The Passport for Valentine’s Day

REGION — The Western Maine Passport to the Arts is the perfect valentine's Day gift. An attractive booklet that includes discounts worth more than $300 at 21 performing arts venues and galleries plus 17 dining establishments, inns, B&Bs and other associated businesses in Oxford and Franklin Counties. All of this and more for only $20.

Passports may be purchased online at www.maineartspassport.biz or at any of the participating businesses mentioned below.

Use your passport to plan special weekends with the love of your life and explore Oxford and Franklin Counties.

Spend a weekend in Fryeburg and stay at the Oxford House Inn and Restaurant and catch a performance at the Leura Hill Eastman Performing Arts Center at Fryeburg Academy. While you are in the area visit Gallery 302 in Bridgton, Harvest Gold Jewelry Gallery in Lovell, or Edge of Maine Art Gallery and Frame Shop in Brownfield.

Consider exploring the Oxford Hills area. With your passport you can stay at the King’s Hill Inn B&B in South Paris and enjoy meals in Norway at Tucker’s Pub, Café Nomad or 76 Pleasant Street and Restaurant Maurice in South Paris. Use your passport to shop at Books N Things, Painted Mermaid Gallery and Frost Farm Gallery and check out art by Western Maine artists at the Western Maine Art Group and Commons Art Collective in downtown Norway. Add a performance at Celebration Barn or Art Moves to your itinerary.

Make Bethel the focus of a weekend getaway or two. Use your passport to stay at the River View Resort or the Bethel Inn and enjoy dining at Rooster’s Roadhouse or get great BBQ from Smokin’ Good BBQ.

Get ready to shop. Your passport offers many options: Bonnema Pottery, Elements Art Gallery, Ruthie’s Boutique, Good Food Store, Artistic Endeavors Gallery and Framing, Maine Mineral & Gem Museum and True North Adventurewear. And, enjoy a performance at Bingham Auditorium at Gould Academy sponsored by Mahoosuc Arts Council.

Explore Franklin County and the River Valley with your passport and stay at the Wilson Lake Inn. During the day visit Washburn-Norlands Living History Center. The choices for evening entertainment are amazing and diverse: Celtic music at Skye Theater Performing Arts Center in Carthage, a magic show at 49 Franklin in Rumford, a musical performance at the Kingfield POPS or with the Arts Institute of Western Maine at Nordica Auditorium in Merrill Hall at the University of Maine at Farmington.

You will even want to use the Passport to attend the first ever Celtic Crossroads International Festival to be held September 11-15 in a variety of performance halls in Western Maine. Save $5 on a ticket to the concert of your choice.