Webinar: Wildflowers of the Eastern Maine Islands
2024-03-28 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Online
For almost 20 years, Maine Natural History Observatory has been studying the vascular plants found on our offshore islands. Over these years, our understanding of the flora of these unique habitats have changed as a result of hundreds of surveys to document the species. Executive Director and founder, Glen Mittelhauser, will speak about the decades of work The Observatory has conducted inventorying the plants of the Eastern Maine Islands. Register here.

Race to Alaska Presentation at MITA Headquarters
2024-04-18 18:00 - 20:00 | Maine Island Trail Association, 100 Kensington St, 2nd Floor,Portland, ME 04103, USA
The Race to Alaska (R2AK) is a 750-mile unsupported, motorless boat race from Port Townsend, Washington to Ketchikan, Alaska. In 2019, Leigh Dorsey and Dameon Colbry completed the race in a bright yellow rowboat named Mursu. Since then, they have each, separately, completed the race by rowboat a second time. They credit the Maine Island Trail with preparing them for the many challenges of traveling long distances by rowboat, having completed an unsupported thru-row of the Trail in 2018, along with many shorter escapes to their favorite wild islands. Join them as they share their Race to Alaska highlights, tips, and photos!
Ticketing information will be announced shortly.

Wilderness First Aid Afloat
2024-04-20 09:00 - 17:00 | Maine Island Trail Association, 100 Kensington St, 2nd Floor, Portland, ME
*SESSION FULL* North Star Adventures will present two sessions of their Wilderness First Aid Afloat course at MITA’s beautiful waterfront office in Portland, April 20-21 and May 11-12 from 9am-5pm.
This course contains all the same information included in SOLO Wilderness First Aid, plus additional topics specifically designed for boaters. Not only will you gain the skills you need to care for people in a remote location, but you will have a great time doing so! There will be a mix of classroom sessions, practice sessions, and outdoor practical scenarios, so we promise this will NOT get boring.
You must be a current MITA member to register (special discount included). Space is limited, so click here to register now!

Wilderness First Aid Afloat
2024-04-21 09:00 - 17:00 | Maine Island Trail Association, 100 Kensington St, Portland, ME 04103, USA

Wilderness First Aid Afloat
2024-05-11 09:00 - 17:00 | Maine Island Trail Association, 100 Kensington St, Portland, ME 04103, USA
If you haven’t signed up yet, we still have some room… but not much! North Star Adventures will present two sessions of their Wilderness First Aid Afloat course at MITA’s beautiful waterfront office in Portland, April 20-21 and May 11-12 from 9am-5pm.
This course contains all the same information included in SOLO Wilderness First Aid, plus additional topics specifically designed for boaters. Not only will you gain the skills you need to care for people in a remote location, but you will have a great time doing so! There will be a mix of classroom sessions, practice sessions, and outdoor practical scenarios, so we promise this will NOT get boring.
You must be a current MITA member to register (special discount included). Space is limited, so click here to register now!

Wilderness First Aid Afloat
2024-05-12 09:00 - 17:00 | Maine Island Trail Association, 100 Kensington St, 2nd Floor, Portland, ME
*SESSION FULL* If you haven’t signed up yet, we still have some room… but not much! North Star Adventures will present two sessions of their Wilderness First Aid Afloat course at MITA’s beautiful waterfront office in Portland, April 20-21 and May 11-12 from 9am-5pm.
This course contains all the same information included in SOLO Wilderness First Aid, plus additional topics specifically designed for boaters. Not only will you gain the skills you need to care for people in a remote location, but you will have a great time doing so! There will be a mix of classroom sessions, practice sessions, and outdoor practical scenarios, so we promise this will NOT get boring.
You must be a current MITA member to register (special discount included). Space is limited, so click here to register now!

Splash!
2024-05-16 18:00 - 21:00 | East Coast Yacht Sales, 106 Lafayette St RTE 88, Yarmouth, ME
You know it, you love it, and it’s almost time to do it again. MITA will once again host Splash! at East Coast Yacht Sales in Yarmouth on Thursday, May 16 from 6-9pm. This year we’ll be channeling island vibes from lower latitudes, so break out that Tommy Bahama and join us at ECYS for a night of fantastic food and drink, music, and of course our legendary Splash! silent auction.
New this year, we’ll also be hosting an online auction that you can participate in from wherever you may be! Further details on the online component of our auction will be announced soon.
Last year, Splash! raised over $30,000 in support of MITA’s mission to promote thoughtful use and stewardship of Maine’s wild islands, and we are hoping for an even bigger success this year.
Tickets go on sale at mita.org/splash for our Sustaining members on March 25
General on-sale begins April 1
Online auction opens May 1

Portland Greendrinks on Little Diamond Island
2024-06-11 17:30 - 20:00 | Little Diamond Island, Portland, ME, USA
SOLD OUT! MITA will be the featured nonprofit for June’s rendition of Portland Greendrinks! Learn more about this incredible program here.
Our event will take place at the casino on Little Diamond Island from 5:30-8pm and will include chartered ferry service from Casco Bay Lines. Multiple beverage partners will be on hand, so bring your own cup (to reduce plastic waste!) and start your summer off right with us.

2024 Annual Meeting and Stewardship Party
2024-09-05 17:00 - 20:00 | Belfast Boathouse, 34 Commercial St., Belfast, Maine
Celebrate the stewardship season at MITA’s annual Stewardship Party and awards banquet in Belfast on Thursday, September 5 from 6-8pm! All are welcome for an evening of food, drinks, camaraderie, and awards as we celebrate all of the volunteers who help care for the Maine Island Trail. Join us at 5pm for MITA’s Annual Meeting if you are interested.

MITA Day at SoPo Seafood
2024-12-04 11:00 - 19:00 | SoPo Seafood, 171 Ocean St., South Portland, ME, 04106, United States
Join us at SoPo Seafood in South Portland on Wednesday, December 4 for MITA Day!
Open from 11am-7pm, SoPo will be offering MITA members 10% off on all purchases (both from the raw bar and market) throughout the day. This will also be a great opportunity for you to get some holiday shopping done, as MITA staff will be in attendance with our full line from the MITA Gear Shop! We’ll have some deep discounts ourselves…
Alongside us will be the crew from Nauti Sisters Sea Farm who will also be slinging their iconic merch ahead of the holidays (such as their hat collab with MITA sponsor FLYN).
Have you ever been curious about the various sea farms you see while out on the Maine Island Trail? Nauti Sisters founder Alicia Gaiero will be giving a talk on ocean farming from 3:30-4pm. If that’s still not enough oyster action for you, there will be shucking lessons from 2:30-4:30pm.
So come one, come all, and help us celebrate MITA Day!

Kegs for Causes Oyster Night at Rising Tide Brewing
2025-02-04 17:00 - 20:00 | Rising Tide Brewing Company, 103 Fox St, Portland, ME
Join us at Rising Tide Brewing (103 Fox Street in Portland) on Tuesday, February 4 from 5-8pm for an evening of beer, oysters, and MITA community.
Our friends at Maine Oyster Company will be offering discounted oysters for $2 each, while Rising Tide will generously donate $1 for every beer sold to MITA. Our staff will be on hand as well to sell you some MITA merch and get you signed up as a member for 2025 at a discounted rate! We hope to see you there, it’s going to be a blast.

Maine Aquaculture Association Presentation at MITA HQ in Portland
2025-05-22 18:00 - 20:00 | Maine Island Trail Association, 100 Kensington St, 2nd Floor, Portland, ME
Join us Thursday, May 22 from 6-8pm at our headquarters in Portland (100 Kensington Street) for a presentation from Trixie Betz of the Maine Aquaculture Association. Trixie will cover the ins and outs of Maine’s diverse aquaculture sector, and talk about what users of the Maine Island Trail can expect to see of it out there on the Trail. If you’ve ever been curious to know what those oyster farms are all about or why you might see a boat haul up a huge rope covered in seaweed, then come over to our place and enjoy an evening with us! Tickets are just $10, and are available here.
A big shoutout to Bombazine Oyster Company for providing us with delicious oysters to enjoy out on the deck, and as always a big thanks to Rising Tide Brewing for keeping the Maine Island Trail Ale flowing.

Splash!
2025-06-12 18:00 - 21:00 | East Coast Yacht Sales, 106 Lafayette St RTE 88, Yarmouth, ME

An Evening With Luc Milam of @holidayinmaine
2025-10-28 17:00 - 18:30 | Rising Tide Brewing Company, 103 Fox St, Portland, ME
Come on down to Rising Tide Brewing Company (103 Fox St. in Portland) on Tuesday, Oct. 28 from 5-6:30 p.m. and hear from Luc as he shares stories and images of his summer spent sailing along the Maine Island Trail aboard his 28-foot wooden sailboat Holiday.
Luc has stirred the imaginations of many on the Maine coast and beyond via his Instagram account, @holidayinmaine, and we feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to hear directly from Luc as he talks about life behind the scenes, aboard the boat, and among the islands.
We will gather at Rising Tide at 5 p.m. ahead of a 5:30 p.m. presentation. MITA staff will be on hand with all sorts of good stuff from the MITA Gear Shop, and to get you signed up for membership if you haven’t yet joined for 2026!
Please RSVP using the form linked here by noon on Tuesday, Oct. 28, and be sure to enter our raffle on the form! We look forward to seeing you there!

Intro to the Trail Webinar
2026-01-29 19:00 - 20:00 | Online
For anyone who is new to the Maine Island Trail Association, or who may not have been involved much in the past, we’ve got a webinar that’s just perfect for you!
Join us on Zoom on Thursday, Jan. 29 from 7-8pm EST as we discuss the Trail, how to explore it using the MITA App and Guide, and ways to get the most out of your membership.
Register using the link below, and we’ll see you on screen.

Within the Whale at Rising Tide Brewing (Sold Out)
2026-02-18 14:30 - 16:45 | Rising Tide Brewing Company, 103 Fox St, Portland, ME
SOLD OUT!
Have you heard the buzz?! Following recent features on Good Morning America and on the front page of the Portland Press Herald, viral sensation (and TikTok star) Chunk the whale, of Within the Whale, will be making an appearance exclusively for MITA members at Rising Tide Brewing Company (103 Fox Street in Portland) on Wednesday, Feb. 18, with two sessions running from 2:30-3:30 p.m. and 3:45-4:45 p.m.
Within the Whale is an immersive marine education program hosted by award-winning wildlife educator Jess Woodend that takes place inside a life-size inflatable humpback whale named Chunk. An amazing experience for adults, kids, and whole families, we encourage you to RSVP and come join us.
Not a MITA member yet? Go to mita.org/join and become a member for 2026 for as little as $35!

Night Skies with John Meader
2026-03-17 17:30 - 19:30 | Maine Island Trail Association, 100 Kensington St, 2nd Floor, Portland, ME
Join fellow MITA members at MITA Headquarters in Portland for a evening skies presentation from John Meader of Northern Stars Planetarium that is custom-tailored to the Maine Island Trail. This event will take place the night before the new moon, offering the potential for telescope viewing outside (weather permitting) following an indoor presentation.
Not a MITA member? Join here before registering for this event!

Boat America — A Course for Responsible Boating
2026-03-22 08:30 - 15:30 | Maine Island Trail Association, 100 Kensington St, 2nd Floor, Portland, ME
Boat America is the NASBLA Boating Safety Course endorsed by the State of Maine that is required to obtain your Maine Boating Safety Certificate card. Join MITA members at our headquarters in Portland (100 Kensington St.) on Sunday, March 22 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and earn your card!
This course is open to all ages. If you were born on or after January 1, 1999, you may not operate a motorboat with greater than 25 horsepower for recreational boating purposes on Maine’s inland or territorial waters unless you’re 12 years of age or older and have completed a boater safety and education course.
This is a comprehensive introductory course that is designed to meet the boating education needs of recreational boaters and includes specific requirements established by Maine Boating Laws. This course will provide general information about boats and maintenance, information to make your boating experience safer and more comfortable, and tips on how to be a more courteous boat operator. Students will receive a manual with the course and must pass a NASBLA exam at the end of the course to obtain the Maine Boating Safety Certificate card.
You must be a current MITA member to register. Space is limited, so click below to register now!

Wilderness First Aid Afloat
2026-04-11 09:00 - 2026-04-12 17:00, 2026-05-02 09:00 - 2026-05-03 17:00 | Maine Island Trail Association, 100 Kensington St, 2nd Floor, Portland, ME
Do you have the skills to handle a medical emergency on the Maine Island Trail, or anywhere else in the wilderness.
Here’s a chance to acquire some really critical knowledge. North Star Adventures will present two sessions of their Wilderness First Aid Afloat course at MITA’s beautiful waterfront office in Portland (100 Kensington St.), April 11-12 and May 2-3 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
This course contains all the same information included in SOLO Wilderness First Aid, plus additional topics specifically designed for boaters. Not only will you gain the skills you need to care for people in a remote location, but you will have a great time doing so! There will be a mix of classroom sessions, practice sessions, and outdoor practical scenarios, so we promise this will NOT get boring.
You must be a current MITA member to register (special discount included). Space is limited, so click below to register now!

State of the Trail Mixer
2026-04-28 17:00 - 19:00 | Maine Island Trail Association, 100 Kensington St, 2nd Floor, Portland, ME
New for 2026, we will be hosting a Trail-focused mixer for current members at MITA HQ in Portland. We will have staff on hand ready to answer your questions about the Trail and new additions to it, and you’ll have opportunities to meet other coastal adventurers to exchange stories and notes with! Light refreshments will be served, and of course we’ll have Maine Island Trail Ale and other beverages on hand as well.
Registration opens soon, so be sure to check back here and keep an eye on your inbox!

Splash!
2026-05-28 18:00 - 21:00 | East Coast Yacht Sales, 106 Lafayette St RTE 88, Yarmouth, ME
Splash! with us on Thursday, May 28
MITA’s largest annual fundraiser returns to East Coast Yacht Sales in Yarmouth on Thursday, May 28 from 6-9pm!
We are excited to announce that we are once again partnering with the James Beard Award-winning team at Big Tree Catering, who will be catering the event with some of the finest locally-sourced ingredients available. In addition to exceptional food and drink, Splash! will once again offer festive live music as well as a silent auction featuring numerous unique items and works from art from the likes of Eric Hopkins and many others.
If you’d like to enjoy a deeper experience at Splash!, consider purchasing a Launch Committee ticket that will give you access to an early VIP welcoming reception along with other benefits.
General ticket on-sale dates will be announced shortly. The highly anticipated online portion of the Splash! auction will run from May 4-14. Stay tuned for further information!
Learn more at mita.org.splash

MITA BOARD RETREAT
2026-07-10, 2027-07-09
MITA’s annual Board retreat typically falls the Friday after the board meeting would normally meet (second Weds) UNLESS that falls to close to Independence Day in which case it must be manually moved.
