SUNDAY AUGUST 30 - 9:30amPoetry Workshop with Sallly Bliumus-DunnPoetry, Workshop
Events Calendar
Enjoy culture, community, and history in Freeport
The Desert of Maine is more than a landmark; it’s a hub for educational programming and signature art and craft events. Join us for our 2026 season.
Poetry Workshop with Sallly Bliumus-Dunn
Join us at the Desert of Maine's historic farmhouse for a poetry workshop with poet Sally Bliumis-Dunn, whose poems have appeared in From the Fishouse, The New York Times, Nimrod, Paris Review, PBS NewsHour, Plume, Poetry London, Prairie Schooner, RATTLE, the Academy of American Poets’ Poem-a-day, Ted Kooser’s “American Life in Poetry,Verse Daily and Garriso
Past events
Dine the Dunes
You’re invited to Dine the Dunes with the Center for Arts & Ecology on Sunday, August 9th, 2026 from 6 to 9pm.
Tickets include a five-course fireside dinner by Applecroft, live music and performances, and a silent auction. Questions/RSVP: [email protected], (978) 394-5923.
Wanderfest
Celebrating 100 years of the Desert of Maine.
Join us Saturday, August 8th from 9am to 8pm (live music from 12pm) for a day of live music, food vendors, guided tours, and animal encounters. Hosted with the Center for Arts & Ecology.
Farmhouse Folk Series
Farmhouse Folk with Lisa Redfern and Sara Trunzo.
An intimate evening of songwriting and storytelling at the historic Tuttle Farmhouse.
Desert Farm Days - Day 2
FREE WITH ADMISSION
- Seed Bombs
- Farm Animals
- Craft Maker Space
- History Tour
On May 23rd and 24th, Desert Farm Days returns to the Desert of Maine. Hosted by the Center for Arts and Ecology, this weekend is a curated collision of our best traditions. It’s a place where you can play farm games in the morning, dance the night away, meet the sheep, and be spinning wool by the next afternoon. We’ve brought in the best of our local talent, from musicians to experts in heritage sheep farming and fiber arts.
Desert Farm Days - Plant Dyes & Natural Fibers Workshop
Natural dyeing in the 21st century uses simple, safe, economical, and environmentally sound methods to create colorful results with natural fibers. In this workshop we’ll each dye or tie-dye a silk or cotton bandana with plant material from Jude’s central Maine dye garden. Along the way we’ll delve into the ancient, worldwide traditions of natural dyeing, peruse Jude’s dye records books, naturally dyed items and ongoing projects. Note-taking is encouraged.
Desert Farm Days - Contra Dance
Join us for our second contra dance at the Desert of Maine Farmhouse with caller Maggie Robinson.
Desert Farm Days - Day 1
FREE WITH ADMISSION
- Historic Games
- Fiber Crafts
- Earth Loom with Cathi Belcher
- Carding and Spinning Wool
On May 23rd and 24th, Desert Farm Days returns to the Desert of Maine. Hosted by the Center for Arts and Ecology, this weekend is a curated collision of our best traditions. It’s a place where you can play farm games in the morning, dance the night away, meet the sheep, and be spinning wool by the next afternoon. We’ve brought in the best of our local talent, from musicians to experts in heritage sheep farming and fiber arts.
Enjoy activities for the whole family
Play Mini Golf along the dunes
Dig for treasures at Gemstone Village
Ride through forest and the dunes in an 1800s-style Train
Frequently asked questions
What is the Desert of Maine?
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Loved by visitors, passholders, and press
The Desert of Maine is a must visit spot.
★★★★★
Mike, Google review
It's a place unlike any other in Maine...
★★★★★
Joseph, Google review
Visiting this amazing place is a summer staple for us.
★★★★★
Emily, Season Passholder
I wish we'd spent more time here. We'll definitely be back to explore the dunes and the farmhouse.
★★★★★
Brooke, Freeport Local
FEATURED IN
Explore the Desert of Maine through the lens of journalists and ecologists alike
Clint Harp, award-winning carpenter, HGTV hit show Fixer Upper alum, and host of Restoration Road, heads to the Desert of Maine. He takes on a challenge: to transport, rebuild and assemble our 18th century New England Cape Cod house as a historical museum.
Watch the episode"It's a place unlike any other in Maine," reports NBC's News Center Maine. "Acres of fine sand stretches out into the distance, complete with sand dunes, looking much like, well, a miniature desert. Welcome to the Desert of Maine, an ecological oddity that's been a tourist attraction for a century."
See the featureOur re-opening made a splash in the local papers. The Press Herald got an exclusive: how we launched The Desert of Maine, reopening with new attractions and a focus on sciences.
Read the article