6 events and 1 exhibit to mark the anniversary of the Oct. 25 Lewiston mass shootings
Lewiston Marks Third Anniversary of 2023 Mass Shootings With Community‑Focused Commemorations
Lewiston, Maine – On October 25, the city will observe the three‑year anniversary of the mass shootings that shook the community on October 25, 2023. That day, 18 people were killed and 13 others wounded at two locations: the Just‑In‑Time Recreation bowling center on Mollison Way and Schemengees Bar & Grille on Lincoln Street. In the years since, residents have turned the tragedy into a catalyst for collective healing, and this year’s remembrance activities will span the city’s main thoroughfares, parks, and civic buildings.
A Day of Connection and Reflection
The centerpiece of the anniversary is a community planting and care day organized by I Love You Gardens in partnership with the Maine Museum of Innovation, Learning and Labor. The event will begin at 9 a.m. outside the museum’s “Maine MILL” facility, where volunteers will be dispatched to four planting sites: two in Lewiston (Oxford and Beech streets, Oxford and Cross streets) and one in Auburn (Bonney Park). Participants will dig bulbs and seed beds, a symbolic act of nurturing new life in the wake of loss. The event is free; an American Sign Language interpreter will be available to serve all attendees.
In addition to the planting day, the Maine Association of the Deaf will host a candlelight vigil at Simard‑Payne Memorial Park on Beech Street from 6‑8 p.m. The vigil will begin at the park’s entrance, with participants walking together to the Longley Bridge before lighting candles in remembrance. The park’s proximity to the original shooting sites gives the vigil a powerful sense of place.
Fundraising and Community Spirit
A third‑annual Lewiston Stronger Community Cornhole Tournament is scheduled for October 24, organized by TB Events. Two tournaments will run: noon‑to‑4 p.m. and 5‑11 p.m., with an entrance fee of $20. All proceeds go to the Maine Resiliency Center, the nonprofit that has been a hub for support and community events since the shootings. The event will also include a raffle of “Lewiston Stronger” cornhole boards to raise additional funds for the center’s programs.
Central Maine Healthcare and the American Red Cross will conduct a commemorative blood drive the same day, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., in Conference Room ABC at the CMMC on 12 High Street. The blood drive honors those affected by the shootings and underscores the city’s commitment to practical acts of generosity.
Celebrating Resilience and Memory
The Maine Resiliency Center will hold a Community Night on October 13 at the Just‑In‑Time Recreation building (24 Mollison Way). Free for all, the event will feature food, games, and a focus on building connection among residents. Earlier that month, the center organized a community pumpkin‑carving session on October 17 outside the same venue. The event, held from noon‑to‑2 p.m., included painting and crafts and aimed to keep the spirit of remembrance alive through creative expression.
The city’s memorials continue to evolve. The Maine Museum of Innovation, Learning and Labor’s Memorial Room, dedicated to the victims and survivors, displays pumpkins that were originally left outside the two shooting sites. The museum’s exhibit, titled “Preserved,” also includes the doors from Just‑In‑Time Recreation and a light fixture from Schemengees Bar & Grille, both bearing bullet‑hole damage. “Preserved” remains on view through October 2027, with a new exhibit slated for the fourth anniversary.
Community Reflections
The events are part of Lewiston’s broader effort to honor those lost and support survivors. Community leaders say the combination of physical memorials, shared activities, and fundraising underscores the city’s resilience. “It’s about turning grief into action,” said a spokesperson for the Maine Resiliency Center. “Every pumpkin carved, every cornhole played, and every seed planted reminds us that we can move forward together.”
Residents and visitors are encouraged to participate in the various activities. All events are free, though some require registration: the cornhole tournament and the blood drive. For full details on dates, times, and locations, community members can visit the websites of the Maine Resiliency Center, TB Events, I Love You Gardens, and the Maine Museum of Innovation, Learning and Labor.
As Lewiston marks this painful yet hopeful anniversary, the city’s collective efforts reaffirm a commitment to remembrance, healing, and community resilience.
