GARDINER — Upstream will host Bicentennial Fish, a ffree, family workshop about fish, freedom and the settling of our great state by painting a wooden fish for exhibit in our river city — 200 cheerful fish for Maine’s 200th birthday.

Workshops will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, in the Children’s Room at Gardiner Public Library as well as from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Thursday, March 12, in the Reading Room of the Gardiner Public Library, at 152 Water St.

Early European settlers sailed to Maine to harvest abundant natural resources from the forest and the sea providing food, shelter and a livelihood to early colonial settlers. This vibrant economy contributed to Maine’s statehood 200 years ago, when native fish were an integral part of everyday life from the millions of cod and haddock pulled from the clean, cold productive waters of the Gulf of Maine to the every-spring return of millions of sea-run fish to the inland rivers, lakes and ponds.

To schedule a Bicentennial Fish event, call Upstream 582-0213 or email [email protected].