Welcome to the Bayside Neighborhood! The latest BNA goings-on are here. For more information about the BNA click on the menu above. Subscribe to get email notifications of new posts using the blue button on the right. Reach out to info@baysideportland.org with any questions or ideas. Thanks for staying in touch!
The Bayside Gnome Roam Begins!
How It Works: Start any time during Bayside Week, but get a headstart including hints and how-tos at the BNA Spring Cleanup Saturday April 25th from 10-noon at the Bayside Community Garden on Chestnut Street.
During Bayside Week (April 25–May 2) you can find gnomes hidden all over the neighborhood. See below for photos and clues on where to find them. Track them down in real life, snap your own photo and email it to gnomes@baysideportland.org or paste it into the uploader on the bottom of the page.
Capture the spirit of Bayside and win big. Your photos could earn you neighborhood gear, gift cards to local favorites, or a gnome of your very own!
We’ll get together at the end of the week to share stories, photos, and collect prizes. Join us at Wilson County BBQ on Hanover Street Sunday May 3rd at 5pm for the announcement of the Gnome-coming King and Queen!
Note: Please do not touch, move, tamper with, disturb or otherwise harass the gnomes. They are very sensitive; remember that the Bayside gnomes live here too, and if you move them they could get lost or confused. Please think of your fellow gnome hunters, too! Try to take a unique photo that shows that you and your hunting party were there with the gnome. Make it fun for everyone!
BEHIND THE SCENES: Maine Clay Collaborative Kiln Unload: Gnome Edition
New ESOL Group in Bayside starts May 4th
The Bayside Opportunity Center, in collaboration with Avesta Housing and the A. Philip Randolph Institute (APRI), is now offering a guided English Conversation Group — a fun and relaxed space to practice English and build confidence through real conversations. Sessions include interactive discussions and simple group activities designed to develop speaking and listening skills, led by professional teachers of English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) Ina Demers MS Ed, and Garrett Stewart, president of APRI ME.
Sessions are offered every weekday (5 days a week) in the Community Room at Pearl Place at 184 Pearl Street in Portland — Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 5–7 PM, and Tuesday from 5–6 PM. Free of charge, and no registration required. All ages and levels welcome, and support for parents with small children can be provided. For more information, contact demeri@portlandschools.org.
Groupe de conversation en anglais
Grupo de Conversação em Inglês
مجموعة المحادثة باللغة الإنجليزية
Kooxda Wada-hadalka Ingiriisiga
Kikundi cha Mazungumzo ya Kiingereza
The Spring 2026 Baysider is here!
The latest Baysider is out and about. Click the photo to download a pdf version, and visit your local Bayside businesses to find a print copy. Thanks to Maine Trust for Local News for help with the printing, and to all our contributors, advertisers, and supporters for making the Baysider happen. Let us know what you think, submit an article, advertisement, and/or join the Baysider Team by emailing baysider@baysideportland.org
Baysider Mission Statement: The Baysider is a quarterly newsletter published by the Bayside Neighborhood Association (BNA) to promote neighborhood activities, businesses, people, and news. It is intended to build neighborhood cohesion, strengthen relationships, recruit new members to the BNA, and spread joy.
BAYSIDE WEEK April 25th – May 3rd
Saturday April 25
Bayside Spring Cleanup 10am–12pm,
Bayside Community Garden, 78 Chestnut Street
Part of the “2nd Annual Great Portland Pickup.” Coffee, water & snacks provided. Trash bags, gloves, and pickers provided.
Gnome Roam Kickoff — Show up for the cleanup and get a headstart on the Gnome Roam with instructions, tips and clues. The more you photograph, the bigger the prize — including new Bayside swag, local gift certificates, and more. You may even get to take you very own gnome home! The Gnome Roam goes all week, with a wrap party on Sunday May 3rd. (see below)
Spring Cleanup Afterparty 12pm–3pm Bayside Bowl, 58 Alder Street • Free string of bowling for every cleanup participant, courtesy of Bayside Bowl!
Consider the Source w/ S.C.O.B.Y.
8pm–11:30pm, Bayside Bowl, 58 Alder Street
Live in concert. all ages. $20 adv. $25 door
Sunday April 26
Drag Brunch 10:30am–1pm
Batson River Brewing & Distilling, 82 Hanover St.
Deb Van Hoewyk Community Garden Naming Ceremony 1pm–2pm
Bayside Community Garden, 78 Chestnut Street
Honoring longtime BNA board member and community activist Deborah Van Hoewyk.
Tea Time Afterparty 2-3pm,
Two Fat Cats Bakery, 195 Lancaster Street • Every pie sold benefits the Maine Immigrant Rights Coalition
Rainbow Reels–Movie Watch Party 2pm–5pm
Equality Community Center, 15 Casco Street
Bach’s B Minor Mass, Portland Symphony Orchestra 2:30pm, Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle Street • Pre-concert conversation at 1:30pm.
Live Concert — Boyscout, The Fur, Robert Samantha 7:30pm–11:30pm
The Apohadion Theater, 107 Hanover Street
Monday April 27
Wayside Community Lunch 12pm–1pm
409 Cumberland Avenue • Presented by Wayside Food Programs. Open to the public.
Sundaes on Monday 1pm–2pm
409 Cumberland Avenue • After lunch join us for dessert!
Tuesday April 28
Bayside Opportunity Center Meet & Greet, Stay & Play 3:30pm–5pm,
Stone Street Playground, 170–174 Oxford Street
Learn about the BOC and imagine a community center in Bayside. Games, sweet treats, and freebies for kids.
Trivia Night with Sporcle 6:30pm–8:30pm
Batson River Brewing & Distilling, 82 Hanover St
Bach’s B Minor Mass, Portland Symphony Orchestra 7pm,
Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle Street • Pre-concert conversation at 6:00pm.
Wednesday April 29
Bayside Business Breakfast Club 8:30am Maine Clay Collaborative, 65 Hanover Street
Last Wednesday of every month. RSVP: breakfastclub@baysideportland.org
Midtown Properties Community Feedback Session 4pm–6pm
City Hall, 389 Congress Street, Room 24 • Share your ideas for four City-owned, undeveloped parcels in Bayside.
Trivia Night 7pm–9pm
Wilson County Barbecue, 82 Hanover St Suite 8
Every Wednesday 7–9pm. 75¢ wings + rotating beverage special.
Thursday April 30
Sidewalk Chalk Flash Mob 3pm–4pm
28 Portland St (under the big green Bayside sign) • Draw your dream streetscape, send a message of peace to your neighbors, or maybe play a little hopscotch! Thanks to the City of Portland Office of Sustainability for providing the chalk.
BNA Teams Appreciation Party 5pm–8pm
RSVP to info@baysideportland.org for information
Friday May 1
2026 Gallery Season Opening 5pm–8pm
82 Parris Gallery, 82 Parris Street • First Friday Art Walk
Clay Play 5pm–7pm
Maine Clay Collaborative, 65 Hanover Street
Free drop-in pottery wheel experience. No work kept — just fun!
Spring for the Kids 6pm–9pm
Boys & Girls Club, 277 Cumberland Avenue
Drag Race Viewing Party 7pm–9:30pm Batson River Brewing & Distilling, 82 Hanover St
Bearly Dead, Live in Concert 8–11:30pm, Bayside Bowl, 58 Alder Street
80’s Dance Night 8:30pm–12am
Bubba’s Sulky Lounge,92 Portland Street • Wear full 80s gear and get in FREE + chance to win $50 cash. Spectators: $5 cover.
Saturday May 2
USCF Monthly Chess Series 10am–2pm
Baxter Academy, 185 Lancaster Street
Registration 9:45am. USCF ID required.
$10 entry, $15 prize for quad winners.
Re-Urbanizing the Urban Fabric: Portland’s Franklin Street (Jane’s Walk)
9am-10am, Meet at Lincoln Park near Federal Street & Congress Street
Affordable Housing in Portland: Rethinking Expectations (Jane’s Walk)
11am-12:30pm, Meet at 72 Oak Street
The Potential Future Home of the Bayside Opportunity Center at 28 Portland Street (Jane’s Walk)
1pm-2pm, Meet at 28 Portland Street
Bayside Underwater (Jane’s Walk)
2pm-3pm, Meet at Chestnut St. and Congress St.
Vogue Ballroom 101 with Aquarius Funk
2pm–4pm, Equality Community Center,
15 Casco Street • Intro to vogue ballroom — practice and conversation about ballroom culture. By donation, no one turned away. Open to all 18+, centering QTBIPOC individuals.
Bayside Neighborhood Association Annual Meeting 5pm–7pm Equality Community Center, 15 Casco Street • Potluck, board elections, year-in-review. Bring a dish if you can!
Honey Tones in Concert 7pm–9pm,
“Last Church on the Left” at 58 Wilmot Street • Swing, blues, jazz, and folk. Suggested donation $20, all proceeds to performers. BYOB (no red wine) text 207-773-3434 for more information
Everything Dance Party with DJ Jon
9pm–12am, Bubba’s Sulky Lounge, 92 Portland St
Today’s hits plus everything else.
Sunday May 3
Gnome Roam Wrap Party 5pm–8pm
Wilson County BBQ, 82 Hanover Street
Share photos & stories and take home prizes and “gnomentos” from Bayside Week
Note:Schedule is subject to change. For the latest updates and more information please see the Bayside Neighborhood Association website at baysideportland.org
BNA Dev Team Shows Up for Bayside
Wednesday afternoon the City of Portland hosted the first of two public feedback forums related to the Midtown Properties in Bayside. Members of the BNA Relevant Developments Team, including team lead Amelia LaBreck, vice-president Rob Sylvain, and treasurer Peter Markoe attended to make sure Bayside voices are heard throughout the process. The city also is soliciting feedback though an online survey, here: Midtown Project Community Survey
The next public forum is scheduled for April 29th at City Hall. (The session’s hours have been extended to accommodate more members of the public, and will now be held from 4pm – 7pm.) For more information visit the City of Portland Website. Click the link below for an overview of the BNA’s position on Midtown, or use the search tool to the right for some historical perspective.
Please take the survey and consider joining us at the next public session. Feel free to contact us with any questions or ideas at developments@baysideportland.org As always, we want to hear from you!
Gnome Making Event Success!
Get ready for the Bayside Gnome Roam! 🧙♂️
What a night! During April’s First Friday, dozens of neighbors and friends packed Maine Clay Collaborative for our Gnome Roam prep event — and the results were magical. Scores of handmade clay gnomes are now drying, ready to be fired up and let loose on the streets of Bayside.
So what happens next? The fine folks at Maine Clay will fire all those little characters in the kiln. Then we’ll fan out across the neighborhood and tuck them into nooks, perch them on stoops, and hide them in plain sight — ready for neighbors to discover during Bayside Week, April 25th through May 2nd. Find one, photograph it, share it. It’s part art project, part hide-and-seek, and totally Bayside.
Bayside Week is shaping up to be something really special. Get a head start on the Gnome Roam by showing up at our kickoff cleanup event from 10am-noon on Saturday April 25th at the Bayside Community Garden. Check out everything that’s happening at www.baysideportland.org/community-calendar/ — and if you have an event to add or want to get involved, reach out to the events team.
Let’s show everyone why Bayside is the Playside!
Thank You Maine Clay Collaborative!
Nominating Committee Announces Slate of Candidates for May BNA Board Elections
Every year at the Annual Meeting, one-half of the board is elected for a two-year term. Last year the board voted to add two seats, so in order to keep balance between odd and even year members, two new seats are added this spring, bringing the total number of individual board members to ten. The nominating committee is charged with recruiting a slate of candidates for election to be announced 30 days ahead of the annual meeting.
Here are the 2026 Candidates:
Susan McCloskey
Susan is a longtime resident of Bayside and charter member of the BNA board, first elected in 1999. She is board liaison to the Community Garden Team and the Trees & Greens Team, contributor to The Baysider which she previously served as editor, and dependable volunteer for the Citizens’ Trash Brigade, Events Team, and Monday Community Lunches. Susan lives on Parris Street in Bayside.
Rayyaan Hakizimana
Rayyaan is Operations Manager at Food For All Services, a family food pantry located on Parris Street in Bayside. He was appointed to the board of the BNA in 2026 to a non-resident seat vacated by Alex Landry last year. Now leading the BNA Welcome Team, Rayyaan has laid out a plan to help with Bayside branding and social media outreach. Rayyaan lives in Gorham, Maine.
Sarah Gauvin
Sarah lives on Hanover Street in Bayside and works as a program manager at Hope Acts, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving asylum seekers throughout Southern Maine. She was appointed to the BNA board in 2026 to fill the seat left by Deb Van Hoewyk’s passing last year. Sarah has been active in the city’s ESOL Collaborative group, and has 10+ years working for non-profits in administrative, program management, outreach, and volunteer roles.
Michael Hayes
Michael lives at the corner of Cumberland and Forest Avenue in Bayside and has been a neighborhood resident for over six years. He has been attending BNA board meetings in recent months and currently serves on the BNA Safe Streets Team, participating in last year’s Pedestrian Safety Focus Group, and the recently organized Portland Safe Streets Coalition. He also regularly attends and assists the Wayside Food Programs community lunches in the apartment complex where he resides.
Patrick Beacham
Patrick lives in Westbrook and works in Bayside as the property manager for Avesta Housing’s Pearl Place Apartments. He brings experience in communication, budgeting, financial analysis, political advocacy, and both journalistic and academic writing. Patrick is committed to serving the community, drawing on years of close ties and a deep investment in Bayside’s wellbeing and future.
Elections Process Summary:
- January 6 – Submissions for consideration by the nominating committee opened
- April 1 – Last day for submissions to the Nominating Committee
- April 2 – Nominating Committee announces the final slate of nominated candidates
- April 25 – Deadline to announce write-in candidacy
- May 2 – Annual Meeting – General Members who sign a membership form vote on board candidates
- May 5 – Regular monthly board meeting – Board selects its 4 officers and organizational seats
Per BNA bylaws, the ratio of individual board members not residing in Bayside shall not exceed 1/3. A full description of the nominating process can be found here: Nominating & Election Procedures and Policies.
Current Board of Directors
- Tom Blackburn – President
- Rob Sylvain – Vice President
- Colette Bouchard – Secretary
- Peter Markoe – Treasurer
- Susan McCloskey
- Jim Hall
- Rayyaan Hakizimana
- Sarah Gauvin
- Betsy Boyd – representing Portland Downtown
City Announces Public Process for Midtown Development
Calling all Baysiders! Now is the time to have our voices heard! In response to demands for public involvement before selling the Midtown Properties in Bayside, The City of Portland announced a comprehensive process for soliciting community input. Click here to access the City of Portland website for more information and to take the community survey
Community members are invited to share their ideas for how these sites should be used at upcoming public meetings and through an online survey. A summary of community feedback will be presented to the Council’s Housing & Economic Development Committee in May. Based on this input and subsequent Council guidance, marketing materials may be developed for further Committee review.
The Bayside Neighborhood Association has been working on this for decades, and was instrumental in producing the landmark New Vision for Bayside in January of 2000 as part of the city’s comprehensive plan. Still relevant today, it’s the centerpiece of the city’s supporting documents on Midtown. At the heart of the plan, as illustrated below, is a sequence of urban-density buildings lining the then-unrealized Bayside Trail, anchored by a central “public open space.” We respectfully request that the city honors that commitment to the public good by reserving a 125′ x 125′ piece of the property (about 1/10th of the total area) for a much needed public recreation area.
Today, we’re asking Baysiders and allies to affirm and amplify the board’s multiple entreaties to the council. Below are copies of the BNA’s official statements. Please feel free to refer to them when filling out the survey and/or writing to your city councillors. We also want to hear your ideas so please reach out to board@baysideportland.org and let us know what you think.
More on Midtown:
Earth Day at Deering Oaks
Coming Soon:
from our friends at the City of Portland Office of Sustainability: Portland’s upcoming Earth Day Celebration on Saturday, April 18th from 11am-2pm at Deering Oaks Park by the Bandstand, just steps from the opening day of the Portland Farmers’ Market.
Get ready for the Bayside GNOME ROAM this Friday
Drop by Maine Clay Collaborative during this coming First Friday, April 3rd from 5 to 7pm to help us get ready for the Bayside Gnome Roam during Bayside Week (4/25-5/2)
What’s a Gnome Roam? All through Bayside Week, handmade clay figurines will be tucked into corners, perched on stoops, and lurking in plain sight all across the neighborhood. You make them and the folks at Maine Clay will bake them. Next we’ll hide them so neighbors can find them, photograph them, share them. It’s part art project, part hide-and-seek, and totally Bayside.
Bayside Week is coming this spring — April 25th through May 2nd — and the Gnome Roam is just part of what’s happening. Find out more at www.baysideportland.org or contact the events team to add an event or join in the fun. Help us celebrate the neighborhood you love and show why Bayside is the Playside!