Within the whale
Life-size educational whale traveling all over Maine
Meet Chunk the life-size inflatable whale! Spend time with Jessica Woodend the founder of Within the Whale. Jessica is a Wildlife Educator and Conservation Advocate. “With a dynamic career in environmental education, she connects people to wildlife through her immersive, award-winning programs. Passionate and dedicated, Jessica brings marine life and conservation to life. Chunk brings the ocean to life with hands-on learning and inspiration about marine mammals and environmental conservation, providing a unique and unforgettable adventure that aligns with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)”. 
Learn more about Chunk.
Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers
Puppetry troupe based in Bar Harbor, Maine
Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers is a puppetry troupe based in Bar Harbor, Maine, comprising three siblings: brothers Erik and Brian Torbeck and sister Robin (Torbeck) Erlandsen. They will perform a swashbuckling puppet adventure! This is a fun family performance that is sure to keep you entertained.
Founded in 2000, Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers performs at festivals, schools, libraries, and theatres in the United States and Canada. They write and create all the shows they perform and have received three Citations of Excellence from UNIMA-USA, the highest national award in puppetry.
Learn More about Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers.
Firefly The hybrid
Artist, musician, performer from Panawamskek, Maine
Jason Brown otherwise known as Firefly, engages audiences of all ages will traditional and futuristic musical experiences. Offering interactive performances that cultivate connectivity and creativity. “A multi-talented artist and dramatic performer known as Firefly, Jason Brown is a member of the Penobscot Indian Nation, one of five traditionally-allied Wabanaki tribal nations in the Atlantic Northeast. He grew up on Panawamskek (Indian Island), a village in the Penobscot River, which runs through his ancestral homeland in central Maine.”
Learn more about Firefly.
Chewonki
Wilderness education organization based in Wiscasset, Maine
We are happy to welcome back Chewonki and their animal ambassadors to offer an interactive program focused on vernal pools! “Dive deep into these shallow waters to take a closer look at the seasonal nature of a vernal pool and the impact it has on amphibian and invertebrate life cycles.”
Chewonki inspires transformative growth, teaches appreciation and stewardship of the natural world, and challenges people to build thriving, sustainable communities throughout their lives. Initially founded in 1918 as a boys camp, Chewonki began experimenting in the 1970s with year-round programs and more extensive wilderness trips. Thus began Chewonki’s transformation into a full-time, year-round educational institution. Today Chewonki continues to maintain its traditional boys camp. It also offers residential summer camp programs, coed leadership expeditions, a broad array of environmental education programs, traveling natural history education programs, workshops for adults, and two schools: Maine Coast Semester at Chewonki and Chewonki Elementary & Middle School.
Learn more about Chewonki.
Christy Mihaly
Children’s Author
Christy Mihaly is an award-winning children’s author and poet who writes for kids because she believes that our best hope for the future is raising young people who love to read and giving them the knowledge and skills to lead. She has written 40ish books, primarily nonfiction, on topics from hayfields to food to free speech. Recognitions include Nautilus Book Awards Gold, Green Earth Book Award shortlists, Kirkus Starred Review, ALA Rainbow Booklist, Bank Street Children’s Best Books, and Independent Press Award.
Christy writes for audiences from toddlers to high schoolers. At the Maine Ocean Festival, she’ll be sharing about her elementary/middle grade work, Barefoot Books WATER: A Deep Dive of Discovery. As Kirkus Reviews put it, this book is “oceanic in scope – but clear and refreshing.” It combines science and story to share fascinating facts about the world of water. And since about 97% of Earth’s water is ocean, it’s the perfect book for celebrating the sea.
Christy loves to visit the ocean in Maine, but she lives in rural Vermont where she enjoys visiting schools and community groups to share ideas about writing, creativity, and protecting our environment. At home, she likes to walk in the woods, kayak (on ponds), and play cello (though not simultaneously).
Mihaly’s work exhibits the beauty of our blue planet and the importance of Ocean conservation, we are excited to welcome her to the Oceanarium!
Learn more about Christy Mihaly.
Sara J Cary
Artist based in Mount Desert, Maine
Each year, we invite a local artist to create a design for our Maine Ocean Festival. This unique artwork is often inspired by coastal communities, the ocean, and aquatic creatures, and is featured on our t-shirts and posters. The festival seeks to celebrate our oceans and the diverse life that inhabits them, aiming to inspire exploration and conservation in every visitor. Sara Cary is our 2025 Maine Ocean Festival artist. We look forward to hosting Sara for an art signing of the 2025 festival posters. These posters are available for sale in our museum shop.
Learn more about Sara J Cary.
KindKids
Musical Duo based in Maine
Specializing in dynamic and encouraging musical performances the Oceanarium happily welcomes Rob and Amanda of KindKids. “KindKids Music is a dynamic duo with original music, puppets, and a highly interactive performance for all ages. Rob Duquette and Amanda Panda share tools for emotional resilience, foster kindness, and encourage wellness, all while making music and having FUN!”
Learn more about KindKids.
Peter boie
Magician
For his very first Maine Ocean Festival performance we are happy to welcome Peter Boie the magician. “Peter first became fascinated with magic at the age of eleven when he stumbled across a magic book at his local library. He performed his first professional show was at the age of 16 and he has never looked back.”
Learn more about Peter Boie.