Maine’s 2025 April Update

April 1, 2025

Painting Energy -The Alex Katz Foundation Collection at the Portland Museum of Art

For more than 70 years, artist Alex Katz has boldly pursued figurative painting, refining his disciplined approach throughout a storied career. Painting Energy -The Alex Katz Foundation Collection at the Portland Museum of Art is an exhibition that has been guided by Katz’s unique creative vision and informed the selection of works collected by his foundation. The Alex Katz Foundation Collection includes artists with strong ties to the state (Lois Dodd, Rackstraw Downes, Fairfield Porter), leading figures in American modernism (Stuart Davis, Arthur Dove, Marsden Hartley, Edward Hopper), today’s rising artists (Kamrooz Aram, Chase Hall), and major figures in the global art sphere (Marlene Dumas, Philip Guston, Anselm Kiefer, Sigmar Polke). The exhibit will highlight gifts from the foundation to the museum over the past decade and honor Katz’s personal and professional commitment to Maine. Opening on May 23, 2025, it runs through September 14, 2025.

Fishing Season in Maine

Maine is renowned for its fishing, thanks to its 6,000 lakes and ponds, wild rivers, and over 3,000 miles of coastline. Springtime is considered the best time for anglers to head to the state, with the season in Northern Maine opening for freshwater fishing on April 1 through October, while Southern Maine is open year-round. Anglers can pursue wild brook trout, landlocked salmon, and even arctic char. The state stocks many bodies of water, and the lakes and ponds are filled with large and smallmouth bass. Saltwater angling thrives along the state’s southern coast, with fishermen casting for striped bass and bluefish or taking a boat out into the Gulf of Maine in pursuit of bluefin tuna. Go to Visit Maine for more details.

Maine’s Historic Asticou Hotel to Reopen

The Asticou, a historic Maine hotel dating back to 1884, will reopen its doors to guests in June 2025 following a year-long $28 million renovation. Maine-based hotelier Tim Harrington of Atlantic Hospitality, the company that renovated properties such as The Claremont and The Dunes, is behind the rebirth of the grand dame formerly known as Asticou Inn on Mount Desert Island. The Asticou will have 82 rooms, including 50 renovated guest rooms and suites inside the original inn, as well as the addition of 15 harborside cottages and 17 harbor-view spa suites with terraces. The 25-acre property will offer a heated pool with a poolside bar and grille, a spa, and a fitness center. The dining options will include fine dining at Dahlia’s, Moss Bar, and a cabana bar by the pool. The hotel will offer yoga, art classes, stargazing, guided hikes, and boat charters. The legendary Asticou Azalea Garden is adjacent, and the hotel is just a mile from Northeast Harbor, which offers a variety of restaurants, shops, museums, and galleries.

Maine’s Food Festivals

Maine is justly celebrated for its vibrant dining scene, but the state also boasts numerous food festivals that showcase its local produce, harvests, and unique culinary offerings. Only in Maine would you discover events like the Moxie Festival in Lisbon and the Maine Whoopie Pie Festival in Dover-Foxcroft. Up at the northern tip of Maine, Fort Kent celebrates French Acadian culture at the annual Ploye Festival. The Maine Grain Alliance hosts The Maine Artisan Bread Fair in Skowhegan. At the same time, the Maine Cheese Guild sponsors Open Creamery Day at various locations around the state in October. The Yarmouth Clam Festival and the Pemaquid Oyster Festival celebrate two of the state’s most famous shellfish. At the same time, Eastport has an annual  Salmon and Seafood Festival on Passamaquoddy Bay and Rockland hosts the king of crustaceans at the Maine Lobster Festival.  Another summer highlight is the Maine Potato Blossom Festival in Aroostook County while fall brings the Damariscotta Pumpkin Festival and welcomes Harvest on the Harbor in Portland, when restaurants offer unique tasting menus, an Oysterfest, a Maine distillers’ happy hour, and a grand tasting and culinary marketplace. Go to Visit Maine for more on the state’s food festivals.

4th Annual Maine Wild Wine Fest

The 4th Annual Maine Wild Wine Fest is set for Saturday, May 17, 2025, at the Mallett Barn at Wolfe’s Neck Center in Freeport, Maine. This event celebrates the unique flavors of Maine’s wild wines, offering attendees a chance to sip, savor, and learn about the region’s vibrant wine-making culture. It will bring together producers, importers, and wine lovers to celebrate the environment through minimal-intervention winemaking, highlighting both local makers and those from around the world. This year’s event will feature two tasting sessions, a hands-on workshop, and a variety of regional food trucks at a celebration where people can taste, learn, and share in the joy of wild, living wines. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Maine Wild Wine Fest.