Please join us on May 14th, 2026 at Halo at The Point for our second annual Paint the Town Read bash! Mark your calendars for a night of beloved Telling Room activities, friends, music, and delicious food—all in celebration of the power of youth voices.
5:30pm - 6:30pm
Host Reception
Enjoy activity stations, good company, and delicious bites and beverages to start the night.
Catering by Revel - Open Bar
6:30pm - 7:30pm
General Admission Reception
Connect with old friends and make new ones over Jamaican fare from Yardie Ting, in the lounge, or around beloved Telling Room activities, such as:
Magnetic Poetry
No-Peek Contour Drawings
Would You Rather?
Blackout Poetry
Photo Booth
7:00pm - 7:30pm
Speakers & Stories
Hear from Telling Room authors past and present, sharing their stories and reflections on the power of The Telling Room experience, what it means to be connected to one another, and looking forward toward the future as a community. Speakers include:
Baqer Jalil & Jules Vázquez
Sultan Alluhaidan & James Kim
Nazik Adam & Len Harrison
Perla Ingabire & Sophia Kapita
7:30pm - 8:30pm
DJ Dance Party with Human Fam
Get down as you paint the town, fueled by Dean's Sweets.
Paint the Town Read is our biggest annual (and not-to-be-missed!) fundraiser, helping ensure that The Telling Room can support young writers right now and for many years to come.
JOIN OUR HOST COMMITTEE
Em Dash Host Package: $175
One (1) ticket to the Host Reception from 5:30pm - 6:30pm with complimentary bar & bites.
One (1) ticket to the full event with more music, stories, food, and friends, starting at 6:30pm.
Name printed in the event program (if desired) and in publications leading up to the event.
Ampersand Host Package: $350
Two (2) tickets to the Host Reception from 5:30pm - 6:30pm with complimentary bar & bites.
Two (2) tickets to the full event with more music, stories, food, and friends, starting at 6:30pm.
Name printed in the event program (if desired) and in publications leading up to the event.
Ellipses Host Package: $600
Four (4) tickets to the Host Reception from 5:30pm - 6:30pm with complimentary bar & bites.
Four (4) tickets to the full event with more music, stories, food, and friends, starting at 6:30pm.
Name printed in the event program (if desired) and in publications leading up to the event.
Exclamation Point! Host Package: $1,000
Eight (8) tickets to the Host Reception from 5:30pm - 6:30pm with complimentary bar & bites.
Eight (8) tickets to the full event with more music, stories, food, and friends, starting at 6:30pm.
Name printed in the event program (if desired) and in publications leading up to the event.
BUY GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS
General Admission tickets are now on sale!
Youth Ticket (Grade 12 or under) — Free!
Telling Room Alumni Tickets — $10
General Admission Ticket — $25
Community Partner Ticket — $15
(Community Partner tickets are open to Telling Room mentors and volunteers, as well as folks working in the nonprofit, K-12 education, youth empowerment, and arts fields in Maine)
Know Before You Go
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Parking is reserved for Paint the Town Read attendees at Lot 16 and Lot 2A at Thompson's Point, so there is no charge to park. Please let the parking attendants know you are there for The Telling Room’s event, and they will direct to you where to park. here
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Host reception catering will be by Revel, followed by Jamaican fare by Yardie Ting, and delectable dessert chocolates by Dean’s Sweets. Food will include:
Baked Chicken
Baked Mac & Cheese
Coconut Curry
Jerk Pork
Plantains
Potato Salad
Rice & Beans
Steamed Veggies
White Rice
For any dietary restrictions, please contact sarah@tellingroom.org with requests. -
Stop by the bar for our signature cocktail—Tequila Mockingbird—a margarita with strawberry puree, lime juice, triple sec, and tequila. Also available as a mocktail.
For our Host and Sponsor attendees, complimentary beer & wine is available, as well as the specialty cocktail for the evening. Hosts and sponsors will receive a wristband for beverages at Registration. Please be prepared to show your ID.
For general admission ticket holders, a cash bar is available. -
Your ticket(s) will be held at Registration, which will be located to the right as you enter Halo. All guest tickets will be listed under your name at Registration. Sponsor tickets will be held under the company name. Please share this information with your party and let them know to give your name or the company’s name to receive their tickets.
Tickets will also be available for purchase at the door the night of the event, if there are additional folks in your network who would like to attend but have not had a chance to purchase tickets yet. Tickets are available in advance here. -
Attire: We invite you to wear red, literary-inspired attire, or to simply come as you are. We know Maine appreciates the opportunity to get fancy, but please know it's not required.
Please be ready to show your ID at Registration. Wristbands for hosts and sponsors will be available for 21+ attendees.
It can take a few minutes to move through Registration—we thank you for your patience.
A few minutes before 7:00pm, please join us at the stage to hear from some of our incredible staff, alumni, and community partners. Seats will not be assigned for this event—please sit where you like!
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Masking is not required for this event, but we encourage attendees to use their discretion based on their needs and comfort level.
We value inclusion and access for all participants and are pleased to provide reasonable accommodations for this event. Please contact sarah@tellingroom.org with requests.
Our Paint the Town Read
Host Committee
Aimée & Mark Bessire
Kyo Bannai
Peyton Black
Iris Blasi
Gena Canning
Sam Colton
Susan Conley
Joseph Conway & Jenny Dougherty
Sara Corbett & Mike Paterniti
Sara Crisp & Gregg Lipton
Christina & Simon DeYoung
Susanna & Rich DuBois
Khadija El Barkaoui
Gibson Fay-LeBlanc
Jordanna & Yev Feely
Wendy Franklin
Jessica & Matt Grondin
Andrea Hanson
Tanuja Desai Hidier & Bernard Hidier
Paige & Hani Jarawan
Kelsey Halliday Johnson
Celine & Chris Kuhn
Libby & Mike Lauze
Annie Leahy & Mike Carey
Scot Lehigh and Marcia Crumley
Molly McGrath
Meredith McCarroll & Jeff Christmas
Peter Milliken
Sally & Tom Newhall
Matty Oates
p3 Creative
Julie Butcher Pezzino
Christopher Powell
Jo Radner
Catherine Richards & Bob Olney
Lucas & Yemaya St. Clair
Donna Simonetti
Kathleen Sullivan
ThePoetsCorner.org
Kristin Kellogg Valdmanis
Desi Van Til & Sean Mewshaw
Debbie Weil & Sam Harrington
David & Sandi Whiston
Sean Wilkinson
Kathryn Williams
Diane & Paul Yasek
Bob Zager
Event Accessibility
The Telling Room strives to host inclusive, accessible events. To request an accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact our Development Director Sarah Schneider via email at sarah@tellingroom.org or via phone at (207) 774-6064 ext. 706. Advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accommodations.
Thank You to Our Corporate Sponsors
Trilogy Sponsor
Book Sponsors
Paragraph Sponsors
Stanza Sponsors
Sentence Sponsors
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Word Sponsors
Paint the Town Read Event Planning Committee
Matty Oates, Chair, Board Member
Rylan Hynes, Staff
Amy Kimball, Staff
Meredith McCarroll, Board Member
Sally Newhall, Community Member
Emily O’Neil, Staff
Kristina M.J. Powell, Executive Director
Sarah Schneider, Staff
Sonya Tomlinson, Staff
Stacey Ventimiglia, Staff
Sean Wilkinson, Community Member