Events at this location

At Mechanics’ Hall, we’re inspired by our founders’ vision to ignite a passion for knowledge, ideas, and the arts within our community.

Our Mechanics’ Hall Crafting Group is a vibrant space for creativity and connection.

Whether you’re a knitting enthusiast, an embroidery aficionado, a paper folding master, or simply love sketching, we invite you to share your skills and ideas with fellow makers.

Explore the art of textiles, paper, and more, all within the welcoming atmosphere of our library.

What to Expect:

Join us every first Wednesday of the month, from July to December, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., for a delightful crafting session. Each meeting will be hosted by a volunteer who shares your love for crafting, ensuring a supportive and fun environment. Bring your materials and let your creativity shine.

LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE

Eminent legal scholar and president of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Deborah Archer offers a critical examination of how transportation infrastructure – from highways and roads to sidewalks and buses – has been used to protect segregation and deepen racial inequality in America after the fall of Jim Crow.

This event includes an author talk and panel discussion exploring the intersections of urban planning, law, and social/racial justice across the United States and here in Maine. FREE to the public, registration is required.

LEARN MORE and REGISTER HERE

Presented by Mechanics’ Hall, Beyond Comfort is a three-part speaker series that brings together nationally recognized authors and changemakers who challenge the status quo and invite us into deeper reflection, courageous leadership, and transformative justice.

These events ask: What must we risk to create cultures of equity? How do we move through discomfort to action? And how can we lead, learn, and live in ways that repair rather than repeat harm?

Join us for a salon-style concert featuring contemporary and traditional Spanish and American instrumental and solo vocal music, presented by a dynamic group of Maine-based composers and performers.

The Mechanics’ Hall library will transform into an acoustic listening room showcasing modern and traditional canciones that blend with operatic vocals, dance, and poetry.

Featuring: Meghan Habibzai (vocals), Scott Wheatley (keyboard), Behzad Habibzai (guitar), Meagan McIntyre (violin), and Lindsey Bourassa (dance).

Monday, September 15 at 7:00 PM (doors 6:30 PM), approximately 75 minutes. There is a $5 surcharge on tickets on the day of the show.

LEARN MORE & GET TICKETS HERE

ABOUT THE SERIES

Inspired by a certain well-known desk-based concert series, our Tiny Circulation Desk Series brings the same stripped-down, close-up energy, with more library cards and fewer office supplies.

Equal parts cozy hangout and low-key listening room, this weeknight series transforms the Mechanics’ Hall Library into one of Portland’s most intimate and unexpected music venues.

Filmed by the Portland Media Center, each concert feels like a live demo, a secret show, and a community gathering all at once.

POETS, MUSICIANS, ARTISTS, CRAFTERS, JAMMERS, DANCERS, MAKERS, INNOVATORS OF ALL AGES & CREATIVE VARIATIONS . . .

Join us for an evening of experimenting & on-the-spot creation. Share what you’re working on or about your creative process and be in sweet community with inspiring local creatives.

Hosted By Marco Soulo + Signature MiMi

3rd Wednesdays of the month, 6:00 – 9:00 PM. No registration required,

Learn more and sign up for an open mic slot here.

The Mechanics Hall Casco Bay Writers Group will share original stories that are lively, heartfelt, and deeply human. Please join us to share the joy of storytelling at this very special salon-style event.

LEARN MORE & GET TICKETS HERE

Participating writers include:

Susan Landry

James Wright

Joan Barker

David Body

Tess Childs Page

John Driscoll

Witold Fitz-Simon

Daphne Gregory-Thomas

Elizabeth Miller

Meredith Turner Anton

Leska Tomash

Shirley Willis

Join the Magpie Duo (Lauren Conroy, violin & Matthew Schultheis), for a program of new and old music that steps outside the familiar classical sound world. This program is an electro-acoustic meditation, featuring analog synthesizer and a wide-ranging selection of repertoire, from violin duos by the Baroque composer Georg Philipp Telemann to meditative suites by American avant-gardist John Cage and more.

They will be splitting the bill with local cellist Evan Pillsbury.

LEARN MORE & GET TICKETS HERE

ABOUT THE SERIES

Inspired by a certain well-known desk-based concert series, our Tiny Circulation Desk Series brings the same stripped-down, close-up energy, with more library cards and fewer office supplies.

Equal parts cozy hangout and low-key listening room, this weeknight series transforms the Mechanics’ Hall Library into one of Portland’s most intimate and unexpected music venues.

Filmed by the Portland Media Center, each concert feels like a live demo, a secret show, and a community gathering all at once.

In this powerful cross-sector dialogue, publisher Lisa Lucas and public health equity strategist Dr. Gabriela Alcalde examine what it means to lead as women of color in spaces shaped by whiteness. From literature to healthcare, they unpack the personal and professional tolls of challenging dominant culture and how institutions must evolve to support equity beyond optics. A rare conversation at the intersection of visibility, power, and justice. FREE to the public, registration is required.

LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE

Presented by Mechanics’ Hall, Beyond Comfort: Conversations to Transform Culture is a three-part speaker series that brings together nationally recognized authors and changemakers who challenge the status quo and invite us into deeper reflection, courageous leadership, and transformative justice.

These events ask: What must we risk to create cultures of equity? How do we move through discomfort to action? And how can we lead, learn, and live in ways that repair rather than repeat harm?

At Mechanics’ Hall, we’re inspired by our founders’ vision to ignite a passion for knowledge, ideas, and the arts within our community.

Our Mechanics’ Hall Crafting Group is a vibrant space for creativity and connection.

Whether you’re a knitting enthusiast, an embroidery aficionado, a paper folding master, or simply love sketching, we invite you to share your skills and ideas with fellow makers.

Explore the art of textiles, paper, and more, all within the welcoming atmosphere of our library.

What to Expect:

Join us every first Wednesday of the month, from July to December, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., for a delightful crafting session. Each meeting will be hosted by a volunteer who shares your love for crafting, ensuring a supportive and fun environment. Bring your materials and let your creativity shine.

LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE

Mechanics’ Hall presents Tero Hyväluoma and Esko Järvelä of Teho.— a Finnish power-fiddle duo that explodes musical boundaries while having roots deeply in the tradition. Improvisation also plays a big part in the duo’s sound.

The fiddlers grew up in Central Ostrobothnia – an area known for its extremely virile and rich folk music life. Their music fluently combines Finnish traditional fiddling, Norwegian Halling, Swedish Polska, Bebop, Western Swing, and contemporary folk music.

They have played together for years in various bands and projects, including one of the most well-known Finnish folk bands, Frigg, which visited Mechanics’ Hall in March 2025.

LEARN MORE & GET TICKETS HERE

Thursday, October 2 at 7:00 PM (doors 6:30 PM). Tickets are $20 for Mechanics’ Hall Members, $25 for General Admission, $35 for reserved seating. There is a $5 surcharge on the day of the performance.

Start your day with a morning figure drawing session in the sunlit grand ballroom of Mechanics’ Hall.

Enjoy live music while savoring [free] tea, snacks, and Tandem coffee. Bring your materials, or borrow from our supplies.

Whether you’re a seasoned artist or a beginner, embrace the joy of drawing a live model in a vibrant community. All are welcome.

Tickets are on a sliding scale; please pay what you can afford. No one turned away for lack of funds.

The drawing session begins at 11:00 AM, and doors open at 10:45 AM.

LEARN MORE & GET TICKTS HERE

A monthly gathering in our library to discuss books and big ideas. This October, we’re reading Deborah Archer’s “Dividing Lines”

The Mechanics’ Hall Book Discussion group meets to chat about books by exceptional thinkers and artists.

Everyone is welcome, and ongoing attendance is not required. The group is free for Mechanics’ Hall Members.

Curious about the group but not a Mechanics’ Hall member? You’re invited to stop by! If you like what you hear, consider becoming a member.

LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE

Symbio is regarded as one of the most prominent new bands from the Nordic Folk & World music scene. With a magical interplay of hurdy-gurdy & accordion, an electrifying stage presence, and captivating original compositions, the duo has become known as a phenomenon, having toured in more than 20 countries. Hearing this symphonic duo makes you doubt the fact that they are only two musicians on stage.

LEARN MORE & GET TICKETS HERE

POETS, MUSICIANS, ARTISTS, CRAFTERS, JAMMERS, DANCERS, MAKERS, INNOVATORS OF ALL AGES & CREATIVE VARIATIONS . . .

Join us for an evening of experimenting & on-the-spot creation. Share what you’re working on or about your creative process and be in sweet community with inspiring local creatives.

Hosted By Marco Soulo + Signature MiMi

3rd Wednesdays of the month, 6:00 – 9:00 PM. No registration required,

Learn more and sign up for an open mic slot here.

Ambient noise & experimental electronica in the library– ft. The Asthmatic, Nick Lawler, Aaron Haines, & id m theftable

LEARN MORE & GET TICKETS HERE

Inspired by a certain well-known desk-based concert series, the Mechanics’ Hall Tiny Circulation Desk brings the same stripped-down, close-up energy, with more library cards and fewer office supplies.

Equal parts cozy hangout and low-key listening room, this weeknight series transforms the Mechanics’ Hall Library into one of Portland’s most intimate and unexpected music venues.

Filmed by the Portland Media Center, each concert feels like a live demo, a secret show, and a community gathering all at once.

This Halloween-inspired program follows the arc of a classic horror movie – from eerie atmospheres and unsettling beauty to blood-chilling terror and otherworldly transformation.

Featuring Schubert’s feverish Death and the Maiden, Mozart’s ominous Dissonance Quartet, haunting tracks from Radiohead, and iconic Halloween hits, this spine-tingling journey blends classical drama, cinematic suspense, and supernatural flair!

Kiyoshi Hayashi, Violin

Maura Shawn Scanlin, Violin

Emma Powell, Viola

Mina Kim, Cello

LEARN MORE & GET TICKETS HERE

Mechanics’ Hall & Longfellow Books co-present a conversation with the bestselling author on his latest book.

Our democracy has been purposefully dismantled, first in the states and now at the federal level. With groundbreaking original data and historical insights, Nations Apart is an essential guide to understanding why Americans are so divided on many hot button issues, creating geographic fissures that have been exploited by authoritarians. Colin Woodard shows how colonial era settlement patterns and the cultural geography they left behind are at the root of our political polarization, economic inequality, public health crises, and democratic collapse.

Drawing on quantitative research from Woodard’s university-based think tank project, Nations Apart exposes the true ideological and cultural divides behind today’s struggles.

LEARN MORE & GET TICKETS HERE

At Mechanics’ Hall, we’re inspired by our founders’ vision to ignite a passion for knowledge, ideas, and the arts within our community.

Our Mechanics’ Hall Crafting Group is a vibrant space for creativity and connection.

Whether you’re a knitting enthusiast, an embroidery aficionado, a paper folding master, or simply love sketching, we invite you to share your skills and ideas with fellow makers.

Explore the art of textiles, paper, and more, all within the welcoming atmosphere of our library.

What to Expect:

Join us every first Wednesday of the month, from July to December, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., for a delightful crafting session. Each meeting will be hosted by a volunteer who shares your love for crafting, ensuring a supportive and fun environment. Bring your materials and let your creativity shine.

LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE

The third full-length poetry collection from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of What Kind of Woman.

Renowned poet Kate Baer returns with a bold and compassionate collection that confronts the march of time in a shifting world.

With her trademark candor and curiosity, Baer explores what it means to grow older, to release children into the wildness of their own lives, and to reclaim the ever-evolving self. Raw, luminous, and urgent, this collection channels Baer’s own journey to middle age into poems that are profoundly intimate yet resound universally, identifying the beauty, resilience, and fragility that arrive in every stage of life.

How About Now is a striking declaration of ongoing transformation and self-discovery. From the poet who has captured the heartbeat of the modern woman, this collection reaffirms Kate Baer’s place among the most vital voices of our era.

LEARN MORE & GET TICKETS HERE

Maine Writer Monica Wood and poet Richard Blanco join for a conversation about the intersection of nature, identity, and human experience.
Drawing inspiration from Daniel Mason’s North Woods and their own work, they will explore how the natural world shapes our stories, sense of self, and connections.

Mechanics’ Hall was selected to be part of the NEA Big Read. From October 2025 to June 2026. We will present a diverse range of public programs inspired by Daniel Mason’s North Woods.

LEARN MORE & GET TICKETS HERE

SAVE THE DATE

Aquarius Funkk & Vegadonna return to Mechanics’ Hall on Saturday, November 15, to host the most glamorous event of the season. More information coming soon.

A captivating evening with acclaimed author, James Geary, as he presents a tour through the world’s wisest and wittiest sayings hosted by Mechanics’ Hall, The Dorothea and Leo Rabkin Foundation, and Back Cove Books.

The World in a Phrase: A Brief History of the Aphorism, Second Edition (2025, University of Chicago Press) explores the ancient art form of aphorisms, revealing how these compact, viral expressions, from the Buddha to contemporary meme-makers, offer timeless truths and serve as ultimate deep dives for lovers of words and seekers of wisdom in an age of information overload.

Known for his engaging and interactive style, Geary will deliver a dynamic talk incorporating elements of juggling and encouraging audience participation throughout.

The evening will conclude with a lively Q&A session facilitated by Mary Louise Schumacher

LEARN MORE AND GET TICKETS HERE

POETS, MUSICIANS, ARTISTS, CRAFTERS, JAMMERS, DANCERS, MAKERS, INNOVATORS OF ALL AGES & CREATIVE VARIATIONS . . .

Join us for an evening of experimenting & on-the-spot creation. Share what you’re working on or about your creative process and be in sweet community with inspiring local creatives.

Hosted By Marco Soulo + Signature MiMi

3rd Wednesdays of the month, 6:00 – 9:00 PM. No registration required,

Learn more and sign up for an open mic slot here.

Sharing the stage at the historic Mechanics’ Hall library, Savoir Faire and Ada Bonnevie bring together distinct yet kindred musical worlds.

With a voice straight out of the jazz age, Savoir Faire brings the modern existential crisis into a realm of retro-noir.

Spending years performing as a lounge singer and jazz guitarist, she eventually explored her own songwriting, adding the final ingredients that would form the aesthetic of Savoir Faire: lush and syrupy vocals, biting lyricism, and searing guitar parts that float between the genres of jazz, rock, and Persian pop.

Ada Bonnevie is a guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist from Maine. Her music spans multiple genres, with a body of emotionally intimate, evocative solo work influenced by artists like Elliott Smith and PJ Harvey, as well as a punk band called adlt grrrl, which is influenced by artists like Nirvana and Hole.

LEARN MORE & GET TICKETS HERE

In this workshop led by Ali Kenner Brodsky, participants use their personal narrative as seeds for creating movement phrases.

Through guided explorations and improvisations, participants will be encouraged to use their stories and personal narratives to develop their own movement vocabulary—movement organic to the individual creating it.

We will utilize journaling, re-telling, and imagery as the impetus for movement phrases. We all have a story to tell…

Open to all skill levels and geared toward all interested in movement as a means of expression.

LEARN MORE & GET TICKETS HERE

Mechanics’ Hall invites you into the world of choreographer and dancer Ali Kenner Brodsky and filmmaker Rich Ferri, for the first-ever full screening of their five dance films together.

Known for her gesturally rich and layered movement, Brodsky invites quiet reflection and a tender confrontation with what it means to love, to grieve, and to remember.

The hour-long quintuple feature will conclude with a panel featuring choreographer Ali Kenner Brodsky, cinematographer Rich Ferri, dancer Dr. Ilya Vidrin, and musician MorganEve Swain.

LEARN MORE & GET TICKETS HERE

At Mechanics’ Hall, we’re inspired by our founders’ vision to ignite a passion for knowledge, ideas, and the arts within our community.

Our Mechanics’ Hall Crafting Group is a vibrant space for creativity and connection.

Whether you’re a knitting enthusiast, an embroidery aficionado, a paper folding master, or simply love sketching, we invite you to share your skills and ideas with fellow makers.

Explore the art of textiles, paper, and more, all within the welcoming atmosphere of our library.

What to Expect:

Join us every first Wednesday of the month, from July to December, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., for a delightful crafting session. Each meeting will be hosted by a volunteer who shares your love for crafting, ensuring a supportive and fun environment. Bring your materials and let your creativity shine.

LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE

Join little house dance for their 6th Creation Lab at Mechanics’ Hall. Each Lab brings a different energy and a unique cohort of movers and artists together. Through daily class, improvisation labs, repertoire, and movement prompts they spend the week engaging in different components of the little house creative process and arrive somewhere new. Over the course of the week build a movement score together followed by an open studio sharing on the final day that is open to the public.

This Creation Lab is designed for pre professional and professional dancers and movement artists. Participants must be 17+ to attend.

LEARN MORE & SIGN UP HERE

A monthly gathering in our library to discuss books and big ideas. This January, we’re reading “One Goal” by Amy Bass

The Mechanics’ Hall Book Discussion group meets to chat about books by exceptional thinkers and artists.

Everyone is welcome, and ongoing attendance is not required. The group is free for Mechanics’ Hall Members.

Curious about the group but not a Mechanics’ Hall member? You’re invited to stop by! If you like what you hear, consider becoming a member.

LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE