For full listings of what’s going on all week in the Old Port, be sure to visit our Events page.
Friday, January 29: Body Worlds has left the Portland Science Center, and my night terrors are starting to subside. Sorry, I know it’s all educational and stuff, but I am not down with spending my leisure time with cadavers. Moving on, that means a brand new exhibit, or rather, exhibits are moving in! Starting today, the Portland Science Center will be hosting SPACE: A Journey to Our Future AND The Robot Zoo. SPACE is geared toward kids ages 7-17 and will feature a demonstration of what it’s like to be in space, rocks from our moon and Mars, and the chance to view several artifacts from NASA’s space program. It will focus both on the past of our space program, as well as today’s interstellar explorers. The Robot Zoo is for kiddos ages 4 and up, and will feature robot animals natch, and several hands-on activities that explain unusual animal traits, like how a chameleon changes colors and how a fly walks on the ceiling. Tickets are $15.50 for children, and $19.50 for adults. Portland Science Center, 68 Commercial Street, Maine Wharf.
Saturday, January 30: If you enjoy sampling craft beer with a few hundred of your closest friends, then the 2nd annual Portland on Tap Craft Beer Festival is for you. This year the whole shebang has (very wisely) been moved from the Portland Company to the Cross Insurance Arena, which has the much-needed bathroom facilities that last year’s event was very sorely lacking. This year they are offering two different tasting sessions, one from 1-4 p.m., and another from 6-9 p.m. Your $35 ticket gets you 3 hours of unlimited sampling of the more than 100 beers on tap. If you like to roll big, go to the day session and spring for the $55 VIP ticket, which gets you in and drinking an hour earlier, plus comes with a t-shirt and a food voucher. There will be live music from The On Tap Band (we’re confused about that one too) and food vendors to make sure you have a full belly to help soak up all that alcohol. Pro tip – do NOT skip the food vendors. Some of the local brewers who will be featured at this year’s festival include Allagash, Atlantic, Banded Horn, Baxter, Funky Bow, Gritty McDuff’s, Peak Organic, Sebago and Shipyard. Cross Insurance Arena, 1 Civic Center Square.
Sunday, January 31: Is your child the next Ray Harryhausen or Tim Burton? If so, you will want to sign them up for “Mini Movie Makers: Adventures of a Hat,” taking place Sunday from 1-2:30 p.m. at the Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine. Kids will get to make their own stop-motion animation movie using clay, paper and markers to bring a character to life. The class is based on the story “This is Not My Hat,” by Jon Klassen and is designed to inspire each child’s creativity. It is recommended for kids ages 6 and up, and is a drop-off program. Tickets are $20 for members, $25 for visitors. To register, call 828-1234 x231, register online, or stop by the front desk. Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine, 142 Free Street.