Calendar of Events

WMPG Fridaze 5-7 pm
2026-02-13 17:00 - 19:00, 2026-02-20 17:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | Southworth Planetarium — Science Building, 70 Falmouth St, Portland, ME, 04103, United States
A rotating cast of WMPG DJ’s broadcast live from venues around town. The live events runs from 5-7pm. Broadcasting live from 5:00-7pm. WMPG’s Freaky Fridaze rolls on with a brand-new lineup of live broadcasts from some of our favorite local spots. This happy hour series takes your favorite community DJs out of the studio and into the wild, spinning records and soaking up the vibes with listeners, music lovers, and beer drinkers alike.

The Dark Matter Mystery
2026-02-13 19:00 - 20:00 | Southworth Planetarium — Science Building, 70 Falmouth St, Portland, ME, 04103, United States
What are the building blocks of our universe? We’ve been trying to answer this question for centuries, but we haven’t found the ultimate answer. Approximately a quarter of the universe consists of mysterious dark matter. We know it is there, but we don’t know what it is made of.

Rusty Rocket's Last Blast!
2026-02-14 13:00 - 14:00 | Southworth Planetarium — Science Building, 70 Falmouth St, Portland, ME, 04103, United States
Join Rusty Rocket and his band of rocket rookies as they explore the solar system. Fly across Saturn’s rings, soar along a Martian canyon; delve deep into the solar interior!

For the LOVE of Back Cove: An Interactive Reflection of Stewardship Action
2026-02-14 13:00 - 14:30 | Glickman Family Library, 314 Forest Avenue, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
A 200-year timeline of stewardship actions and will feature audience reflections of why we LOVE and continue to care for Back Cove today.

For the LOVE of Back Cove: An Interactive Reflection of Stewardship Action
Saturday, February 14th, 1 PM – 2:30 PM
University Events Room, 7th Floor, Glickman Family Library
University of Southern Maine, Portland Campus
Presenters: Glenn Page, Executive Director of COBALT
The presentation explores a complex history and deeper understanding of the uniqueness and importance of Back Cove exploring how it has transformed from receiving waters of industrial waste and untreated sewage to a model of stewardship action that has just begun. This will be highly interactive as all members of the audience will be invited to describe what YOU love most about the transformation of Back Cove.
This is the fourth in a series of six Back Cove lectures and panel discussions that will take place throughout 2025-2026.
The lecture is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served.
Once you RSVP, you are welcome to send a summary of what you LOVE about Back Cove.
Parking is available in the Bedford Street garage for $4.15/hour.
For accommodations or questions, please contact oml-usm@maine.edu

Valentine's Day with Brennan & Kargul
2026-02-14 19:00 - 20:30 | Performance Hall — Crewe Center for the Arts, 111 Bedford St, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Celebrate love, legacy, and lyrical beauty this Valentine’s Day with an unforgettable musical evening featuring violinist Callie Brennan and pianist Laura Kargul. Returning for the Osher School of Music’s beloved Valentine’s concert, this dynamic duo continues a cherished tradition established by the iconic Lantz-Kargul partnership. Join us afterwards for a post-performance reception. Sponsored by Tenney S. Augur ’79 and Newell A. Augur, Jr.
Tickets go on-sale September 5th.
Tickets available through PortTIX, the official box office for the Osher School of Music.
PHONE 207-842-0800
ONLINE www.porttix.com
IN-PERSON 400 Congress St Suite A, Portland, ME 04101

Event Details
Parking
Due to limited resources, parking is not free on our Portland and Gorham campuses. You must purchase a parking permit or paid parking session to park on campus. We recommend reserving your parking in advance at https://events.parkengage.com/usm.
For easy access to the Crewe Center for the Arts, choose either Parking Garage 1 (attached to the Abromson Community Education Center), Lot P1 (off of Bedford St. by Luther Bonney) or Lot P6 (off of Exeter St. or Deering Ave by the former Maine Law building).
Disability Access and Accommodations
If you have questions about disability access or need to request disability accommodations (e.g. sign language interpreters, materials in electronic format, etc.), please contact Hanna Flewelling at (207) 780-5256 or hanna.flewelling@maine.edu. Requests should be made as soon as possible to allow sufficient time for the accommodation process.

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Little Draggy Adventure
2026-02-16 11:00 - 12:00 | ME
Do you know where the earth lives? What surrounds it? How far is it from the Earth to the Sun, and what makes our planet different from the others? Take a wonderful journey with a cheerful dragon Woody, who travels around the Universe in search of fantastic adventures.

Meadow Racer's Ride Experience
2026-02-16 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-02-17 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-02-18 12:00 - 13:00 | Southworth Planetarium — Science Building, 70 Falmouth St, Portland, ME, 04103, United States
A beetle, a bee, a mosquito and a snail race over a course of obstacles and try to outwit each other to be first to cross the finish line. Who will prevail to take the ultimate prize – a discarded slice of birthday cake?
“The Meadow Racers” is a fulldome short-film for planetariums and digital dome theatres.

Destination Solar System
2026-02-16 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-02-17 13:00 - 14:00, 2026-02-18 13:00 - 14:00 | Southworth Planetarium — Science Building, 70 Falmouth St, Portland, ME, 04103, United States
The year is 2096. Space tourism is thriving and “Space Express Tours” is the world’s leading company in space. You’ve signed up for a quick trip around the Solar System. DURATION: 30:40

Dino Planet Ride Experience
2026-02-16 14:00 - 15:00, 2026-02-17 14:00 - 15:00, 2026-02-18 14:00 - 15:00, 2026-02-19 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-02-19 14:00 - 15:00, 2026-02-20 12:00 - 13:00, 2026-02-20 14:00 - 15:00 | Southworth Planetarium — Science Building, 70 Falmouth St, Portland, ME, 04103, United States
Dino Planet is an immersive animated adventure ride for children. It was created by 360art over a period of about ten months in their Chiang Mai (Thailand) production studio.
On Dino Planet, Professor Schwartz has been raising dinosaurs since they were eggs. Now he would like to show you his pre-historic pets. Join the professor for an exciting and educational journey in his trusty (or should that be rusty) vehicle, Auto. Observe and learn about different types of dinosaurs as the tour winds through majestic tropical forests, an abandoned launch site and a frozen sled track. The professor is keen to share all he has learned about the creatures in his care. He might need to use his knowledge and your help to evade some of the pets and return everyone home safely. You can be one of the heroes that helps the professor to survive.”

Employers On-Campus: Central Maine Healthcare
2026-02-17 11:00 - 14:00 | McGoldrick Center for Career & Student Success, 35 Bedford Street, Portland, ME, 04101
Network with local employers without having to leave campus! Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. on the first floor of the McGoldrick Center on the Portland campus, various employers will be on campus to talk about their work and answer any questions.

Office Hours w/ Artist-in-Residence Peter Bruun
2026-02-18 16:15 - 18:00, 2026-02-20 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-02-25 16:15 - 18:00 | Academy Building, 100 School St, Gorham, ME, 04038, United States
Peter Bruun, Together (detail, one of 27 panels), 2022-2023. Oil on gessoed panel, 12 x 18 in.
The University of Southern Maine Art Department is excited to welcome Spring 2026 Artist-in-Residence Peter Bruun.
Working under the aegis of Bruun Studios, Peter Bruun is an artist, writer, curator, and cultural organizer whose work spans painting, drawing, publishing, and community-based art. For more than 30 years, his studio practice has fueled projects that bring art into conversation with social justice, collaboration, and collective care—ranging from exhibitions and public programs to experimental publications and artist-led organizations.
As part of his residency, Peter will host open Office Hours in his Academy Building studio throughout the spring semester. Students are encouraged to stop by to talk about artwork, creative process, career paths, organizing, or anything else on your mind. Whether you’re looking for feedback, conversation, or just curious to see how an artist works, walk-ins are welcome.
Office Hours

Wednesdays, February 18 – April 30, 4:15 – 6 pm
Fridays, February 13 – May 1st, 9 am – noon
No hours during Spring Break (March 18 & 20)
Open to all students
Academy Building, 1st Floor (100 College Ave. Gorham campus)

Come by, ask questions, and take advantage of this opportunity to connect with a visiting artist working at the intersection of art, ideas, and community.

Family Fun Day
2026-02-19 10:30 - 12:30 | Osher Map Library — Glickman Family Library, 314 Forest Ave, Portland, ME, 04101, United States
Looking for some family fun during February Break?

Drop in on Thursday, February 19, 2026, in the Osher Map Library Cohen Classroom (Glickman 103) for map activities, arts and crafts and snacks!

Time: 10:30am – 12:30pm

We have a roster of fun activities planned for our K-12 visitors:

Visit the reading room to see a collection of glorious globes and check our the Konkel Family Book Collection.
Get your hands dirty with some arts and crafts in the Cohen Educational Center, plus learn about our annual Illustrated Map Making Contest.
We will also have map puzzles on hand and plenty of snacks!

All families are welcome, this event is free, and no registration is necessary–just stop on by and enjoy the fun!

The Little Star That Could
2026-02-19 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-02-20 11:00 - 12:00 | Southworth Planetarium — Science Building, 70 Falmouth St, Portland, ME, 04103, United States
A little yellow star travels through the galaxy in search of planets that will give it its special name. During his journey, this star learns about the many types of stars that live in the galaxy.

Employer On-Campus Visits: Target
2026-02-19 11:00 - 14:00 | McGoldrick Center for Career & Student Success, 35 Bedford Street, Portland, ME, 04101

POSTPONED - Cosmic Coda (Come back here for updates on a new date and time)
2026-02-24 18:00 - 19:30 | Southworth Planetarium — Science Building, 70 Falmouth St, Portland, ME, 04103, United States
How do you build a machine to test an idea—Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity—that’s beyond most people’s comprehension? And what does an astrophysicist actually do on a regular Tuesday while probing the depths of space?
In Cosmic Coda, a naive grad student filmmaker asks these questions in 1985—then returns nearly 40 years later to continue the journey, capturing one of the most profound scientific discoveries of our time as it happens.
A special screening of the full documentary Cosmic Coda, this program traces the story of LIGO and the landmark detection of gravitational waves. Together, participants will be able to explore how our understanding of the universe — and the very nature of scientific discovery — has evolved across generations.
This screening of Cosmic Coda is presented to honor the life of MIT physicist Rainer Weiss.

The New Force Five
2026-02-26 13:00 - 14:00 | ME
Extreme weather takes center stage in this full dome animated show.
Using real movies and NASA based images, Force Five offers the audience a vantage that would never be safe in the real world, creating a sense of what it would look and feel like if you were standing in the middle of a deadly storm.
“Experience a storm without getting wet!”
