Shaw Institute

First Fridays
2025-08-01 16:00 - 19:00 (America/Halifax) | Shaw Institute, 55 Main Street, Blue Hill, 04614, United States
Mark your calendars for August 1 for another First Fridays in downtown Blue Hil! Join us, and other local businesses, for expanded hours, food, music and shopping. We’ll be open later, providing a great opportunity to check out our new touch tank, gift shop and even take a lab tour.

Storytime with Charlie the Shark
2025-07-30 10:30 - 23:30 | Witherle Memorial Library, 41 School St, Castine, ME, 04421, United States
Meet the Shaw Institute’s resident shark, Charlie. He loves to read books to kids about the ocean, teaching them why taking care of the ocean is important for us all. Your school or youth group will find the experience to be engaging and most of all … fun! The Shaw Institute, Blue Hill, aims to use its scientific research projects as opportunities for the public to learn about our work and provide an inclusive science education learning environment for the community.

Shop, Shuck, and Shaw
2025-07-21 16:00 - 19:00 | Shaw Institute, 55 Main Street, Blue Hill, 04614, United States
Great shopping, tasty oysters and the awe of Maine’s sea life.
Come out and join us for a great evening of community engagement on Water Street … accented with wonderful food, shopping and the always inspiring touch tank of the Shaw Institute.

Oysters served by Waukeag Neck Oyster Company at Juniper and Bar Harbor Oyster Company at SeaLoft
Discounted shopping at Juniper
Boutique designer, Fitzroy & Willa trunk show at SeaLoft
Experience the interactive touch tank of the Shaw Institute

Oyster tasting on each of the decks for Juniper and SeaLoft; kids can hang at touch tank while grown ups bop around.

Seaweed Exploration Station with Maine Sea Coast Vegetables
2025-07-18 10:00 - 15:00 | Shaw Institute, 55 Main Street, Blue Hill, 04614, United States
Discover Maine seaweed species on Saturday, July 18th. We’ll have a seaweed exploration station featuring Maine Sea Coast Vegetables. We’ll learn identification techniques and understand their ecological significance.
The seaweed station is free and open to the public from 10:00 to 10:45 am and 1:00 to 3:00 pm.

First Thursday In Blue Hill!
2025-07-03 16:00 - 19:00 | Shaw Institute, 55 Main Street, Blue Hill, 04614, United States
Mark your calendars for July 3 … for round two of First Fridays … ok, First Thursday since the first Friday of July is the 4th! Join us, and other local businesses, for expanded hours. We’ll be open later, providing a great opportunity to check out our new touch tank, gift shop and even take a lab tour.

PRIDE! In Nature
2025-06-20 10:30 - 11:00 | First Congregational Church of Blue Hill, 22 Tenney Hill, Blue Hill, ME, 04614, United States
Discover the extraordinary and diverse ways creatures connect in nature! This family-friendly presentation explores unique relationships in the animal kingdom, from head-eating to dazzling dances, we’ll uncover fascinating love stories in nature. It’s all part of the Pride celebration from the First Congregational Church.
FREE and open to the public.

Plastic Pollution Solutions for World Oceans Day
2025-06-07 09:00 - 12:00 | Shaw Institute, 55 Main Street, Blue Hill, 04614, United States
Make Your Own Snazzy Pouch Out of Plastic Waste!
Ages 10 and beyond, all levels welcome.
Saturday, June 7th, 9 am-12 pm (Rain date – Sunday, June 8th)
Registration Waiver
12 participants Maximum
Instructor: Hilary Tobin of Island Meadow Arts
Cost: $45
Celebrate World Ocean Day by joining the Shaw Institute and Island Meadow Arts for an outdoor Fused Soft Plastic Pouches class for ages 10+. Learn about plastic pollution and create art by fusing clean, single-use soft plastics (bread bags, frozen vegetable bags, produce bags, etc.) into sturdy material for sewn button pouches. All materials are provided, but feel free to bring your own clean plastics. Light snacks will be offered. Please dress accordingly.

First Fridays In Blue Hill!
2025-06-06 16:00 - 19:00 | Shaw Institute, 55 Main Street, Blue Hill, 04614, United States
Mark your calendars for June 6 … the first First Friday of the summer season! Join us, and other local businesses, for expanded hours. We’ll be open later, providing a great opportunity to check out our new touch tank, gift shop and even take a lab tour.

Lobster Felt Needling Workshop
2025-05-31 09:00 - 11:30 | Shaw Institute, 55 Main Street, Blue Hill, 04614, United States
Discover Arnold Clawmer, our 1 in 50 million chimera lobster, and learn about Maine’s iconic crustacean in this hands-on workshop! Explore the fascinating world of lobster genetics and the incredible color variations found in nature. You’ll also create your own unique felt lobster to take home! All supplies, light refreshments and snacks will be provided.
Instructor: Reese Wolfe
Date: Saturday, May 31, 2025
Time: 9:00 am-11:30 pm
Ages 10 & up
Fee: $26 per person
Registration form (Includes Waiver)
Instructor Bio:
Reese is a local Blue Hill artist who has a passion for the fibre art of needle felting. Reese is a junior at UMO studying Ecology and Environmental Sciences with a focus on Marine Ecosystems
He is enamored with North American wildlife and ecosystems. You’ll notice that most of his work focuses on recreating their likeness as detailed as possible. In doing so, he hopes to spread the word of each and every animal’s conservation efforts through his artwork. Reese is excited to share his love for the art and the animals he recreates with the community.

Blue Hill Peninsula Chamber Annual Meeting & Business Showcase
2025-05-15 17:00 - 19:00
The Shaw Institute will be on hand at this annual gathering organized by the Chamber. We’ll be there to talk about our research, education and all upcoming community engagements.

Plastics vs People
2025-04-24 18:30 - 20:30 | Davis Center for Human Ecologoy, North Lawn, 105 Eden Street, Bar Harbor, ME, 04609, United States
Join plastic pollution expert Dr. Charlie Rolsky as he talks about how we’ve changed our relationship status with plastic to, “it’s complicated”, as well as the truths and myths surrounding our use of this material. Charlie will also highlight research that the Shaw Institute is conducting surrounding human health, PFAS contamination, and more.
Location: College of the Atlantic, Davis Center for Human Ecology, Second Floor, Room CHE-202
FREE and Open to the Public!

Carter Nature Preserve Beach Clean-Up
2025-04-19 10:00 - 12:00 | Carter Nature Preserve, 99 Cross Road, Surry, ME, 04684, United States
Join the Shaw Institute and Blue Hill Heritage Trust for an early Earth Day 2025 beach clean-up event, Saturday, April 19th from 10 am-12 pm at Carter Nature Preserve in Surry with the Shaw Institute. This is a Family Friendly Event!
We will provide materials for collecting trash, which we send gratitude to the Natural Resources Council of Maine (NRCM) for providing a grant for supplies this year. You supply the person-power!
Everyone will go away with a Caring for Community BHHT vinyl sticker and a sense of accomplishment! Students looking for volunteer hours to fulfill graduation requirements are welcome too.
Please wear appropriate foot wear, and bring durable work gloves if you have them. You may also bring water as needed.

Touch Tank Open House!
2025-04-16 14:00 - 18:00 | Shaw Institute, 55 Main Street, Blue Hill, 04614, United States
The time has finally arrived! Join the Shaw Institute on Wednesday April 16, to celebrate the community’s efforts in obtaining our new, 200-gallon touch tank. Discover and learn all about marine wildlife and the Gulf of Maine. You’ll have the chance to meet our resident bi-colored lobster, Arnold Clawmer – a 1 in 50,000,000 rarity. Participants will also get the chance to explore and learn all about our scientific research. And don’t forget to do a little shopping in our gift shop, where you’ll find stickers, books, arts and crafts from local artists, and more.

FREE popsicles from

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC – ALL AGES

Ellsworth Elementary Middle School Aspirations Fair
2025-03-27 08:00 - 11:00 | Ellsworth Elementary Middle School, 20 Forest Ave, Ellsworth, ME, 04605, United States
Sponsored by the Ellsworth Noontime Rotary Club. The fair will be a gathering of 3-6 graders who are aspiring professionals. This will be an opportunity for the students to ask questions of professionals in our area that they have an interest in. The Shaw Institute team will be on hand to present the many great career paths in science.

The Transition from Graduate School: Early Career Scientist in a Modern World
2025-03-21 10:00 - 11:30 | ASU Student Pavilion, 400 E Orange St, Tempe, AZ, 85287, United States
As part of the National Graduate Research Polymer Conference (NGRPC), administered by ACS POLY, the Shaw Institute’s Executive Director, Dr. Charlie Rolsky, will be participating in a panel discussion on finding success as a grad student and after grad school. He and others will be offering advice you could give to graduate students as they begin their own next steps.

Exploration of Watersheds
2025-03-06 15:30 - 17:00 | Belfast Free Library, 106 High St, Belfast, ME, 04915, United States
Exploration of Watersheds with Daniella Rodriguez, Education and Outreach Coordinator at the Shaw Institute of Blue Hill, ME.
The Shaw Institute has been conducting coastal monitoring for over 15 years, testing popular beach sites around the Blue Hill Peninsula for harmful algal blooms, fecal bacteria, and other sources of pollution. By analyzing water samples and creating phytoplankton, participants will learn how pollution and nutrient runoff impact them and discover how they can create positive change.
For more information or a reasonable accommodation, please contact Karen Giles at The Waldo County Cooperative Extension office at 207.342.5971 or karen.giles@maine.ed

SOLD OUT - Oysters, Wine, and Animal Affairs: A Valentine's Day Celebration with a Twist
2025-02-14 16:30 - 18:30 | Shaw Institute, 55 Main Street, Blue Hill, 04614, United States
An Journey Through Nature’s Mating Game! – SOLD OUT
Come celebrate Valentine’s Day at the Shaw Institute! Enjoy Oysters, wine, and cheese (you know those good ol’ aphrodisiacs) before our executive director shares a lecture on how critters find love in the natural world. He’ll speak about interesting mating strategies, whacky habits, strange mate choices, and relationship drama in the animal kingdom. From eating your mate’s head or doing silly bird dances in hopes of securing a partner, we’ll cover all the best of the wild and zany love stories in nature. Think you’ve been in weird relationships? Well, think again.
MUST BE AT LEAST 21-YEARS-OLD
Cost: $30 Per Person
Food and Drink: 4:30-5:30 pm
Lecture: 5:30-6:30 pm
Oysters By:

Wine & Cheese By:
BLUE HILL WINE SHOP

Cabin Fever Series: Microplastics In Me
2025-01-30 18:00 - 19:30 | Herring Gut Coastal Science Center, 59 Factory Rd, Port Clyde, ME, 04855, United States
Microplastics are plastics less than 5mm in size (just under 3/16″). They are found globally: in oceans and rivers, in the soil, in the food we eat, and in the air we breathe. Join us at Herring Gut to hear about microplastic research happening right here in Maine at The Shaw Institute! The Institute’s Executive Director, Dr. Charlie Rolsky, will speak.
You can also join by Zoom, if you can’t make it in person !!
REGISTER HERE

Felt Needlng Workshop - SOLD OUT
2025-01-11 09:30 - 12:30 | Shaw Institute, 55 Main Street, Blue Hill, 04614, United States
Join us for an interactive workshop where you’ll learn about seals in the Gulf of Maine while creating a seal of your own! All supplies included. Limited to 15 people. TWO SLOTS LEFT AS OF DECEMBER 31! SOLD OUT
Instructor: Reese Wolfe
Saturday, January 11, 2025
9:30 am-12:30 pm
Ages 10 & up
Fee: $26 per person (includes all materials)
Registration form
(LINK TO BUY TICKET IS BELOW)
Reese is a local Blue Hill artist who has a passion for the fibre art of needle felting. He works as a custodian at the Bay School, where he learned about the art, and fell in love with the Waldorf style of needle felting. This fall, Reese will be going into his junior year at UMO studying Ecology and Environmental Sciences with a focus on Marine Ecosystems
He is enamored with North American wildlife and ecosystems. You’ll notice that most of his work focuses on recreating their likeness as detailed as possible. In doing so, he hopes to spread the word of each and every animal’s conservation efforts through his artwork. Reese will also be leading a felt-needling workshop at the Shaw Institute sometime in the winter where he can share his love for the art and the animals he recreates with the community.

Maine Aquaculture R&D&E Summit
2025-01-09 09:00 - 17:00 | Maine Maritime Academy, 1 Pleasant Street, Casine, ME, 04420, United States
SOLD OUT
The Shaw Institute’s Executive Director, Dr. Charlie Rolsky, will be speaking at the 6th Maine Aquaculture R&D&E Summit will be held at the Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, Maine, on January 9th, 2025. Hosted by the University of Maine Aquaculture Research Institute and the Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center, this year’s Summit will focus on the challenges and opportunities presented by a changing climate. Learn about the environmental changes impacting Maine’s coastal ecosystems and their effects on aquaculture. Sessions and workshops will explore climate resilience, sustainable practices, and workforce development.
Plenary Speaker: The amazing Halley Froehlich from UC Santa Barbara will be our plenary speaker and will share with us the latest knowledge about how the changing environment impacts aquaculture- and what we can do to adapt.
Who will be involved?

Aquaculture farmers & Industry members

Seaweed farmers are needed for a roundtable discussion on seaweed farming and climate change with keynote speaker Halley Froehlich!
Oyster farmers are needed for a workshop on selective breeding programs with Paul Rawson

Researchers & Students
Small business advocates
And many other fun and cool people!

Recycled Ornament Workshop
2024-12-07 10:30 - 11:30 | Shaw Institute, 55 Main Street, Blue Hill, 04614, United States
Parents, guardians, caregivers and kiddos are invited to participate in this recycled ornament workshop, where we’ll use wine corks and other upcycled materials to create tree ornaments. This FREE but we do ask that you register:
REGISTER HERE

Small Business Saturday
2024-11-30 10:00 - 14:00 | Shaw Institute, 55 Main Street, Blue Hill, 04614, United States
The Shaw Institute is partnering with MOYO Boutique for Small Business Saturday. The Institute and MOYO pop up will be open to the public from 10 am-2 pm. Take advantage and stop by to do some Christmas shopping. Part of the Proceeds from MOYO will benefit the Shaw Institute’s Education and Outreach programs.

Hibernation Fair at Blue Hill YMCA
2024-11-02 10:00 - 13:00 | Blue Hill YMCA, 32 Mines Rd, Blue Hill, ME, 04614, United States
A community fair for the Blue Hill peninsula and Deer Isle Stonington communities, bringing organizations and businesses together to benefit the mental, emotional and physical health of residents. Come explore volunteer opportunities for the Winter months and beyond.

Halloween In Downtown Blue Hill
2024-10-31 16:00 - 19:30 | Shaw Institute, 55 Main Street, Blue Hill, 04614, United States
Celebrate Halloween in downtown Blue Hill and visit Charlie the Shark’s lair for a trick or treat. Doors open at 4 pm until candy and treats run out.

Word. Blue Hill Literary Arts Festival
2024-10-26 19:00 - 21:00 | First Congregational Church of Blue Hill, 22 Tenney Hill, Blue Hill, ME, 04614, United States
Saturday Keynote Speaker Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson In Conversation with Dr. Charlie Rolsky
Our executive director, Dr. Charlie Rolsky, will lead a discussion with renowned Bowdoin College marine biologist, Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. They will be in conversation about putting the climate change issue into words.
Every October, Word brings together readers, writers, and tellers of tales to celebrate the written and spoken word—fiction and non-fiction, children’s literature, poetry, drama, nonfiction, storytelling and more. The festival takes place in Blue Hill, Maine where a literary tradition of great thinkers and artists extends over two hundred years and includes Jonathan Fisher, Mary Ellen Chase, and E.B. White to name a few. Many writers continue to call the Blue Hill peninsula home as does a large community of passionate readers. To celebrate this rich heritage, Word presents three days of author appearances featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning and bestselling authors, as well as local luminaries, a poetry showcase, writing workshops, panel discussions, school events, and spoken word performances to sold out crowds.

4-H Cloverfest (Private Event)
2024-10-26 10:00 - 12:30 | Surry Elementary School, 754 N Bend Rd, Sury, ME, 04684, United States
The Shaw Institute will be on hand at the annual 4-H Cloverfest, offering an educational microplastics activity. Cloverfest is an annual celebration for Hancock County 4-H’ers and their families. We spend the time celebrating the wonderful accomplishments of the year with food, entertainment, and awards. It is a day of fun for all!
Join us for a fin-tastic morning as we celebrate our incredible 4-H members and volunteers! Dive into the fun with exciting 4-H workshop stations, including our popular 4-H touch tank, where you can get hands-on with marine life, or take a virtual field trip with our VR goggles! Don’t forget to stop by the appreciation station to show some love to our amazing volunteers or anyone else who has helped you on your 4-H voyage. With plenty of other exciting activities for the whole family, it’s sure to be an unforgettable event that’s shore to make a splash!

Science On Tap
2024-10-17 18:00 - 20:00 | Mason’s Brewing Company Downeast, 78 Main Street, Machias, ME, 04654, United States
Science on Tap will be a collaborative event series, between Maine Coast Heritage Trust and Masons Brewing in Machias, aimed at bringing science and conservation topics to our community.
Charlie Rolsky, Executive Director of the Shaw Institute, will be the speaker. He’ll be sharing more about the work the Institute is doing.

George Stevens Academy Community Service Fair!
2024-09-25 11:45 - 14:30 | George Stevens Academey, 23 Union St, Blue Hill, 04614, United States
George Stevens Academy is facilitating a meet and greet event with local nonprofits to connect them with volunteer opportunities that help them meet community service requirements in order to graduate and help non-profits achieve their missions with some great volunteers.

Friends From the Field Webinar: All About Sharks
2024-09-19 16:00 - 17:00
Join Blue Hill Heritage Trust and Island Heritage Trust for the Friends From the Field Webinar: All About Sharks! The featured speaker will be Shaw Institute executive director, Dr. Charlie Rolsky. He’ll discuss the natural history, behavior, and ecology of sharks in Maine, and how climate change and warming ocean temperatures are affecting them.
Register for this webinar at: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1XsDnMSuTx2mCcG0qHbwyQ

Beach Cleanup at Carter Nature Preserve
2024-09-14 10:00 - 12:00 | Carter Nature Preserve, 99 Cross Road, Surry, ME, 04684, United States
Help keep Blue Hill’s beaches clean during Maine’s Coastal Cleanup Month & contribute to the Shaw Institute’s microplastics research. Please dress for the weather & the task at hand. Event is in partnership with Blue Hill Heritage Trust.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
