MEXICO – The Mexico Public Library will offer a reading program again this summer for children ages 2-14. It will run from Monday, June 14, through Friday, Aug. 20. The theme is Dive Into Reading! It will be incentive-based and coupons will be offered for treats donated by local businesses. Interested children may sign up at the library during business hours. For more information, visit or phone the library at 364-3281.

Yoga presentation

RUMFORD – Spiritual City Yoga presents Lunch Time Yoga on the Island from noon to 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays, June 16 through Aug. 11, at Morency Park, River Street. Instructor will be Jean Popovich. Cost is $5 per session. For more information phone 369-0656.

Lunch and Learn

RUMFORD – The next business Lunch and Learn Seminar will take place on Wednesday, June 16. This is the last seminar in the first six-month series. Another six-month series is being planned from July to December. The seminar will be held at the River Valley Business Resource Center on 34 River St., Rumford. The session will run from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. The cost is $8 and includes lunch. Preregistration is required and may be made by calling Beverly at (207) 369-0396 or e-mailing [email protected] by June 14. The topic will be “The Voice of the Customer” presented by Mary Dube of the River Valley Growth Council.

Benefit dance

RUMFORD – A benefit dance will be held from 6 p.m. to midnight Saturday, June 19, at the Eagles Hall on Oxford Avenue, to help defray the medical expenses of Bert Ames. Music will be provided by Whiskey Creek from 6 to 8 p.m., MistaaRiff from 8 to 10 p.m. and Hooligans from 10 p.m. to midnight. The admission donation is $5 per person or $8 per couple at the door. There will be a Chinese auction, 50/50 raffle and snacks. Children are welcome until 8 p.m.

Bethel festival

BETHEL – On Sunday, June 20, as part of the afternoon Midsummer Festival in Bethel, Celtic duo Kristin Tescher and Nick Apollonio will be performing a mix of Celtic and traditional music on harp, fiddle, cittern (a Medieval stringed instrument) and 12-string guitar. They have performed throughout New England as well as in Ireland. The afternoon portion of the Midsummer Festival begins at 2 p.m. and will take place in The Meadow, a half-mile west of town on Route 2. Special activities for Father’s Day include a presentation by the Neville Company, which is part of the British Plate Armour Society. They will be wearing Armour and demonstrating swordsmanship from the time of the War of the Roses. Highland Mary Morris dancers will perform traditional dances of the British Isles, and there will be arts and crafts activities for all ages. Face painting, giant bubble blowing, instant poetry, play-sword making, costume decoration, flower-garland making, a traditional “Midsummer Pole” maypole-like dance are planned. The Midsummer Festival follows the Summer Solstice Sculpture Race, which will be held at noon on the Bethel Common. All are invited to come watch these crazy creations race around The Bethel Common. Entry forms and information are available on the Web at www.midsummerfestival.org. All events are free and open to everyone. Events in The Meadows are handicapped accessible. A complete schedule of activities is listed on the midsummerfestival.org Web site, or phone 824-3246 or 824-3170 for more information.

College workshop

RUMFORD – Adults considering college are invited to participate in a free college-planning workshop sponsored by the Maine Educational Opportunity Center from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday, June 21, at Rumford Career Center, 35 Congress St. Unlike student financial aid programs, which help students to overcome financial barriers to higher education, the Maine Educational Opportunity Center has been providing valuable support services to help students from low income and working families successfully enter college since 1991. MEOC helps adult students overcome class, social, academic and cultural barriers to higher education. MEOC services include: assistance in choosing a college, tutoring, personal and financial counseling, career counseling, assistance in applying to college, workplace and college visits, and assistance in applying for financial aid. To register, phone 1-800-281-3703.

Moontide fund raising

RUMFORD – Within the last five months, the volunteers who took the reins of leadership of the Moontide Water Festival, July 1-4, have finalized many details. After several attempts at fund raising, the committee has taken a few losses. Since the committee re-formed in January, this has given it a late start in the fund-raising efforts. Another financial difficulty is the rising cost of insurance for the festival. This amount has risen by 120 percent from last year. The committee does have several fund-raisers left including a car wash/bake sale at Wal-Mart on Saturday, June 19. Members will be at Wal-Mart accepting donations on Thursday, June 10, also. The popular Emmitt canisters will also be set up in the area of businesses. Committee members hope more crafters and flea marketers will sign up. Spaces cost $30. Food vendors are also encouraged to sign up. Those spaces cost $200.

Moontide races

RUMFORD – Rotary Moontide Water Festival road races Certified 5K, River Valley 10K and 1M Fun Run are scheduled for Saturday, July 3. Registration is 7 to 8:30 a.m. Start and finish will be at Hosmer Field. Fun Runs for children and parents/friends begin at 8 a.m. 5K and 10K begin at 9 a.m. and run through Rumford and Mexico. For more information phone Paul Jones at 562-7172.

Bethel Common

BETHEL – From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, July 3, Bethel Common will have more than 50 artists and fine craftspeople showing and selling their wares. There will be live entertainment on Bethel’s gazebo between 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Bring your lawn chair and sit back to listen to Maine’s own Women of Note, a group of harmonious women from Yarmouth and Rob Robbins, the professional jazz pianist from the Bethel Inn & Country Club. There will be a variety of food offered by Bethel’s fine restaurants. The children’s area will feature stilt walking, and face painting. Art will be organized by the Mahoosuc Kids’ Program of Bethel and there will be George York’s giant-sized inflatable sculpture. For more information, phone the Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce at 800-442-5826, or visit the Web site www.bethelmaine.com.