Maine Audubon’s top-notch facilities at our Audubon Centers in Greater Portland and Greater Bangor are excellent options for hosting your next wedding, meeting, or other special event.
Gilsland Farm, Falmouth (Greater Portland) | Fields Pond, Holden (Greater Bangor)
Gilsland Farm, Falmouth
Maine Audubon’s Gilsland Farm, just minutes from Portland, Maine, is a beautiful, peaceful wildlife sanctuary that is the perfect backdrop for your wedding, birthday, meeting, or other special occasion. Maine Audubon is centrally located to southern Maine beaches, and 1-3 hour drive to premier Mid-Coast and Downeast destinations such as scenic Boothbay Harbor and majestic Acadia National Park. Maine Audubon would be honored to host your next special occasion, event, or wedding ceremony. Selecting Maine Audubon as your event venue directly supports Maine Audubon’s mission to conserve wildlife and wildlife habitat.
Gilsland Farm Center facilities available for public rental include:
Orchard or Property Rental
Our quaint apple orchard and open field are located behind the Visitor Center. This is the most popular space for weddings and receptions. The rental secures this beautiful space for you and then you select your own third party vendor rentals for caterer, tent, musicians, etc.
- Orchard can accommodate a 40 x 80-foot tent, up to 150 people
- Two handicap accessible public restrooms available in the Visitor Center
- Other spaces available through-out our sanctuary on a limited basis and by special request
The L.L.Bean Great Room in the Visitor Center
- This 30 x 50 foot room can accommodate up to 105 people seated. With current COVID-19 social distancing measures, the maximum capacity of this space is 40 people.
- 110 chairs, 6-foot tables, and 8-foot tables for indoor use only.
- Full access to a small, non-commercial kitchen with stove, microwave, and refrigerator.
- Two public restrooms are available in the Visitor Center.
- The Visitor Center is handicapped accessible.
FAQs
Do you offer tours of the site?
Tours can be scheduled during our normal business hours: 10 am to 4 pm everyday (except holidays). Hours are subject to seasonal changes. Please contact rentals@maineaudubon.org to book your tour.
The grounds are open to the public from dawn to dusk every day, including during rentals. The buildings, other than the event space, remain open to the public during regular business hours.
Is parking available?
Parking areas on the property are marked for pedestrian safety and to allow passage of emergency vehicles. Please comply with all parking signs and/or instructions from Maine Audubon staff. Improperly parked vehicles may be towed.
Do you require a day of wedding coordinator?
A day of coordinator for your event or wedding is strongly encouraged. Additionally, a Maine Audubon staff member will be your host on the premises during the event to answer questions.
Do you allow rehearsals?
Wedding rehearsals must be scheduled at the time the rental contract is signed and are based on availability and staffing. Date and time of wedding rehearsal must be coordinated with and approved by Maine Audubon. Wedding officiant and/or wedding planner must be present.
Is alcohol permitted?
Alcohol can only be served by a licensed State of Maine bartender or catering company, and they must provide proof of their liquor license. Alcohol may only be served on-site after 4 pm weekdays and after noon on weekends. Alcohol cannot be served past 10 pm any day of the week. Effective in January 2023, alcohol cannot be served past 8 pm any day of the week. Maine Audubon reserves the right to remove (or have removed) intoxicated parties at the Renter’s cost. Vendor’s staff may not consume alcoholic beverages while on the Premises during an event. Legal drinking age in the state of Maine is 21 years old. Maine Audubon staff are authorized to require Renter and his/her/their/its vendors to stop serving alcohol if guests are visibly intoxicated.
What types of decorations are allowed?
Renter is liable for any damage caused by placement of decorations and rental equipment, including any damage to the grounds caused by booth or tent stakes and any damage to trees and other foliage on the property.
Indoors: No nails, screws, staples, pins, tacks are allowed to be used on any building walls, wood work, or other surfaces.
Outdoors: No balloons, rice, confetti, potpourri, glitter or any substance of a similar nature is allowed on the Premises. Bird seed and bubble machines are permitted outside.
Cleaning Fees
Grounds and rooms rented are expected to be left in same condition as originally found. Cleaning fees will be assessed if grounds and rooms are not found in acceptable condition.
Renter is responsible for properly disposing of all trash, including pick up and removal of all trash, debris, and other litter left on the grounds. All trash must be removed from the grounds and buildings and transported off the Premises or discarded in the dumpster to the right of the barn by the end of the rental period. Caterers and vendors are responsible for their own waste disposal.
Vendor Guidelines
All third party vendors (caterers, musicians, bartenders, tent, etc.) must be pre-approved by Maine Audubon, and require licensing with the state of Maine. We are happy to provide recommendations based on our list of preferred vendors.
For all events and functions, Renter is responsible to oversee set up and break down by caterers and other vendors. For full weekend events, rental equipment may be delivered no earlier than Friday and must be re-moved by Monday. For all other events, rental equipment may not be delivered more than 24 hours prior to the event start time.
All rented items (tableware, tent, tables, etc.) must be stored in designated areas of the property. Maine Audubon will try to accommodate requests for space to store rental equipment and extra time for set up, but such requests must be made and approved by Maine Audubon in writing in advance of the event date, so as not to interfere with other programs and renters.
Venue Restrictions
Pets: No pets of any kind are allowed on the Premises with the exception of service animals. All service ani-mals must be under the control of the handler and wearing their official service vest at all times while on the Premises.
Smoking: Maine Audubon’s buildings and properties are smoke-free.
Political Events: We are unable to accommodate rentals for partisan political events..
Noise Level: Amplified music must be maintained at a reasonable volume. Maine Audubon staff is author-ized to lower amplified sound if deemed too loud. Music must stop by 10 pm. Effective in January 2023, music must stop by 8 pm.
Children: Children must be supervised by a responsible adult at all times.
No Fundraisers/Use of Maine Audubon Name: Maine Audubon’s name may not be used in any way to publicize any fundraiser or similar event or in any way that would infer Maine Audubon’s sponsorship or support of any organization, event, or person. Events held at the Venue must be by invitation only and closed to the general public.
The following are prohibited on Maine Audubon Premises: bicycles on trails, hunting, trapping, collecting, camp fires, camping, and off-road vehicles.
Do not disturb wildlife. Stay on designated trails. Do not cut or climb trees. Do not pick or remove any plants. No flying of drones without express written permission.
Rates & Fees
Indoor rentals start at $200 and up; Weddings start at $4000 and up. Reach out to us for more information and a personalized quote. Please direct all questions and inquiries to Emma Palmer at rentals@maineaudubon.org.
Download a printer-friendly version of the Gilsland Farm rental information here.
Maine Audubon hosts numerous other organizations and businesses including corporate meetings, birthdays, parties, and other special events. We recognize that our pricing doesn’t fit every situation. In addition, we love to work with our community, corporate, and nonprofit partners! Maine Audubon reserves the right to adjust rates based on dates and availability.
Fields Pond
Center facilities available for public rental include:
- The entire building, including two accessible restrooms.
- The Nature Store adjoining the rental space is open during business hours and during evening events.
- A small kitchen with stove, microwave and refrigerator.
- 80 folding chairs (inside use only).
- Two 6-foot tables (inside use only).
- Six 8-foot tables (inside use only).
- Maximum capacity for the building is 80 people for a stand-up event; 60 for a lecture; 50 for events that use tables, e.g. dinners or work meetings.
- No audio visual equipment is available; renters must make arrangements to bring their own.
- A telephone is available for emergency use for local outgoing calls.
If notified well ahead of time, Maine Audubon staff will set up chairs and tables as needed for meetings. For social functions, renters/caterers are responsible for set up and break down. Maine Audubon will try to accommodate renters with space for storage of rental equipment and extra time for set up, but this must be arranged ahead of time so as not to interfere with other programs and renters.
A Maine Audubon staff member or volunteer is available during events for questions.
Rates & Fees
- Prices available upon request, please contact rentals@maineaudubon.org for more information.