Join us for an evening of music and squash lessons - the perfect combination - as we celebrate community and female empowerment.
The young athletes of Portland Community Squash will show us how to play, how to move, and how to lead. The students of Palaver Strings will teach us how to listen deeply and communicate through sound.
Collectively, we will ask ourselves:
What kind of community do we want?
What kind of space creates community?
What do our girls need for this community to thrive?
Details
Date: Thursday, October 23 2025
Time: 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location: Portland Community Squash, 66 Noyes Street, Portland, ME, street parking availa
Fee: $50 - small bites and beverages provided. Special thanks to Orange Bike Brewing for providing drinks.
Attire - Comfortable clothing for movement, should you choose to participate in the 30-minute squash lesson
*As we develop different types of events, we are working on prices to make these events sustainable. If cost is a factor, we want to help. For each event, we set aside tickets just for this purpose. Please email us at hello@heldportland.com.
Cancellation policy: All sales are final and non-refundable. However, your tickets are transferable to an individual. If transferred to someone, please email us their name and email address at hello@heldportland.com.
About our partners
Portland Community Squash
Portland Community Squash (PCS) aims to build an accessible community center that holistically supports and unites its members. We envision a community with enough social and human capital to overcome ever-changing societal challenges and prosper.
PCS Values:
Respect - We support our teammates
Effort - We work hard together
Positivity - We use our energy to uplift others
PCS Principles:
Access - Remove barriers to reflect the city's population
Equity - Prepare members to thrive
Cohesion - Unite and empower a strong community
Palaver Strings
Palaver Strings is a musician-led string ensemble and nonprofit organization based in Portland, ME. Founded in 2014, Palaver has established itself as a forward-thinking ensemble whose mission is to strengthen and inspire community through music. In our musician-led model, Palaver’s musicians share artistic and administrative leadership, guided by a passion for engaging new audiences, addressing social justice issues, and amplifying underrepresented voices. Each year, Palaver presents a full series of live performances featuring diverse musical programming, cross-genre projects, and community collaborations. Equally committed to education, Palaver offers quality music instruction through the Palaver Music Center in Portland, serving hundreds of students each year. Palaver has toured widely throughout the United States, performing at the Kennedy Center and a celebration of the Lullaby Project at Carnegie Hall. The ensemble recently released its third album, Ready or Not, in partnership with Azica Records. Palaver has enjoyed residencies at Rockport Music, Boston Center for the Arts, and Bay Chamber Concerts, and Longy School of Music (2022-2023). Palaver’s current residency at Longy includes regular performances and teaching a graduate course on music and community engagement.
Orange Bike
For-Profit. For-Good | Brewing a Better World Together.
Orange Bike Brewing is Portland, Maine’s first dedicated gluten-free brewery, founded on the belief that business can — and must — be a force for good.
Inspired by the theory of change and social capital model first shared by Barrett Takesian and Portland Community Squash, Orange Bike was built as a modern gathering place to strengthen community cohesion.
Backed by the State of Maine and the Maine Venture Fund, and in partnership with 11 universities and 72 college students, Orange Bike operates on the triple bottom line of people, planet, and profit — brewing world-class beer while modeling a more just and equitable way of doing business.
