BANGOR, Maine (WABI) - Over 300 stakeholders gathered at the Cross Center in Bangor for the 2025 Governor’s Conference on Tourism.

Gov. Janet Mills surprised business leaders in the state at the conference with a speech.

“Hopefully, we’ll be successful in attracting high numbers of tourists from all countries including Canada to the state of Maine because we want them here,” said Mills.

Small businesses in Maine account for 99.2% of operations.

The Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine has been notified that a three-year, $224,143 grant from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services has been cancelled.

The Institute's Museums for America funding was awarded in August 2024 to support programming that the museum says, “brings children and families together to learn about community, culture and belonging” and included a focus on the history and culture of the Wabanaki nations. 

The Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine says it's lost nearly $225,000 in federal grant funding, meant for live performances connected to Wabanaki history.

The museum says the three-year grant was originally awarded in 2024 by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), an organization that has been targeted for elimination by President Donald Trump.

Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and if you’re looking for something fun to do with your kids to celebrate, it's Love Week at the Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine.

It's a week to celebrate love, kindness, and self-appreciation.

In this segment, Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine executive director Julie Butcher Pezzino tells us more about Love Week.

At an event at the Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine on Tuesday morning, kids talked about what they wish for in 2025.

Mainers party just a little differently than the rest of the world on New Year’s Eve.

Instead of dropping a ball from a big building in a big city, we drop a wild blueberry from a church bell tower in Kennebunk. Instead of making everyone stay up to the stroke of midnight, we hold some New Year’s celebrations in the afternoon or early evening, so kids and early risers can get to bed on time.