Brandon Bies, deputy superintendent at Acadia National park, speaks during Pints for a Purpose in 2023.

Gather around the fireplace, sip a beer, and hear stories about the history and future of Acadia National Park and Mount Desert Island.

The 2025 season for Pints of a Purpose will kick off on Thursday, May 29 at 5 p.m. with James Francis Sr., the Penobscot Nation’s Tribal Historian. We will gather in the main lodge each Thursday of the season for an informative talk and discussion, camaraderie, and delicious refreshments.

This free series is co-hosted by Friends of Acadia & Terramor Outdoor Resort. All are welcome to attend and $1 of every beer purchased benefits Friends of Acadia!

5 p.m. Thursdays
May 29-October 16, 2025

2025 Speaker Lineup

*Additional speakers to be added!

May 29 – James Francis Sr., Penobscot Nation’s Tribal Historian – A Sense of Place
June 5 – Brian Hinrichs, Friends of Katahdin Woods & Waters, and Eric Stiles, Friends of Acadia – partnerships in the NPS
June 12 – Jim Wright – MDI’s James Bond
June 19 – Fletcher Cleaves – A Passionate Advocate for Accessibility in the Travel Industry
June 26 – Aislinn Sarnacki, Bangor Daily News – The Wild Life of an Outdoor Journalist
July 3 – Eddie Monet, aka “Diver Ed” – More Fish Tales
July 10 – Audrey Ryan – Smuggling Downeast
July 17 – Richard Huck – Not Just a Walk in the Park; an Artistic Journey
July 24 – Joan Jordan Grant – the Historic Carroll Farm
July 31 – Diana Zito, Jack Russell, and friends – The Fire of ’47
August 7 – Brittany Slabach – Mammals in Acadia
August 14 – John Anderson, College of the Atlantic
August 21 – Jesse Wheeler, Acadia National Park’s Vegetation Program Manager
August 28 – Brandon Bies, Deputy Superintendent of Acadia – Acadia’s Storm Damage Response
September 4 – Rich McDonald – Climate Change and the Birds of MDI
September 11 – Nikki Burtis – Stewardship in Acadia
September 18 – Gary Stellpflug – Tales from the Trails
September 25 – FOA – Celebrating our past with Lois Winter, Linda Lewis, and other friends
October 2 -Billy Helprin – Loons and an update from the Somes-Meynell Wildlife Sanctuary
October 9 – Lauren Gibson – A Season of Wild Acadia
October 16 – Earl Brechlin – More Wild, Weird, and Wonderful Maine