Aroostook County Runs on People Showing Up for Each Other (and their events)
There’s something genuinely different about life in The County. It’s the kind of place where a weekend fundraiser draws a full house, where a small business grand opening feels like a neighborhood reunion, and where a local wrestling event somehow becomes the most talked-about night of the month. Aroostook County doesn’t just have community; it actively makes it, week after week, season after season.
But here’s the thing: even in a close-knit region like this, it’s surprisingly easy to miss what’s happening. Events get buried in crowded Facebook feeds. Visitors staying at the hotel ask the front desk what’s going on downtown and there’s no single place to send them. Locals who’d love to support a neighboring business or charity simply don’t hear about it in time.
That gap is exactly what we set out to close.
At The Northeastland Hotel, we’ve built a free Community Calendar and a growing Community Spotlight Blog to do one thing: make sure that what’s happening in Presque Isle actually reaches the people who want to be there. Whether you’re a local organizer trying to fill seats, a visitor wondering what’s going on tonight, or a small business owner looking to build your audience; this is the platform we built with you in mind.
What the Community Calendar Actually Is (And Why It’s Different)
We want to be upfront about something: there are other places to list your events in Aroostook County, and we’ll actually point you toward several of them later in this post. We don’t think of our calendar as competition. We think of it as a different kind of resource; one that serves a very specific need.
Most regional event listings are designed for locals who already know where to look. Our calendar lives on the website of a historic downtown hotel, which means it’s in front of a different, and arguably more valuable, secondary audience: travelers who are actively planning or already on a trip, standing in our lobby or checking their phones, asking “What should we do while we’re here?”
That’s a high-intent audience. These are people who are already in Presque Isle or will be soon; and they’re genuinely looking for something worth doing. When your event appears on our calendar, you’re not fighting for attention alongside a hundred other listings. You’re showing up right where someone is already looking.
What also makes our calendar stand out is that nothing gets posted automatically. Every submission goes through a real review by a real member of our team. We check the details, make sure the description is clear and useful, and post it in a way that represents your event and our community well. It’s a small thing, but it makes a meaningful difference in quality.
Beyond the Listing: The Community Spotlight Series
A calendar listing gives you visibility. A Community Spotlight gives you a voice.
Our Spotlight series goes deeper than dates and times. We sit down with the people behind the events; the organizers, the dreamers, the small business owners who poured everything into an idea, and we tell their stories. We publish those stories on our blog and share them with our audience of locals and guests, giving you a genuine, personal connection with readers instead of just a line in a list.
Some of the stories we’ve featured so far give you a sense of what this looks like in practice. We’ve written about Gerri Nadeau’s vision for the Timber Candle Bar, a business that started as an idea and became something the community genuinely rallied around. We’ve covered the energy behind Crown of Maine Wrestling, a local institution that, once you hear the story behind it, you appreciate on a whole different level. And we’ve shared the story of Sarah Coons and the team at Rodney’s at 436 Main Street, whose passion for food and hospitality shapes every meal they put on the table.
These aren’t press releases. They’re real conversations about real people doing meaningful things in Aroostook County. And they live on our website indefinitely, continuing to introduce your story to new readers long after the interview is done.
If you’ve got a story worth telling; and if you’re running an event or a business in The County, which you almost certainly do, reach out to Chris directly at [email protected] to talk about being featured.
Who Should Submit to the Event Calendar
The short answer is: if it brings value to Aroostook County, it belongs here. We mean that. We’ve never turned away a well-intentioned submission for being too small or too niche; some of the most-clicked events on our calendar have been intimate, specific things that we never would have predicted would resonate.
Here’s a quick look at the kinds of events we regularly feature:
- Business events: Grand openings, product launches, workshops, networking nights, sales events, ribbon cuttings. If your business has something worth celebrating or sharing, this is the place.
- Community gatherings: Town meetings, volunteer days, seasonal celebrations, neighborhood events. The things that remind people why they love living here.
- Arts and culture: Concerts, theater productions, art shows, readings, film screenings, open studios. The County has a rich creative community, and these events deserve a spotlight.
- Sports and recreation: Races, tournaments, outdoor adventures, league nights. From snowmobile rallies to summer 5Ks, people are looking for these.
- Fundraisers and nonprofit events: Charity drives, benefit nights, awareness campaigns. If you’re doing good work, we want to help you find supporters.
- Education and workshops: Classes, seminars, skill-building sessions. These are exactly the kind of low-key events that get lost in the shuffle and shouldn’t.
- Family and youth events: Festivals, school activities, kid-friendly experiences. Families visiting The County and families who live here; are always looking for these.
Still not sure if your event is a fit? Submit it anyway. We’ll figure it out together.
How to Submit Your Event: Step by Step
Getting your event on our calendar is simple, and it won’t cost you anything. Here’s exactly how it works.
Step 1: Browse the Event Calendar First
Head to thenortheastlandhotel.com/events and take a quick look at what’s already listed. You’ll get a feel for how events are displayed, and you can confirm that yours isn’t already posted.
Step 2: Fill Out the Submission Form
Visit thenortheastlandhotel.com/events-contact-form and fill out the details. The more information you provide, the better your listing will look. Here’s what to include:
- Your name and a phone number where we can reach you if we have questions
- The name of your event
- Date, time, and location
- A link to an event image (this makes your listing far more eye-catching)
- A clear description; who it’s for, what to expect, how much it costs, and how to register if applicable
- A website link or Facebook event link, if you have one
- Any other details you think would help people decide to show up
Don’t stress about making the description perfect. That’s what our review process is for. Just give us enough to work with and we’ll take it from there.
Step 3: We Handle the Rest
Our team reviews every submission and gets it posted within a few business days. If we need to clarify anything, we’ll reach out. Otherwise, you’re done; your event is now visible to everyone who comes through our website looking for something to do in Presque Isle.
Three Ways to Plug Into What We’re Building
We’ve found that different organizations need different kinds of support, so we’ve made it easy to engage with our community platform at whatever level makes sense for you.
Get on the Event Calendar (Visibility)
The fastest path to our audience. Use the submission form above, or reach out to Chris directly at [email protected] if you have questions or want help putting your listing together.
Tell Your Story (Community Spotlight)
If you want more than a listing; if there’s a real story behind your event, your business, or your work in the community, talk to Chris about being featured in our Spotlight series. It’s a deeper engagement, and the results speak for themselves. Past features have driven meaningful traffic and introduced local businesses to guests who became regulars.
Host Your Event at The Northeastland (Space)
Looking for a venue that puts you at the center of downtown Presque Isle? The Northeastland Hotel offers everything from intimate meeting rooms to larger event spaces with full food and beverage service through Rodney’s. If you’re planning something and need a home for it, we’d love to be considered.
Start a conversation at requesting more information or reach out directly to Jacob at [email protected].
More Resources for Getting the Word Out
We genuinely believe in the “more the merrier” approach to community visibility—which is why we want to be clear that our calendar works best when it’s part of a larger strategy, not a replacement for one. Here are the other platforms we recommend using alongside ours:
- Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce: The go-to resource for business events and regional happenings throughout the area.
- Aroostook Common: A grassroots community hub with a loyal, engaged local readership.
- The County / WAGM Calendar: Daily local news coverage and event announcements that reach a broad audience across the region.
- Visit Aroostook: The regional tourism authority, ideal for larger events or anything designed to draw visitors from outside The County.
- Maine Tourism Association: Statewide travel visibility for events with a broader tourism appeal.
Each of these platforms reaches a different slice of the Aroostook community. Submitting to all of them takes maybe an extra hour, and the combined reach is significantly greater than any single listing. We want your event to succeed, so we’re happy to point you wherever that’s most likely to happen.
Why We Built This in the First Place
We get asked this sometimes; why does a hotel have a community calendar? Fair question.
The honest answer is that we’ve always seen The Northeastland Hotel as more than a place to sleep. We’re in the heart of downtown Presque Isle, and that comes with a responsibility we take seriously. Guests walk in every day and ask what’s happening in town. Locals walk past every day on their way to something we could have told them about. We have a platform, a website, and an audience that trusts us to give them good recommendations; and an event calendar felt like the most natural way to use that.
We’re not trying to replace what the Chamber does, or what WAGM does, or what Visit Aroostook does. We’re trying to fill a specific gap: the downtown, in-the-moment audience that’s already here and actively looking for something to do. When we can turn “What is there to do?” into “Let’s go right now,” that’s a win for your event, for our guests, and for the community.
Ready to Get Your Event Listed?
If you’re putting time and energy into something worth showing up for, the least we can do is help people find it. Submit your event, reach out about a Spotlight feature, or give us a call—we’re here and genuinely happy to help.
- Submit your event: Use Our Submission Form
- Questions or Spotlight inquiries: Contact Chris
- Event hosting: Submit an Inquiry or Contact Jacob
- Call us directly: (207) 768-5321
The County is full of things worth doing. Let’s make sure people know about them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a cost to list my event? None at all. Submitting to the calendar is completely free, and it always will be.
Why list here if I’m already on other platforms? Think of us as the downtown lobby for Presque Isle events. Other platforms reach the broader region, we connect directly with visitors and guests who are already here and actively looking for something to do. It’s a different audience and a different moment in the decision process.
Is there a cost for a Community Spotlight feature? There is no cost to you at all! Our goal is to celebrate the local community. Reach out to Chris to start a conversation, we prioritize features that highlight the unique culture and people of The County.
How long does it take for my event to go live? We aim to review and post all submissions within a few business days. If we need clarification on anything, we’ll reach out before posting.
What if I want to update or remove my event after it’s listed? Just reach out to Chris at [email protected] and we’ll take care of it.
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