Headline: Discover the Vibrant Weekend Ahead in Portland, Maine

Portland, Maine is absolutely buzzing with events, energy, and unique experiences this weekend and through the week, so let’s get right to what you can do around town.

Today, listeners can catch the excitement of Portland Bulls n’ Broncos at the Cross Insurance Arena. For the first time since 2019, the thunder of hooves and rodeo challenges returns to Portland, with top competitors taking on bull riding, bareback, and saddle bronc events. If you want that authentic western thrill, doors open at 3 pm and the action starts at 4, but don’t wait—tickets go up in price on the day of the show according to Cross Insurance Arena.

If something more musical suits your Saturday, at 7 pm the historic Merrill Auditorium hosts Sound Waves, an immersive organ concert performed by James Kennerley. Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ offer a voyage through music inspired by Maine waterways, with projections and dramatic lighting. It’s a two-hour journey full of evocative sound, atmospheric visuals, and beloved pieces like the Hebrides Overture and music from Pirates of the Caribbean. Tickets are available at multiple price points through PortTix.

Looking for outdoor fun? Throughout September, Portland offers incredible birdwatching and iconic fall hikes. According to Travel Portland, you can visit Chapman Elementary School around sunset any evening this month for the Chapman Swift Watch, where tens of thousands of Vaux’s swifts perform mesmerizing aerial displays as they settle into the old chimney for the night.

This is also the height of dahlia season, and listeners can stroll nearly 50 acres of blooming color at the Swan Island Dahlias Festival, complete with a Sunday Market, flower arranging classes, food carts, and live music.

The city calendar highlights Park(ing) Day on Friday, September 19th, transforming parking spaces into pop-up parks and art installations from 8 am to 2 pm—a fantastic way to support local creativity and get inspired.

If you’re up for a taste adventure, Negroni Week runs all week at Portland’s best cocktail bars. According to Travel Portland, your Negroni order goes to a good cause, with proceeds benefitting charities across the city.

Art lovers can head downtown for ongoing exhibitions and gallery walks. According to Portland Downtown, nearly every night holds a live show, art opening, or unique performance to discover. Trivia nights, brewery happenings, and harbor cruise tours fill out the schedule, so there’s always a reason to explore a new side of the city.

For those seeking a deep dive into Portland’s past, the Maine Historical Society and the Tate House Museum are open for tours, and the Maine Irish Heritage Center welcomes visitors each Thursday.

So whether you’re up for a high-octane rodeo, a magical music experience, marveling at swirling birds, savoring local food and cocktails, strolling through art, or getting out into autumn nature, Portland, Maine has you covered this weekend and throughout the week.

Thanks for tuning in, and make sure to subscribe for more local happenings. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Portland, Maine is absolutely buzzing with events, energy, and unique
experiences this weekend and through the week, so let's get
right to what you can do around town. Today, listeners
can catch the excitement of Portland bulls and broncos at
the Cross Insurance Arena. For the first time since twenty nineteen,
the Thunder of Hooves and Rodeo Challenges returns to Portland,

(00:22):
with top competitors taking on bull riding, bareback and saddle
bronc events. If you want that authentic Western thrill, doors
open at three pm and the action starts at four,
but don't wait, tickets go up in price on the
day of the show, according to Cross Insurance Arena. If
something more musical suits your Saturday, at seven pm, the

(00:43):
historic Merril Auditorium hosts sound Waves, an immersive organ concert
performed by James Kennerley. Friends of the Kotchmar Organ offer
a voyage through music inspired by main waterways. With projections
and dramatic lighting. It's a two hour journey full of
evocative sound, atmospheric visuals, and beloved pieces like the Hebrid's

(01:04):
Overture and music from Pirates of the Caribbean. Tickets are
available at multiple price points through port Ticks looking for
outdoor fun throughout September, Portland offers incredible bird watching and
iconic fall hikes. According to Travel Portland, you can visit
Chapman Elementary School around sunset any evening this month for

(01:25):
the Chapman Swift Watch, where tens of thousands of Vaux's
Swifts perform mesmerizing aerial displays as they settle into the
old chimney for the night. This is also the height
of Dahlia season and listeners can stroll nearly fifty acres
of blooming colour at the Swan Island Dahlias Festival, complete
with a Sunday market, flower arranging, classes, food carts and

(01:48):
live music. The city calendar highlights Parking Day on Friday,
September nineteenth, transforming parking spaces into pop up parks and
art installations from eight am to two pm. A fantastic
way to support local creativity and get inspired. If you're
up for a taste adventure, Negroni Week runs all week
at Portland's best cocktail bars. According to Travel Portland, your

(02:12):
Negrony order goes to a good cause, with proceeds benefiting
charities across the city, art lovers can head downtown for
ongoing exhibitions and gallery walks. According to Portland Downtown, nearly
every night holds a live show, art opening, or unique
performance to discover. Trivia nights, brewery happenings, and harbor cruise

(02:33):
tours fill out the schedule, so there's always a reason
to explore a new side of the city. For those
seeking a deep dive into Portland's past, the main historical
society in the Tate House Museum are open for tours,
and the main Irish Heritage Center welcomes visitors each Thursday.
So whether you're up for a high octane rodeo, a

(02:53):
magical music experience, marveling at swirling birds, savoring local food
and cocktails, strolling through art, or getting out into autumn nature,
Portland Maine has you covered this weekend and throughout the week.
Thanks for tuning in and make sure to subscribe for
more local happenings. This has been a Quiet Please production.

(03:14):
For more check out Quiet Please dot Ai