field helped celebrate Guilford’s annual Piscataquis River Festival on Saturday, July 28.