Ready to dance? Here’s where to hit the floor in Maine
When’s the last time you enjoyed a night out that included dancing? We’re here to help you find a place to let loose, work up a sweat and show off your best — or worst — moves.
Whether you’re a ’70s disco devotee, an ’80s music addict or someone who likes to shake a tail feather to more modern tunes, it’s time to get off the couch and onto Maine’s dance floors.
We’ve rounded up several places that regularly offer dancing, and some places to keep an eye on that host occasional dance parties.
PORTLAND
Maria Griffin, center, dances among a crowd at Bubba’s Sulky Lounge in July 2024. (Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer)
92 Portland St., Portland. On Facebook., 7 p.m-1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, $5, 21-plus.
Bubba’s Sulky Lounge is an absolute Portland institution. With four light-up dance floors, a massive collection of antiques, vintage lunchboxes and record players and a legendary “anything goes” vibe, Bubba’s is the place to go to let loose. Owner Robert “Bubba” Larkin, 90, opened the club in 1959. The place focuses on ’80s music on Fridays and from the ’90s to now on Saturdays. DJ Tubbs spins on both nights, and he aims to please.
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Cocktail Mary in Portland’s Old Port. (Photo by Isaac MacDougal)
30 Market St., Portland. cocktailmary.com. Cocktail Mary opens at 5 p.m. Thursday to Saturday. Regular dance nights are coming soon. In the meantime, keep an eye on Instagram for pop-up dance nights, and take advantage of $6.50 cocktails during happy hour from 5-7 p.m.
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Cocktail Mary recently moved into its Old Port space, and expects to have its entertainment license finalized in October. Its plan is to host dance nights every Friday and Saturday, and on some Thursdays. The cover will be $5 at 9 p.m. and $10/pay-what-you-can from 10 p.m. on.
The scene at Flask Lounge in Portland. (Courtesy of Flask Lounge)
117 Spring St., Portland. flasklounge.com, 7 p.m-1 a.m. Monday (except the first Monday of the month) to Saturday, 8 p.m-1 a.m. Sunday, $5-$10, free on open DJ night on Tuesday, 21-plus.
Since 2007, Flask has been an intimate mainstay on the fringe of the West End and parallel to Congress Street in downtown Portland. An unassuming yet welcoming space, Flask offers dancing just about every night and the DJs play a range of house, bass, funk, hip-hop, darkwave, synth-pop, post-punk and other variations of electronic music.
436 Fore St., Portland. On Instagram and Facebook, 10 a.m-1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, 21-plus.
For more than 30 years, Fore Play Sports Pub has been a local hangout, place to watch multiple sporting events on TV and, on Friday and Saturdays, head upstairs to dance. A bartender shared that one of the most popular drinks is the Green Tea Shot made with Jamesons Irish whiskey, peach schnapps and sour mix. Drink up and get down!
Oasis
42 Wharf St., Portland, 9 p.m-1 a .m. Friday and Saturday, 21-plus, no cover.
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The exterior of Oasis nightclub in Portland’s Old Port. (Aimsel Ponti/Staff Writer)
The line will stretch down Wharf Street with people waiting to get into Oasis on the weekends. DJ Lenza Latendresse has been spinning there since 2003. He’s usually behind the decks on Friday nights, and said that requests for Latin music, especially Bad Bunny, are always in high demand. In the summertime, there’s also a DJ out on the patio.
PORTLAND SPOTS TO KEEP AN EYE ON
Along with the abovementioned places that consistently offer dancing, we recommend you keep tabs on these places who sometimes present special, themed dance nights. Give them a follow on social media and get on their mailing lists.
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Historical photos from the 1940s to the ’80s show off Mainers dancing
121 Center St., Portland. auramaine.com
625 Congress St., Portland. genosrockclub.com
144 Fore St., Portland. liveatmadrids.com
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25 Temple St., Portland. portlandhouseofmusic.com
538 Congress St., Portland. space538.org
609 Congress St., Portland. statetheatreportland.com
DANCE SPOTS IN CENTRAL & SOUTHERN MAINE
Easy Street Lounge, Hallowell
7 Front St., Hallowell. On Facebook and Instagram, dancing goes down on Friday and Saturday night.
Easy Street Lounge describes itself as a “funky, creative basement lounge with a bohemian back bone.”
195 Maine St., Ogunquit. mainestreetogunquit.com,
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Mainestreet is open from 5 p.m-1 a.m. Monday-Friday and from 3 p.m-1 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. It’s a 21-plus venue at all times.
Mainestreet Ogunquit opened in 2000, and is a hot spot for the LGBTQ+ community and everyone else who likes to have a fabulous time in an inclusive space. Dancing happens on Saturday nights as well as during the tea dance at 3 p.m. on Sunday.
Mixers Nightclub and Lounge, Sabattus
136 Sabattus Road, Sabattus. mixersnightclublounge.com, Mixers is open for business Friday-Tuesday.
Line dancing happens every Thursday starting at 5 p.m. DJ nights run from 7 p.m-1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Quarry Tap Room, Hallowell
122 Water St., Hallowell. quarrytaproom.com. The business is open 11 a.m-midnight seven days a week. Dancing typically happens on the weekends.
Quarry Tap Room is a restaurant on the banks of the Kennebec River with 38 microbrews. It also has patio and beer garden. On weekends, you’ll sometimes find a DJ spinning tunes so keep an eye on their Facebook and Instagram pages.
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Aimsel Ponti is a music writer and content producer for the Portland Press Herald. She has been obsessed with – and inspired by – music since she listened to Monkees records borrowed from the town. More by Aimsel Ponti
