The call to “celebrate our past, inspire our future” has struck a chord with organizations, businesses, and individuals in the Acadia National Park region, the state of Maine, and beyond—so much so that nearly 400 have signed up as Acadia Centennial Partners to help build the yearlong, community-based celebration. 

During a gathering Monday, several speakers, including Acadia National Park Superintendent Kevin Schneider and Friends of Acadia President David MacDonald, thanked the partners and noted that the Acadia Centennial celebration is unique nationwide in both its broad vision and the quality of execution—“setting a bar,” noted MacDonald, “that will not easily be surpassed.”

The Acadia Centennial Partners gathering came on the heels of an exciting weekend for the Acadia Centennial, with two venerable area choral groups, the Acadia Choral Society and Bagaduce Chorale, premiering works commissioned to celebrate the park and its centennial. Both concerts received rave reviews—if you missed them, you can catch encore performances by Bagaduce Chorale on May 12 and 13 in Bar Harbor and by Acadia Choral Society on June 4 in Ellsworth. Visit the online events listings for information about the concerts or any upcoming Acadia Centennial events, including these:

* Now through early November, kids and families are invited to register as a team for the Acadia Centennial Quest, a series of self-paced activities in Acadia that encourages young people to explore Acadia and its 100-year history. Also for kids, on May 14 the park will host National Junior Ranger Day activities at the Schoodic Education and Resource Center; and the Bangor Public Library will host a “Children’s Tea and Popovers” (that iconic Acadia treat) on May 28.

* May 14 is International Migratory Bird Day and birders will have opportunities to celebrate Acadia’s avian treasures with events at Schoodic and on Mount Desert Island hosted by the Schoodic Institute, the Natural Resources Council of Maine, and the Land & Garden Preserve. Acadia’s Park Loop Road will be closed to autos for Acadia’s Car-Free Morning (cyclists, take note!) giving birdsong less competition from vehicular noise.

* Acadia Centennial–related museum and art exhibits open this month include the brand-new exhibits at the Abbe Museum and the Seal Cove Auto Museum, a quilt show celebrating Acadia at the Somesville Fire House, and an exhibit of hooked rugs celebrating Acadia at Southwest Harbor Public Library. The hooked rugs will then be displayed at Ellsworth Public Library in June, Hammond Hall in Winter Harbor in July, and the Jordan Pond House in August. And on June 3, ART Walk Bar Harbor will celebrate the Acadia Centennial at its “First Friday” Art Walk, with a special salute to Acadia National Park planned at a variety of downtown galleries and other businesses. (Feel like another in-town stroll? The Bar Harbor Bed & Breakfast Association will host an open house of ten member inns on May 22.)

* Science, innovation, storytelling, and communities of Acadia will be the highlight of the TEDx Dirigo Conference in Bar Harbor May 20–22, featuring exceptional lectures and performances from scientists, artists, writers, adventurers, and more. Likewise, “Hear, Here!” at the College of the Atlantic on May 17 promises an evening of science and stories from Acadia and beyond; and reporter Aislinn Sarnacki will share experiences and lessons from her “One-Minute Hikes” in Acadia at the Ellsworth Public Library on May 25.

* New products listings on the centennial website include sail cloth bags and decals featuring the Acadia Centennial logo; a 3-D nautical chart of Mount Desert Island; and fine artworks including drawings, photographs, woodcuts, and watercolors in the form of prints, postcards, calendars, and even a dishtowel. Official Acadia Centennial products are a great way to celebrate and commemorate Acadia’s birthday, and a portion of the proceeds from all sales of official products will be donated to benefit Acadia National Park.

Friends of Acadia, the organizing entity behind the Acadia Centennial Task Force, thanks the Acadia Centennial Partners whose combined contributions to the celebration—including event planning, product offerings, and financial support—are setting the standard for national park centennials. In particular, the Centennial Signature Sponsors have made leadership-level contributions: Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, Boston Red Sox, Darling’s, Downeast Magazine, Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems, The Hinckley Company, The Jackson Laboratory, The Knowles Company, L.L.Bean, The Mount Desert Islander, MPBN, Ocean Properties, Star 97.7, and Wallace Events.

Visit the Acadia Centennial website to see a calendar of 2016 events, browse the centennial product listings, or to apply to become a partner and add your own once-in-a-lifetime contribution to the 2016 Acadia Centennial.