Photo Credits: J Grenier
Monson Collaborative
OUR MISSION: To bring together and promote Monson businesses and organizations in support of outdoor recreation, the arts and food tourism.
OUR VISION: Monson is at the frontier of the North Woods, known for its natural beauty, outdoor recreation, food and arts. It is fueled by a collaborative, welcoming community that nurtures its cultural heritage, ingenuity, and resilience while preserving its family friendly small town charm.
ANNUAL EVENTS
January 1st
New Year’s Day Celebration
Snow Roller Day
Monson Collaborative Entrepreneur Expo
Nosin’ Round Monson
First Weekend of October
UPCOMING EVENTS!!
Tuesday, November 4th - 8am to 8pm - At the Monson Gym - two referendum questions.
Thursday, November 6th, 4pm - 6pm - Natural Paint Night - Join Artist in Residence Eliza Guion in some free painting with naturally made organic paints. Eliza will talk about the process of harvesting and processing these plants to become the dye and water colors. This is FREE!! Please drop in to give them a try! https://www.facebook.com/share/1GvK6ZaxXc
Through November 7th - Annual Monson Food Drive to support local food pantries. Drop off non-perishable food items at the Monson Town Office. Cash Donations also accepted.
Friday, November 7th, 4pm - 6pm - Meet the Artist and Wine Tasting - Monson Gallery Store - Meet artist Donna Barnes from Brunswick and see her Northwoods inspired drawings and paintings. Welcome Dragonfly Winery from Stetson for a sampling of their wines.
Tuesday, November 11, 3pm - 6pm - Studio Visits and Reading - Join us for a walk through the studios and a reading. We will start at the Gallery Studios and move as a group through the artists spaces. Please send an RSVP to director@monsonarts.org if you would like to join for the full schedule.
Thursday, November 20, 4pm- Monson Public Library - Book club, The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley.
Thursday, November 20, 6pm - Select Board meeting at Town Office
Friday, December 5 - Meet the Artist and Wine Tasting, 4pm - 6pm -Monson Gallery Store - Meet Belle Bozin, see her amazing resin work and sample Gluhwein, a spiced warm wine and Eden’s Vermont Ice Cider.
Saturday, December 6, 9am - 3pm Monson Gym - Annual Kris Kringle Market with bake sales, crafts, entertainment, music, Santa Claus, Gingerbread House Competition, Door Prizes, Raffles and more!
Saturday, December 6, 2pm - 4pm - Monson Gallery - Celestial Mindscapes: The Art of John Bozin - local painter John Bozin will have his artwork on display this winter at the Monson Gallery from November 29th through April 18, 2026 monsonarts.org/gallery
Saturday, December 13, Noon - 2pm - Kids’ Holiday Crafts - Monson Gym - LIbrary tote bag decoration, ornament making and more!
Thursday, December 18th, 4pm - Monson Public Library - Book Club The Christmas Train by David Baldacci.
Through December 31 - Gascoine Gallery, 16 Greenville Road, Monson. APEX, An Exhibition of Fine Art by Michael Alpert, Katia Ancona, Alan Bray, Randy Fein, Jemma Gascoine, Nancy Glassman, Helen Glazer, Matt Landis, Paula Laverty, Killian MacCarthy, Dawn Potter, James Pullen, Candace Thomas, Todd Watts, Marjorie Wentworth.
Thursday, January 1, 4pm - 6pm - Monson Gym - Annual New Year’s Day Celebration - bonfire, food & music
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ONGOING EVENTS
Monday and Tuesday - Monson Health Center Saving Smiles is moving to Monson! Dental Hygiene Services Monday and Tuesday. Call 814-8109 to schedule your appointment.
Monday through Saturday, during Library hours - Check out children’s bikes and helmets from the Geal Library! Bikes and helmets can be taken out with your library card just like a book. See flyer on our website www.monsonmelibrary.org. For further information, call 997-3476 or email monsonmelibrary@gmail.com
Tuesday - 5pm-8pm - Friendly cribbage at the Lakeshore House
Thursday 5:00pm - 8:00pm - Open Mic night at the Lakeshore House
Third Thursday of each month - 4:30pm Monson Public Library Book Club - November - The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley. December - The Christmas Train by David Baldacci. January - South of Broad by Pat Conroy. February - Fire Exit by Morgan Talty. March - The Sanitorium: A Novel by Sarah Pearse. April - When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi.
Second Thursday of each month - 6pm - Selectboard Meeting at the Town Office.
Fridays - 5:30pm - 9:00pm - Moore Building - Monson Jammers. Join to listen or to play!
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 11am - 1pm -Cheese tastings of featured cheese of the month, Monson Gallery Store.
First Friday of each month, 4-6pm - Meet the Artist and Wine Tasting Event, Monson Gallery Store.
Last Saturday of each month, 2pm - Trivia at Turning Page Farm.
Sunday, 3:30pm - Turning Page Farm - Friendly Cribbage - Join a game or just play side by side with others. Every Sunday year round fb.me/TurningPageFarm
Sunday- 3pm - 6pm - Turning Page Farm - Unplug from your phones and screens and join your friends, family, and community in board games, card games, and conversation. Reconnecting has been proven to improve happiness, mental health, and strengthen communities; plus, its loads of fun!!
MONSON COLLABORATIVE NEWSLETTERS
Who Are We?
An umbrella organization including representatives from town government, the Beautification Committee, Library, Business Association, Historical Society and local businesses. Our goal is to bring vitality to the downtown by supporting the needs of our community with the guiding principles of Main Street America, using the four-point approach.
Photo: J Grenier
This monthly newsletter is to share upcoming events and ask for community input. Have an event or happening you want to share? Send us an email and we’ll include it in our next Monson Collaborative Newsletter! monsoncollaborative@gmail.com
2024 Entrepeneur Expo Grant Winners
Friends of a Fierce Chase Officially a non-profit, the Fierce Chase trails offer 24-hour access to miles of maintained trails year-round, great for cross-country skiing, hiking, ATVing, and much more. By winning the expo grant, they have raised $3000 of the $10,000 they need to secure a $50,000 grant they will use to maintain trails year-round. To donate time or money, contact John Chase at friendsofafiercechase@gmail.com
JayBird Design Woodworking business on Pleasant Street that makes handmade guitars, cutting boards, bowls, and custom furniture. Check out their instagram and contact Jason here.
Kelly Forge Local blacksmith business with over ten years of experience in blacksmithing. Contact Zach at lorindamartin27@gmail.com for custom orders like home decor, knives and hooks, key chains, coat racks, and much more.
Leapin Lena's New business on Pleasant Street that will soon offer food and lodging for hikers and the public. Expecting to open in mid-June. Contact Adalena for more information.
Rest Day Sauna Group and private saunas are now available to the public in a hand-built 12-person sauna. Contact Jeneve and book your sauna here.
Please join us in congratulating these local entrepreneurs!
The Superior Service Heating & Cooling van arrived at The Lily Cat the morning of June 19 to install a heat pump funded in part by a Monson Collaborative grant. (2023)
Entrepreneur Grant Success Stories
Martin Landry prepares the wall inside The Lily Cat, where the interior portion of the heat pump will go. (2023)
Kelly and Martin Landry work outside to install the heat pump at The Lily Cat June 19. (2023)
The combination of a leaky roof and no heat left an ice slick on the stairs inside The Lily Cat Antiques building during the winter of 2021. (2023)
Photo credit: J. Billings
Lily Cat Antiques - 2023 Recipient
Lily Cat Antiques is first to complete grant project.
The heat is on!
That phrase isn’t just a line from a well-known and catchy tune by Glenn Frey. It also represents the completion of a project funded in part by a $3,000 grant from the Monson Collaborative. The Lily Cat: North Woods Antiques & Buttons was one of five organizations to be awarded a grant by popular vote at an Entrepreneur Expo May 6, 2023.
On June 19 of the same year, contractors Martin and Kelly Landry of Superior Service Heating & Cooling in Hudson installed a heat pump at The Lily Cat, making this the first completed grant project. They were assisted by electricians Antony Lancisi and Josh Blanchard of Levesque Energy in Guilford.
The total cost of the heat pump, which provides both heating and cooling, was $6,000, said Johanna S. Billings, who co-owns the antique shop with her husband, Sean. A $1,500 rebate from Efficiency Maine also helped. The couple covered the remainder of the cost themselves. The new heating system is just big enough to cover the first floor. The second floor, however, needs to be insulated and, eventually, will need its own unit. Still, a heat source for the first floor is a boost to The Lily Cat. The building previously had no heating system whatsoever, Johanna said.
“There’s an old furnace in the crawl space,” she said, “but a sticker says it was last inspected in 1989. We saw that and said, ‘Nope. We’re not going to try turning that thing on.’” Besides, Sean said, all the ductwork had been ripped out.
This is The Lily Cat’s third season. The Billingses, who are lifelong collectors and dealers, bought the shuttered Moosehead Trail Antiques in December 2020 after they saw a “for sale” sign in front of it. “Sean turned to me and said, ‘So, do you want to run an antique shop?’" Johanna said. "I thought he was kidding.” After the purchase, Johanna spent the winter cleaning out and wholesaling off the contents, most of which was furniture and hardware. Sean, who works full time as an engineer, found time to replace all the interior lighting and added more. He also installed railings on both sides of the stairs, repaired the front window and painted trim, among other things. The new owners also had the leaking roof replaced.
“At one point, we had water running down the stairs and freezing,” Johanna said.
Because there was no heat, the couple dressed in layers and relied on space heaters to warm their hands every so often.
“I bought boots in a size too big so that I could wear them with three pairs of socks,” Johanna said.
Having no heat forced The Lily Cat to operate on a seasonal basis. Because of the grant, it may be possible for them to open earlier in the year and stay open later. If nothing else, now the owners can stay warm when bringing in new merchandise and setting up displays off season.
Both Sean and Johanna thanked the Monson Collaborative and the people who voted for their project.
“We couldn’t have done it without that money,” Sean said.