April
Monthly Round Up
Welcome to the Monthly Round-Up, your go-to guide for what’s happening at the University of Southern Maine and across the Greater Portland area each month! From campus performances, concerts and student events to local festivals, cultural happenings and activities throughout the region, this series will keep you connected to what’s new, what’s next, and what’s worth checking out across our Portland and Gorham campuses and beyond.
What’s next at USM
Celebrate the season at Spring Fling, an outdoor campus tradition aligned with Admitted Students Day! Enjoy food trucks, inflatables, live music, and hopefully plenty of sunshine as Huskies and future Huskies come together.
Cabaret invites you into a Berlin nightclub at the end of the 1920s for an evening of dazzling performance amid a world on the brink of change.
Content advisory: Includes sensitive themes (anti-Semitism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, abortion), depictions of violence, and Nazi imagery.
Join USM’s annual celebration of global culture through food, music, performances, and community connections. Experience the joy of learning about and sharing the many traditions that make up our campus community.
Gather your friends for a fast-paced night of bingo, music, and prizes at PINGO. You’ll have the chance to win 6 main prizes, 5 raffle baskets, and brand-new merch throughout the evening.
April 2026 in Southern Maine
Maine Culinary Festival
April 4-6
Savor the best of Maine’s food scene at this three-day event featuring local chefs, tastings, and cooking demos that highlight Maine’s creative culinary talent.
Wander vendor booths with small-batch sauces, baked goods, Maine cheeses, and sweets while live demos highlight regional ingredients.
Cost: $5
Location: Augusta
Earth Day 2026
April 18 | 11:00 AM-2:00 PM
Celebrate Earth Day with a free, family-friendly community event featuring live music, food trucks, hands-on activities, and opportunities to connect with local environmental organizations.
It’s a simple, upbeat way to spend a spring Saturday while learning practical ways to live more sustainably.
Cost: Free!
Location: Deering Oaks Park, Portland
Maine Seaweed Week
April 18-27
Discover Maine’s sustainable seaweed harvest through special menus, tastings, and workshops at farms and restaurants across the state.
Catch the free Seaweed Saturday expo on April 25 with tastings, demos, and panels right on Portland’s working waterfront.
Cost: Prices vary by event; Seaweed Saturday is free
Location: Statewide; Seaweed Saturday at Gulf of Maine Research Institute, Portland
Did you know…
Portland’s city trees often bud 7-10 days ahead of forest trees because they escape woodland canopy shade and get extra heat from pavement, buildings, and exhaust. Even though Gorham Campus woods may feel warmer inland (away from coastal chill), their dense cover keeps trees bare as some urban sugar maples can hit full leaf by mid-April.
Spotted on campus this month
Spotted in Portland
If you’ve been holding out hope… it’s happening. Spring is finally creeping onto campus one tiny green shoot at a time.
