March

Pack Chat

Your go-to blog for tips and stories from our USM campuses and Southern Maine.


@usouthernmaine

March

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

University of Southern Maine interior of Glickman Library books on bookshelves.

March 12

7:00 PM

Portland campus

Free!

Celebrate the freedom to read at the 3rd annual Banned Book Fair! Discover challenged titles, enter free raffles, explore community resources, and grab a Le’Cha bubble tea while you browse.

February 27–March 8

Timing varies

Gorham campus

$8 – $18

Winner of the John Gassner Playwriting Award, this critically acclaimed, award-winning evening of comedies combines wit, intellect, satire and just plain fun.

March 12

7:00 PM

Gorham campus

Free!

USM’s annual Shrek Fest is back with green waffles, games, a painting contest, and an all-new costume competition — get your layers ready!

March 3

7:00 PM

Gorham campus

Free!

Join the Campus Activities Board and ASL Club for a movie night showing Sinners with on-screen interpretation — bring your friends and enjoy free food and snacks!

March 2026 in Southern Maine

People standing in line at a farm on Maine Maple Sunday waiting to get inside the sugarhouse

Maine Maple Sunday Weekend

March 21–22

Celebrate a beloved Maine tradition with sugarhouse tours, maple syrup samples, and sweet treats at farms throughout the region.

Cost: Free!

Location: Various sugarhouses across Maine

Westbrook Winterfest

March 7 | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Head to Downtown Westbrook for Winterfest and soak up the final days of winter with outdoor activities, live entertainment, and plenty of community spirit — just a short trip from campus.

Cost: Free!

Location: Downtown Westrook

Portland’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade

March 15 | 1:00 – 4:00 PM

Catch Portland’s lively St. Patrick’s Day parade with music, dance performances, and delicious food options throughout downtown.

Cost: Free!

Location: Downtown Portland

People stand around large pots over open flames outside, watching maple syrup get boiled down

Did you know…

Before maple syrup became a breakfast staple, New Englanders boiled sap down into hard maple sugar blocks and used them as an all-purpose sweetener? Maple sugar could be shaved or grated into recipes just like we use regular sugar today, and it was such a hot commodity that it even served as a major form of currency for many New Englanders.

Spotted on campus this week

Spotted in Gorham

Sled dogs? More like sled Champs! These Huskies know how to embrace a Maine winter.