Downtown Gardiner is home to one of the sweetest ice cream & hot chocolate shops around - Goldfinch Creamery. But that's not all – they have expanded their offerings to provide so much more! Goldfinch has a delicious lunch/dinner menu with soup and sandwiches to enjoy in their cozy cafe space or take along to work or home. Soup choices differ daily and you can pair a cup or a bowl of soup with a half or whole sandwich, a sweet treat, and a drink for their value-priced "lunchbox special."  

Goldfinch's pastry case is brimming with homemade goodies being added throughout the day. From brownies to cupcakes, eclairs to madeleines you'll be sure to find something to please your sweet tooth! And that don't forget the ice cream and hot chocolate choices they are known for!! You can enjoy a homemade dipped cone with your ice cream or a delicious and festive sundae with fun toppings of your choice, or a specialty hot chocolate drink. 

Another really fun and unique option they offer is Tea Parties – you can reserve your very own fancy tea party right in the cafe and invite your friends to join you. Perfect for birthday celebrations, bridal parties, anniversaries or just a fun afternoon! 

Treat mom with a sweet box from Goldfinch on Mother’s Day May 8th. Each box contains an eclair, baklava, 6 macarons, chocolate dipped madeleine, sugared madeleine, 3 oreo flowers, a cupcake with filling, candied pecans, tea and honey, and a few chocolates - all for $35 with gluten free and vegan options available!

Goldfinch just celebrated their 6 month anniversary and it has been so exciting to watch them grow and expand their business. If you're looking for a cozy meal or a sweet treat like grandma used to make, stop in to Goldfinch Creamery at 318 Water Street next time you're downtown and see what delicious items are ready for you to enjoy!

Open Monday - Saturday 10am to 8pm and Sunday 12pm to 8pm. To learn more, call the shop at 207-203-0007, email goldfinch318@yahoo.com or visit their facebook page.

Plan ahead by sowing extra seed in pots (April is time to sow seeds in the house). No invasive plants, please (not sure what's invasive? - more info here). Native plants preferred. Hosta and perennials are welcome. Please, no English ivy. Bring gardening books that you are ready to let go of for a book exchange. Plants will sell for $1, $3, and $5. Proceeds will go to the Gardiner Library Association which maintains the library and its gardens.

Email John Woytowicz (hawthorn57@gmail.com) or Kathy Brown (kathypbrown4@gmail.com) if you plan to bring plants and how many - or if you would like to help volunteer for the sale. Plant drop off is at the library on June 17th in the afternoon or early on June 18. 

 

Another sign that summer isn't far away! The popular Cruise Night Car Show starts back up for the season on Thursday, May 5th from 5 - 7 pm at the Gardiner Waterfront. DJ'd music and the Baptist Church food truck will be there with some delicious offerings.Free to get in. All Antique, Muscle, special Interest, Cars Truck and Bikes welcome. Get a close look at these amazing pieces of transportation and meet their owners. For weather cancellations and other updates, visit them on Facebook.

The Harrison Avenue Nature Trail is always open to enjoy, but on these special Saturdays in May the Augusta Bird Club, Maine Master Naturalists and Upstream will be offering guided bird walks at 7am and nature walks at 10am. Join Upstream for an Alewife and Osprey walk on May 7th, 14th or 21st. An astounding 56 species of birds (19 different warblers!) and thousands of alewives were seen in previous years on and is a Kennebec birding hotspot and the go to place to observe river herring on Cobbossee Stream. 

Park at the New Mills Dam parking lot on Rte 126/Cobbossee Avenue in Gardiner for this one mile hike. Bring your binoculars and your phone to connect to the QR code signposts along the trail to learn about the history and wildlife on the stream. For more details call 207-582-0213, email upstreamcobbossee@gmail.com or visit the event on Facebook.