April 15
PLAY! Keynote Speaker
John Green
6:30 p.m., Lorimer Chapel

Join us for a series of free, public events leading up to a special visit with best-selling author John Green!
John Green is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, Paper Towns, The Fault in Our Stars, Turtles All the Way Down, and The Anthropocene Reviewed. He was the 2006 recipient of the Michael L. Printz Award, a 2009 Edgar Award winner, and has twice been a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. Green’s books have been published in more than 55 languages and over 24 million copies are in print. He is also one half of the vlogbrothers (3.77m subscribers) on YouTube and co-creator of educational series Crash Course.
In anticipation for his visit, we’ve collaborated with our community partners to create a series of John Green-themed events for all to enjoy! All events are free and open to the public. Please scroll down for more information about each upcoming event. For questions about how to get involved or plan your own event, please reach out to Program Coordinator Portia Hardy at [email protected].
John Green’s visit is sponsored by the Center for the Arts and Humanities, with co-sponsorship from the offices of the President and the Provost, the Arts Office, Colby Libraries, Colby Museum, Cultural Events Committee, Goldfarb Center for Public Affairs, Oak Institute for Human Rights, and the departments of English and Creative Writing, Environmental Studies, and Writing.
The event series is co-organized between the Center for the Arts and Humanities, Maine Film Center, Waterville Creates, and Waterville Public Library.
February 11
Discussing John Green’s Young Adult Books
5:00 – 7:00pm, Waterville Public Library

Join us for a gathering of John Green fans discussing his Young Adult books such as The Fault In Our Stars, Looking for Alaska, and Turtles All The Way Down.
Discussion will take place 5-6pm with refreshments and conversation to follow. This event is supported by the Colby Center for the Arts and Humanities. For more information, please call (207) 680-2612, or email [email protected].
March 1-April 30
Waterville Reviews Everyday Objects
11:00am-7:00pm, Paul J Schupf Art Center

Inspired by John Green’s acclaimed book The Anthropocene Reviewed; Waterville Creates invites the community to engage with the extraordinary hidden within the ordinary. From March through April, we’ll celebrate everyday objects through creative expression in anticipation of John Green’s upcoming visit to Waterville in April.
Visitors are invited to review six carefully chosen everyday objects through essays, poetic odes, or haikus. Whether you share a heartfelt narrative, a lyrical tribute, or a succinct haiku, your reflections will join a collective tapestry of perspectives that celebrate the beauty, absurdity. and complexity of our shared human experience.
This interactive exhibit will be open for two months, providing ample time to ponder, create, and contribute. Submissions will be showcased in the arts center and online to highlight the community’s unique voices.
Come explore the profound in the mundane and share your reflections with us. All ages are welcome to contribute!
March 3-March 31
Looking for Alaska Scavenger Hunt
10:00am-5:00pm, Waterville Public Library

Stop by the Waterville Public Library in the month of March and help us find Alaska! Different versions of Alaska will be hidden throughout the library, see how many you can find and then stop at the Circulation desk for a prize!
Inspired by the John Green Novel.
For more information please email [email protected] or call (207) 680-2612
March 11
Discussing “The Anthropoence Reviewed” by John Green
5:00 – 7:00pm, Waterville Public Library

Join us for a gathering of John Green fans discussing his adult nonfiction book “The Anthropocene Reviewed: Essays on a Human-Centered Planet”, and his upcoming book, “Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection”.
Discussion will take place 5-6pm with refreshments and conversation to follow. This event is supported by the Colby Center for the Arts and Humanities. For more information, please call (207) 680-2612, or email [email protected]
April 12
Bookend Painting
11:00am – 2:00pm, Waterville Public Library

Come to the library and paint a book end based on your favorite John Green book to decorate your shelves at home!
This event is supported by the Colby Center for the Arts and Humanities. For more information, please call (207) 680-2612, or email [email protected]
April 13
The Fault in our Stars
2:00pm, Maine Film Center

In anticipation of John Green’s visit to Colby College on April 15, we’re hosting a special screening of the beloved film The Fault in Our Stars. Whether you’re a long-time fan of the book and movie or new to the story, join us for a moving night of laughter, tears, and inspiration. Get ready for John Green’s upcoming visit, and don’t forget to bring your questions and excitement for his talk!
Hazel Grace Lancaster (Shailene Woodley), a 16-year-old cancer patient, meets and falls in love with Gus Waters (Ansel Elgort), a similarly afflicted teen from her cancer support group. Hazel feels that Gus really understands her. They both share the same acerbic wit and a love of books, especially Grace’s touchstone, “An Imperial Affliction” by Peter Van Houten. When Gus scores an invitation to meet the reclusive author, he and Hazel embark on the adventure of their brief lives.
To get tickets for this free event, please visit Maine Film Center.