Standish, ME

April 1, 7-10 p.m. Raymond PTO Party, fundraiser to support the PTO, food, music, fun, $15/person, Sydney's Restaurant, 377 Roosevelt Trail, Naples. FMI: 207.693.3333, www.sydneysofnaples.com.

April 1, 8 p.m. "Clash of the Titans," special showing, tickets can be purchased at the box office or by phone during business hours, The Magic Lantern, 9 Depot Street, Bridgton. FMI: 207.647.9326, www.magiclanternmovies.com.

April 2, 7 p.m. "How the Dragon Was Tricked," adapted and directed by Keith Anctil, fun for the whole family, $5/adults, $3/12 and under, Acorn Productions, Dana Warp Mill, 90 Bridge Street, Westbrook. FMI: 207.854.0065, www.acorn-productions.org.

April 2, 8 p.m. Civil Disturbance with Sinfest and Beyond the Fall, metal, rock and alternative music, 21+ with ID, $5/cover, Club 302, 765 Roosevelt Trail, Windham. FMI: 207.894.5730, www.myspace.com/club302_windham.

April 3, 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. "Life Happens Outside," Teens to Trails Biennial Conference 2010, 50 hands-on workshops, exhibits, raffle giveaways, public welcome, see Web site for required permission slip, $10/teens, $20/adults, registration at door, fee includes breakfast, lunch, three workshops and more, Windham High School, 406 Gray Road, Windham. FMI: 207.882.9613, www.teenstotrails.org.

April 3, 9 a.m.-noon, New Gloucester Historical Society Open House, photographs and historic vehicles on display, plus Tom Blake will sell and sign copies of the New Gloucester Historical Society Book, History Barn, 385 Intervale Road, New Gloucester. FMI: www.newgloucester.com.

April 3, 7 p.m. "The Escapists," Portland's Premiere Improv Comedy Group featuring R.J. McComish, Chris Fitze, Tara McDonnah, Keith Anctil, Jen Whitley and Eric Worthley performing a unique blend of sketch and physical comedy, $$7/adults, $3/students, Bonney Eagle High School, 700 Saco Road, Standish. FMI: 207.929.3840, www.sad6.k12.me.us.

April 4, 6:30 a.m. Easter Sunrise Service, ride the Chondola to North Peak for a Special Interdenominational Easter Sunday Service held on the deck of the Peak Lodge (weather depending), Sunday River Ski Resort, 15 South Ridge Road, Newry. FMI: 207.824.3000, www.sundayriver.com.

April 5, 12-1 p.m. Walk for the Health of It, with Kate Goldberg of Healthy Oxford Hills, explore the in-town sidewalk loops around the Oxford Hills area, wear comfortable walking shoes and bring water, free, meet at Gouin Athletic Field, Alpine Street, South Paris. FMI: 207.739.6222, www.healthyoxfordhills.org.

February 18, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Frozen Family Fun Fest, concert by The Fofer Show and Wayne of Maine, raffles, food sales, family-friendly exhibits, silent auction, benefit for Gorham Cooperative Preschool, $8/person, free/ages 2 and under, Gorham Middle School, 106 Weeks Road, Gorham. FMI: 207.839.7186, www.maine.momslikeme.com.

February 18, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. 22nd Annual Family Fest, poker run, snow volleyball tournament, pie-eating contest, ugliest ski sweater contest, snow sculpture contest (call to register for snow pile), horse drawn sleigh rides, scavenger hunt, tug of war, visits from Elmo and Scooby Doo and more, Shawnee Peak Ski Area, 119 Mountain Road, Bridgton. FMI: 207.647.8444, www.shawneepeak.com.

February 18, 6 p.m. Pizza and Picture Show featuring "The Princess Bride," $15/movie and buffet, gourmet pizza and salad bar from 6-7:15 p.m., movie at 7:30 p.m. Stone Mountain Arts Center, 695 Dugway Road, Brownfield. FMI: 207.935.7292, www.stonemountainartscenter.com.

February 19-21, all day, Maine Chevrolet Ice Fishing Derby sponsored by Sebago Lakes Rotary Club, hot air balloons, helicopter rides, fly-in, polar dip, snowmobile speed run and more, weigh-ins in Raymond, Standish and Sebago, visit Web site for fees and rules, Raymond Beach, Route 302, Raymond. FMI: 888.ICE.FLAG, www.icefishingderby.com.

February 19, 7:30 p.m. Friday Night Play Readings, $5 suggested donation, Acorn Studios, Dana Warp Mill, 90 Bridge Street, Westbrook. FMI: 207.854.0065, www.acorn-productions.org.

February 19, 8 p.m. Comedian Bob Marley at Stone Mountain Arts Center, FYI: sold out!

February 20-21, all day, Winter Fest 2010, buffet breakfast, fishing derby, horse drawn sleigh rides, snowman building, cardboard sled contest, ice skating, snowshoeing, snowmobile rides, ice harvesting using draft horses, and more, various venues including Crystal and Long Lakes, Harrison. FMI: 207.583.2241, www.harrisonme.org.

February 20, 10 a.m -3 p.m. Joy of Skiing, Progressive Picnic on skis or snowshoes, eat your way around the trail system, $6/advance, $7/day of event, plus trail pass, fundraiser for Maine Lung Association, Wilderness House and Wilderness Cafe, 23 Skiway Road, Newry. FMI: 207.824.2410, www.wildernesshouse.com.

February 20, 11 a.m. "Supersister," author and Cape Elizabeth resident Beth Cadena to read excerpts from her most recent book and lead a "Super You!" workshop, helping children explore the many things that are "super" about themselves and creating their own book jacket, free and designed for kindergarten-second graders, Harrison Village Library, 42 Main Street, Harrison. FMI: 207.583.2970, www.harrison.lib.me.us.

February 20, 5:30-9 p.m. Kids' Night Out, ages 7-13, games, movies, arts and crafts and sports, $9/child and $6/each additional child in one family, Alfond Recreation Center, St. Joseph's College, White's Bridge Road, Standish. FMI: 207.893.6650, www.sjcme.edu.

February 21, 9 a.m. Flying Moose Classic XC Ski Race, sponsored by Bethel Outing Club, registration 9-10:30 a.m., mass start at 11 a.m., fees vary, Gould Academy, Bethel Nordic Center, On the Common, Bethel. FMI: 207.824.6276, www.caribourecreation.com.

Lakefront grounds on Watchic Lake, located just southeast of Sebago Lake in Maine, are ideally suited for those who desire outstanding water recreation such as boating, birding and incredible fishing.

It's time to live your dreams. You can enjoy unsurpassed serenity only minutes from Portland, Maine. Watchic Lake is located only miles away in Standish. Its close proximity to Portland, the largest city in Maine, means easy access to work, major shopping and cultural events.

Lakefront property on Watchic is convenient to everything, yet Standish retains its rural character. And the lake is only two hours from Boston, making it a perfect getaway for seasonal lakefront property owners.

Search for properties on Watchic Pond

Birders will be thrilled to see Bald Eagles, Osprey, Loons and a variety of other birds as they paddle or motor about Watchic Lake.And fishing enthusiasts will be delighted with this pristine lake. Incredible large and smallmouth bass are abundant. White perch and chain pickerel are also great catches. The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) introduced largemouth bass into Watchic Pond in 1956.Fifty-four years later, the MDIFW says that the lake provides excellent angling opportunities and includes it on its list of Maine Bass Waters, "a list of some of the many waters in Maine that offer fine bass fishing," according to Roland D. Martin, Commissioner of MDIFW. Matt Douglas caught a 4.64 pound, 25 1/2 inch pickerel on Watchic Lake during the 2009 Maine Chevy Derby.

The dam is a 110' concrete and earthen structure, originally built in 1850. Today, the dam is owned by the Watchic Lake Association and is voluntarily manned. It's opened each fall to lower the lake level and closed after ice-out in the spring. During the summer season, the dam is opened as needed. All residents share in the maintenance costs.

The Watchic Lake Association was formed to take ownership of the dam and to monitor the water quality of the lake. Eileen Burnell, a long time volunteer with the Maine Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program (MVLMP) said in their "Water Column" newsletter, "My husband, David, and I have been monitoring Watchic Lake in Standish for over 25 years. During that time, we have tried to pass along any lake knowledge that we have learned from the Maine Volunteer Lake Monitor Program to others. Over the past several years, we have been working with Mr. Ned Hatfield, a biology teacher at Bonny Eagle High School, to give some of his students hands-on lab experience as they join us on a monitoring trip out on the lake . . . We are always impressed with the interest shown by the students who come to visit. Since they are our future lake protection, it is truly a pleasure to answer their questions if we can and possibly give them the motivation to help make a difference."

Over the years, the Watchic Lake Association has received grants to help educate and help lakefront property owners improve the watershed. In conjunction with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, a Watershed Management Plan was developed to "ensure an upgrade and continued improvement in our water quality" in 1998.

More recently, a 319 grant was completed "to protect and improve Watchic Lake's water quality by reducing sources of polluted runoff in the watershed, providing one-on-one technical assistance to landowners, raising awareness about watershed problems and providing local stewardship." Technical assistance was given to 12 landowners, and a variety of conservation practices were installed at 13 other demonstration sites.

All lakefront property owners are encouraged to get involved in the Watchic Lake Association "to protect our environment, our lake, and your real estate investment."

The water quality is considered to be average on this small lake that covers 448 acres and has a maximum depth of 48 feet. The lake is spring fed and has two inlets, Page Brook and Paine Brook. The outlet to Watchic Brook, which empties into the nearby Saco River, is controlled by a dam.

December 31, 5 p.m.-midnight, 12th Annual New Year's Bethel, potluck supper, State Street Traditional Jazz Band, Western Mountains Senior Players, marshmallow roasting, community sing-a-long, dancing, children's parade, 11:45 p.m. short walk down Main Street to the town clock for the annual New Year's bell-ringing ceremony, bring your favorite bell, $8-$10/person, free/5 and under, various locations, Bethel Hill village, Main Street, Bethel. FMI: 207.824.2907 or 800.824.2910, www.bethelhistorical.org.

December 31, 6:30 p.m. Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys, Cajun Dance Party to greet the New Year, Dinner at 6:30, dance and concert at 8:30, prices vary, Stone Mountain Arts Center, 695 Dugway Road, Brownfield. FMI: 207.935.7292, www.stonemountainartscenter.com, www.mamouplayboys.com.

December 31, 7-9 p.m. New Year's Eve Hike at Black Brook Preserve, guided hike under the full moon, Black Brook Preserve, Windham Center Road, Windham. FMI: 207.892.5537, www.thewindhamlandtrust.org.

December 31, 7 p.m.-midnight, New Year Gorham, musical, performing and visual arts at various venues throughout town, countdown to midnight with Dave Eid, WGME Channel 13 sports, fireworks at midnight, various locations, Gorham. FMI: www.newyeargorham.org.

December 31, 8-midnight, New Year's Eve Party, "A Dime in Time" theme, to benefit Harrison Recreation Department, 8-11 p.m. dance at VFW, $20/adults 21 and over, BYOB, 10 p.m.-midnight, food and fun for the whole family at the town office, free, 11:30-midnight, ball drop at the town office parking lot, fire barrels and s'mores, Town Office, 20 Front Street, Harrison. FMI: 207.583.2241, www.harrisonmaine.org.

January 2, 4:30-6 p.m. Baked Bean Supper, beans, hot dogs, salads, biscuits, homemade desserts, $7/adults, $3/kids, White Rock Community Club, Wilson Road, Gorham. FMI: www.independentpub.com.

January 2, 7:30 p.m. Kelly Caulfield Duo, featuring Kelly Caulfield and John Lawson, $10/adults, $5/children and seniors, Village Coffee House, New Gloucester Congregational Church, 19 Gloucester Hill Road, New Gloucester.FMI: 207.926.3161 or 207.926.3260, www.villagecoffeehouse.org, www.ngucc.org, or www.creativenewgloucester.org.

January 4, 4-7 p.m. Gritty McDuff's Promotion, get $1.00 off all Gritty drafts all night long at Blizzards Pub, Shawnee Peak Ski Area, 119 Mountain Road, Bridgton. FMI: 207.647.8444, www.shawneepeak.com.

Check out all the current lakefront real estate listings for sale in the area by clicking on the boxes below:

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September 24, 7 p.m. Jean Randall Retrospective, woodblock print exhibit, free, Community Hall, 403 State Route 121, Otisfield. FMI: 207.539.2521

September 25-26, 7:30 p.m. Red ‘n Gold Cabaret by Singers Workshop, directed by Lillian Lee Morse, Broadway repertoire, jazz favorites, popular classics and timeless oldies, candlelit cafe tables, free popcorn, soda and snacks, BYOB, $12, Denmark Arts Center, 50 West Main Street, Denmark. FMI: 207.452.2057 or 207.452.2412, www.denmarkarts.org.

September 25-26, 8 p.m. "I Fall for You," series of seven short plays on love and romance by Maine playwright Michael Kimball, $10, Acorn Studios, Dana Warp Mill, 90 Bridge Street, Westbrook. FMI: 207.854.0065, www.acorn-productions.org.

September 26, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. 20th Annual Cornish Apple Festival, vendors, apple pie baking contest and auction, entertainment, raffles, 5 K road race and supper at the Cornish United Church of Christ, rain or shine, Thompson Park, Route 25, Cornish. FMI: 207.625.4993, www.cornish-maine.org.

September 26, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. 13th Annual Bluegrass Festival and Chicken BBQ, music, apple picking, homemade pies and fudge, wagon rides, fresh cider and more, BBQ at noon, $7/adults, free/under age 17, shuttle rides to the Cornish Apple Festival, Apple Acres Farm, 363 Durgintown Road, South Hiram. FMI: 207.625.4777, www.appleacresfarm.com.

September 26, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Maine Lakes Brewers' Festival, sponsored by the Greater Bridgton Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce, 25-30 brewers, live entertainment, $25/person, rain or shine, Point Sebago Resort, 261 Point Sebago Road, Casco. FMI: 207.647.3472, www.mainelakesbrewfest.com.

September 26, 1 p.m. Old Fashioned Outdoor Concert with the University of Southern Maine's concert band, bring a lawn chair or blanket for this concert on the green, BBQ lunch at old-fashioned prices available at noon, rain or shine, Corthell Hall, 37 College Avenue, Gorham. FMI: 207.780.5555, www.usm.maine.edu/music/events.

September 26, 5-6:30 p.m. Bean Supper, North Sebago United Methodist Church, 820 Sebago Road, Sebago. FMI: 207.787.3309, www.northsebagoumc.org.

September 27, 7 a.m.-7 p.m. 138th Annual Cumberland County Fair, agricultural fair with exhibits, demonstrations, contests and midway, plus harness racing, $9/adults, free/under age 13, Cumberland Fair Grounds, Blanchard Road, Cumberland. FMI: www.cumberlandfair.com.

September 27, 8 a.m. Harvey's 2nd Annual Golf Challenge, shot gun start at 9 a.m., scramble format, buffet lunch to follow, $75/person, $300/team of four, benefits Harvest Hills Animal Shelter, Naples Golf and Country Club, 136 Sebago Road, Naples. FMI: Naples Golf and Country Club, 207.693.6424, www.naplesgolfcourse.com.
Harvest Hill Animal Shelter, 207.935.4358, www.harvesthills.org.

September 27, 8 p.m. Buffy Sainte-Marie, folk legend singer/songwriter, one of only 20 shows she performs a year, $50, Stone Mountain Arts Center, 695 Dug Way Road, Brownfield. FMI: 866.227.6523 or 207.935.7292, www.stonemountainartscenter.com.

September 29, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Local lunch, part of the Fall Sustainability Festival, go green, eat local and have fun, environmentally-friendly vendors and non-profits will showcase everything from hybrid Hondas to honeybees, $10/person, central lawn between Xavier and Mercy Halls, Saint Joseph's College, Whites Bridge Road, Standish, please note: accessible from Route 35 only due to a bridge closure. FMI: 207.893.7723, www.sjcme.edu/news/pressrelease.htm.

Check out the current lakefront listings in the Sebago Lake Region by clicking on the boxes below:

Search for lakefront properties in the Sebago Lakes Region $150k to $300k

Search for lakefront properties in the Sebago Lakes Region $300k to $450k

Search for lakefront properties in the Sebago Lakes Region $450k to $700k

Search for lakefront properties in the Sebago Lakes Region over $700k