February 2026 News

Exciting events and cheer await you!

View this email in your browser Friends of Woodfords Corner News February 2026   FWC news Dance your way through February: How Local can you get? “There are shortcuts to happiness and dancing is one of them!” Vicki Baum, Ballerina Even though it's only 28 days this year, February can feel like long. Show yourself some love and dance your way through the corner this month! Did you know there are dozens of dance classes going on in the Corner each week? From ballet to swing to Latin to contra you can find it all right here! Check out these places for their dancing options: Casco Bay Movers, Portland Ballet, Contra, One Dance, Dance Church, Woodfords Club. Portland Dance Fusion, SOUL dance, and more! Don't forget to check out our community calendar for upcoming events. You can also list any events you have going on in the corner by submitting it here. Dine around the Corner: How Local can you eat? After you have finished dancing, mosey on over to pick up a bite to eat! We have so many wonderful places to eat and drink in the Corner and here is just a sampling: Big Sky Bread, Bird and Co., Maiz, The Great Lost Bear, Shaghf Coffee, Sun Vietnamese, Veranda Asian Market, Woodford F&B, Foodie Friends, Coveside Coffee, Pot & Pan,  Sindibad Market, Dina's, and so many more! Please shop and spend locally at our international businesses to help them weather this very difficult situation financially.  For those of us who are lucky enough to feel safe on the street, now is a time to support these merchants.  Winter Seed Sowing with the Girl Scouts!   The Girl Scouts of Maine, Troop 1346, joined Betsy Tesh from the Green, Clean and Sustainable Committee for a winter seed sowing workshop. The Scouts are working toward their Native Plant patch. Several different native seeds were sown, including: Spotted Bee Balm (Monarda punctata), Pussytoes (Antennaria plantaginifolia), Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), and Sundial Lupine (Lupinus perennis). Read more >>> A fond farewell to Artist & Craftsman Good neighbors are easy to find in the Corner and saying goodbye to long time neighbors is hard. Thank you to Artist & Craftsman for over three decades of creativity in the Corner. While you may no longer be a short walk away, we will come and visit you in Westbrook. Check their website or follow on Facebook (Artist $ Craftsman Supply Westbrook) or Instagram @artistcraftsman_westbrook to stay up-to-date on exact date openings. Welcome to the FWC Board Jenny! Please welcome Jenny to the FWC Board! Jenny has lived in Woodfords Corner for over a year and is actively involved in the neighborhood. She serves on the FWC Events Team and the Green, Clean and Sustainability Team, where she enjoys contributing to projects that strengthen community pride and well-being. She works as a Life Enrichment Coordinator at a local retirement community and has a background in Health Promotion and she is deeply community-focused and passionate about creating spaces where people feel connected, supported, and able to thrive. Jenny looks forward to continuing to support initiatives that bring neighbors together and enhance the health of the Woodfords Corner community. Second annual Puzzle competition and swap a success! Twenty-three 2-person teams joined us on a snowy afternoon for 500-piece puzzle challenge. Each puzzle was wrapped in newspaper for a surprise reveal and a fair start across the board. From the first snap of a corner piece to the final victorious click, it was a celebration of community, creativity, and good old-fashioned fun. Read all about the winners here>>> And, it was SO much fun that we are hosting another one on March 1, 2026!  Click here for more info and to register!   corner news Back Cove Books: Community-minded Corner businesses Running a small business is no easy feat. We have so many hardworking and creative merchants in the Corner. In addition to the daily work of running a business, they also focus on the people in the corner. Back Cove Books donates 1% of all children’s books sales to the Center for Grieving Children which amounted to $1,700 donation in 2025 alone and hosted their first Book Fair for Portland Public Elementary Schools donating  $1,652 in store credit to the local elementary school libraries.  Read more here about what Back Cove Books is doing for the community and then pop in and buy a book! Bow St Beverage: Community-minded Corner businesses Bow St. Beverage typically runs a couple bourbon raffles a year and their most recent raffle, at the Portland location, raised just under $3,000 for Preble Street! Bow St also has a new type of license where they can pour samples of spirits any time. The samples are small and if they are busy they might not be able to accommodate but on slower days, like Sundays, they love sharing their spirits and knowledge. Portland Buy Local: It’s not the off-season. It’s Local Season Thank you for the reminder Portland Buy Local! It’s not the off-season. It’s Local Season. The best time to be a local is when our community needs us most. Winter is Portland at a softer, cozier rhythm…more time to enjoy the city, connect with neighbors, and support the local businesses, makers, and experiences that keep Portland thriving all year long. Visitors are invited too! Winter is the perfect time to experience Portland like a local.  Visit itslocalseason.org for more information or follow on IG @portlandbuylocal   corner events There are myriad events, classes, and happenings in Woodfords Corner every week – check out our Community Calendar to view all that's going on! February 8th: Common Floor Contra Dance Sunday, February 8th from 7pm-10pm Temple Beth El, 400 Deering Ave, Portland All ages and experience levels are welcome. Dress comfortably, bring clean shoes to dance in, and a water bottle. You don't need to bring a dance partner. More info at www.CommonFloorContra.Dance or contact CommonFloorContraDance@gmail.com February 8th: Ripe for Repair Sunday, February 8th from 1-4pm Odd Fellows Hall, 651 Forest Avenue, 2nd Floor Repair Meetups are free community events where people come together to help each other fix everything from small home appliances to damaged textiles. Bring something that needs repair – small electrical appliances, housewares, speakers, bicycle wheel and a spare tire, mending and darning projects, toys, clothing, and more! Follow Ripe for Repair on Instagram to stay up-to-date! February 12th: Soul Dance Thursday, February 12th from 6pm-7:30pm Hope Gateway, 515 Woodford St, Portland Each month on the 2nd Thursday from 6:00-7:30PM, SOUL Dance is held at HopeGateWay (515 Woodford St.). SOUL Dance is a sacred practice designed to help you drop in, slow down, and restore your body and soul in these very draining times. This practice is for anyone and everyone (ALL are Welcome!) but it is especially beneficial for those who have been supporting others (community organizers, activists, ministers, nurses, doctors, teachers, therapists, non-profit workers, etc.). For more info >>> February 20th: Disco Dance Party Friday, February 20th from 8pm-10:30pm Hope Gateway, 515 Woodford St, Portland Funk and Disco Dance Party! ACLU Benefit All welcome - $10 entry (all proceeds after expenses to benefit the ACLU). Water and light refreshments provided. Please share - bring your friends! Dress to impress, or simply to comfortably dance. Please bring a change of shoes to protect the floor from snow and grit. February 28th: Trinity Episcopal Church Book Sale Sunday, February 28th from 10am-3pm Trinity Episcopal Church, 580 Forest Ave, Portland Browse books of all types and take some home to read in March! about fwc Support Friends of Woodfords Corner! For 10 years Friends of Woodfords Corner has served as a voice for the Woodfords area and a catalyst for building a sustainable, diverse community. And we're just getting started – we have big plans for the coming years! Make a donation in honor of 10 years of Friends of Woodfords Corner, and help us be successful for many years to come! Donate Today! Join Our Team: Volunteer for Friends of Woodfords Corner! Join us in our efforts to foster a thriving, welcoming, and sustainable village hub in Woodfords Corner, and make an impact on your community! We're always looking for more volunteers for our committees and folks who want to serve as board members. Complete one of the forms, linked below, to inquire and learn more! Volunteer with FWC Inquire About Board Membership FWC & Main Street America In 2019 (a mere 6 years ago) Friends of Woodfords Corner became a Main Street Affiliate, and we thought it might be time to explain what this means for our organization and our community, and how how this makes us unique among many varied community groups in the Portland area! Learn more>> Friends of Woodfords Corner is a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization that works to preserve the diversity and unique history of Woodfords Corner and foster a thriving, welcoming, and sustainable village hub.  Copyright © 2026 Friends of Woodfords Corner, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in via our website. Our mailing address is: Friends of Woodfords Corner 651 Forest Avenue #2 Portland, Maine 04101 Add us to your address book Call us! 207-805-1151 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.