Directors of music, cantors, and volunteer choir members from around New England will gather at Sacred Heart Church in Yarmouth on October 12-14 for a three-day workshop that will offer an enriching and transformative experience including the fundamentals of singing, music theory and structure, cantor training, and even introduction to chant.

In commemoration of the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a special Mass will be celebrated on September 8 at 5:30 p.m. at Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, 333 Main Street in Presque Isle. The Mass will be followed at 6:15 p.m. by a potluck supper and then ice cream at the nearby Knights of Columbus Hall

St. John Vianney Parish will hold the Blessing of the Animals on Sunday, October 1, at 2 p.m., outside the rectory garage next to St. Louis Church, 26 East Main Street, Fort Kent.

The festival will include music, costumes, handmade crafts, and the opportunity to sample many Central and South American dishes like tacos, tamales, pupusas, arepas, rellenitos, chicken stew, flan, and much more. Tickets for the different food items will be sold at the festival.

The annual African Festival, a celebration of the beauty of African culture and community, will be held at the Guild Hall of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, located on 307 Congress Street in Portland, on Saturday, September 16, from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. The festival will be preceded by a Mass at the Cathedral at 4 p.m.