"Tar beach" at the home of Elizabeth McGrady and her husband Jim Ohannes in Portland's West End. On Wednesday nights, Jim and Elizabeth bring together community members for a potluck-style dinner.
Host Jim Ohannes talks with friends as he hosts "tar beach." To the right is Stephanie Gartner of Portland.
Elizabeth McGrady enjoys the company of neighbors as she hosts "tar beach" at her home in Portland.
Elizabeth McGrady and her husband Jim Ohannes host "tar beach" every Wednesday night. They say about 15 to 20 people usually come, but the numbers don't matter: Tar Beach is a place for community to come together, even if it’s just a few.
Even during the height of the pandemic, the couple adjusted by spreading tables and chairs farther apart. One of their neighbors, Stephanie Fanburg, a rheumatologist at Maine Medical Center, said the dinners were the only time she saw people from outside her household. “Tar Beach was a saving grace,” she said.
Maine 
