Come join us and unleash your creativity with these beautiful Barn Quilts. Pick out a design and colors and you’re ready to create your masterpiece. These will be painted on 24 x 24 inch birch plywood panels primed with white Kiltz ahead of time. No prior experience necessary, just be ready to paint a visually stunning piece of art that's rich in history and cultural significance. This class has have a fee for supplies of $15, payable to the instructor. Canvas and paints are supplied.

This class is a great option for students who have taken Level 1 or have prior Cuban Salsa experience. Students will continue learning Cuban Salsa moves and footwork, along with Rueda de Casino. You will learn how to connect with any partner, and build your confidence dancing to different styles and tempos of music. A partner is not required but is recommended! This is a 5 session class.

In this class, students will learn the basics of Salsa footwork and some simple, fun moves that will get you out on the dance floor. You will learn how to connect with any partner, and build confidence dancing to different styles and tempos and music. Students will be introduced to the famous Salsa Rueda. Partner is recommended. This is a 5 session class.

This course is a memoir-type writing program that uses a theme-based approach to writing life stories. Classes will provide focus and motivation to write life stories. The course will help participants organize and write their life stories using the Guided Autobiography (GAB) method. Each week, students are required to write at least two pages based on a theme-of-the-week, and share their work with a dedicated group. Students will participate in discussions relating to the theme topics. Associated writing exercises will enhance memory recall and storytelling skills. Sharing stories in small groups is the other key aspect to the program so attendance at every session is very important. It is recommended that students have a gmail account as most handouts will be shared virtually via Google Docs. The preferred device for this course is a laptop rather than a tablet. From Diana S., a Life Story Writing participant from Craig's Fall 2025 course: “I signed up for this class with no expectations except that it would be interesting. It was more than interesting--it sparked my memories and my thinking about them. Putting those thoughts and memories down on paper, clarified them and opened up new channels of thought and memory. It was also very interesting to hear others' writing--each of us so different--and yet so eloquent. Craig was very good at guiding us and keeping us on track. I highly recommend this class.”

Love crispy snacks? Discover how to make traditional Chinese spring rolls from scratch in this fun, hands-on class! You’ll learn how to prepare fillings (bamboo shoots, pork, tofu, cabbage, carrots), wrap rolls tightly, and fry them to golden perfection. Spring rolls are especially popular during Chinese New Year, symbolizing wealth and prosperity because of their golden color. We will have enough materials to make and bring some finished products home. By the end, you’ll be able to recreate this delicious appetizer at home. *A $20 ingredients fee must be paid to the instructor on the day of the workshop.

Love setting a Fall table with pumpkins? Looking for a quick DIY project or gift? Come make a hand-sewn pumpkin to keep or gift this Fall season! Make it simple or add leaves, ribbons, or berries. Skill level: beginner to intermediate. Materials you will need to bring: 1 Fat Quarter or 1/3 yards cotton fabric, thread & needle, ribbon or other embellishment as desired. A materials fee of $5 (for polyfiber fill) is due the evening of workshop.

This course covers basic genealogy concepts for researching and documenting one's ancestors. Topics include: general ideas to get started, where and how to find key genealogy records, paper and digital organization strategies, using online databases and resources, and where to go in the community to research family history. One class meeting will include a field trip to a research site. Although this is a course on genealogy fundamentals, it has a special focus on the research areas of Maine and French Canada. It is recommended that students have a gmail account as most handouts will be shared virtually via Google Docs. The preferred device for this course is a laptop rather than a tablet.

Our community book club is back! Come and have a lively discussion as we share our thoughts on these books! 

OCT Session: Come join us for our first meeting in October! The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides is a psychological thriller to get us in the spooky mood for the season. About a woman named Alicia Berenson, a painter who murders her husband, Gabriel, then never speaks another word. Theo Faber, a forensic psychotherapist is obsessed with her case, becomes her therapist to uncover her motive, only for the narrative to reveal that the storylines are not occurring simultaneously, leading to a shocking twist regarding their connection.

NOV Session: We are going to put a spin on November's book selection. For November you will be challenged to read a book of your choice in a genre that you have never/very rarely read. Let's have a thoughtful conversation on the book and genre you chose and why. Was this an eye opener for you? Will you read more books of that genre in the future? Come and let us know! Speaking of the future, The Merrymeeting Adult Ed Center will be putting its Spring/Summer catalog together soon! We will take some time during this meeting to discuss the future of our club, anything you would like to add/subtract? We will also choose future selections and possible locations. Please bring with you at least 2 book titles and a small summary that you would like the club to discuss and we will vote on the top titles!

DEC Session: Home for the holidays? Not so much for the characters in our December book pick! We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer is about a queer couple, Charlie and Eve, who buy a house to flip, only for their lives to unravel after they let a family of former residents tour the home, leading to supernatural events, disappearances, and a breakdown of reality. Originally a viral short story on Reddit. Would you have let the former family in? Let's talk about what you would have done! 

JAN Session: Happy New Year! Lets start the new year off with a great read from Fredrik Backman, the author of the bestselling book "A Man Called Ove." My Friends by Fredrick Backman is about the enduring power of friendship, art, and human connection. Follow an aspiring artist named Louisa as she uncovers the story behind a famous painting of four teenagers from a transformative summer 25 years prior, weaving together past and present narratives of trauma, hope, and healing. Come join us for a great conversation! 

FEB Session: [Wayward] - Unruly, unpredictable or difficult to control. This month we will be reading a book with that very title! Weyward by Emilia Hart is a debut novel that weaves together the stories of three women from different centuries—Altha (1619), Violet (1942), and Kate (present day)—who are connected by a shared legacy of female power, intuition, and a deep bond with nature, often labeled as witchcraft. The book explores themes of resilience, and the struggle of each woman as she confronts abuse and societal constraints, finding strength in their "weyward" spirit and connection to the natural world. Let's talk about the lives of these 3 women and what they taught us. 

MAR Session: We’d love to have you join us for a book to movie discussion. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir is a science fiction novel following Ryland Grace, a junior high science teacher turned astronaut who wakes up with amnesia on a spaceship. He discovers he is on a desperate, one-way mission to save Earth from a solar-dimming microorganism. Was the book or movie better? Let's find out together!