Camden and Midcoast | Quarry Hill

Camden, Maine: Almost Paradise

Just this side of utopia, in the picture-perfect village of Camden, Maine, lies what might well be the ideal setting for your life’s next chapter. Couched between emerald mountains and a sapphire sea, Camden and the surrounding communities of Midcoast Maine offer jaw-dropping natural beauty, four glorious seasons, a warm sense of community and outstanding health and human services. All in all, it’s a welcoming—and invigorating—place to call home.

Culture Galore

The region’s population of 20,000-plus supports a vibrant arts scene. Bay Chamber Concerts presents outstanding music and dance performances year ’round. The world-renowned Farnsworth Art Museum-just one of the area’s many art galleries-houses an impressive collection of American masters, including works by three generations of Wyeths.

The outdoor Harbor Arts Juried Arts and Crafts Show celebrates the work of more than 100 artists and artisans twice each year in Camden’s dazzling Harbor Park. Performance art takes center stage in two beautifully restored opera houses in Camden and Rockport, and at the Strom Auditorium on the campus of Camden Hills Regional High School.

Live, Learn, Enjoy!

The area’s festival schedule alone could keep you hopping. Check out Maine Fare!, a weekend-long celebration of all things locally grown; winter’s Chili & Chowder Contest; August’s jam-packed Lobster Festival, or the Maine Blueberry Festival, for a year’s worth of antioxidants. And when your belly’s full, there’s also food for thought: the world-famous Camden Conference, PopTech! convention and Maine Authors’ Series and Literary Festivals annually attract minds of international stature, and turn Camden into a hotbed of intellectual ferment.

In fact, you could dive into any of dozens of opportunities the Midcoast provides to learn, grow and develop your talents and interests. The area boasts schools of photography and filmmaking, furniture crafting, painting and language study; two public libraries; two satellite campuses of the University of Maine; and two Senior College branches, with courses for mature learners on everything from “Discovering Opera” to “The 1960s and Why We Remember Them (in Case You Forgot).” In addition, the Penobscot Bay YMCA, located a short walk from Quarry Hill, offers two indoor pools, an indoor track, a comprehensively equipped fitness center and more, plus a wide array of fitness and other classes specially geared toward mature adults.

Or, you could simply give yourself, heart and soul, to the glory of Maine’s spectacular mountains, forests, lakes and sea. Hit the links. Hit the tennis courts. Go sailing. Or head over to the Camden Snow Bowl, the only place on the East Coast where the skiing comes with an ocean view! Truly, there’s no lovelier place on the planet.

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