"The goal of Down East has always been to hold a mirror up to Maine — its storied past and lively present — and to celebrate its flinty, independent character and unhurried way of life. As Maine has changed with the times, however, so has Down East. Today the state has come to embrace its future as well as its past. Accordingly, the magazine now focuses more on contemporary Maine life and what the future might bring and less on historical background and quaint rusticity. Booming circulation and advertising gains demonstrate the wisdom of this editorial shift."
Portland Public Library's collection of Down East is complete, and begins with the first issue, August 1954. The hard copies are available in the Portland Room.
Submissions from 2024
Accidental Influencer, Virginia M. Wright
Against the Current, Jesse Ellison
All Maine Points, Mary Pols
All the Bells and Whistles, Nora Saks
Ancient History, Virginia M. Wright
A Real Shell Shock, Joel Crabtree
A Vision in Black & White, Will Grunewald
Bulb Moment, Virginia M. Wright
Carving Out a Life, Sara Anne Donnelly
Creation Station, Michaela Cavallaro
Dream Weaver, Michaela Cavallaro
Equipped for Adventure, N. S.
Flights of Fancy, Sara Anne Donnelly
Flower Power, Katy Kelleher
Food for Thought, Sara Anne Donnelly
Going to Seed, Nora Saks
Gone with the Wind, Stephanie Bouchard
Good as New, Joel Crabtree, Sara Anne Donnelly, Will Grunewald, and Nora Saks
Keeping it Real, Sara Anne Donnelly
Language Art, Sara Ann Donnelly
Mystery Machine, S. S.
Novel Mosaics, Virginia M. Wright
Ready to Make a Splash, Nora Saks
Small Town, ME, Joel Crabtree, Will Grunewald, Nora Saks, and Sarah Stebbins
Small World, Sara Stebbins
Sound Guy, Victoria Wasylak
Sovereign People, Rachel Slade
State of Play, Mary Pols
That Creepy Crawly Feeling, Nora Saks
The Art of Being Jeffery Becton, Jesse Ellison
The Great Maine Scavenger Hunt, Bridget Burns, Will Grunewald, Nora Saks, and Sarah Stebbins
Thrifters' Paradise, Michele Christle
Submissions from 2023
101 Reasons to Love Summer in Maine, Hadley Gibson
11 Maine Residencies Where the Arts Thrive, Adrienne Perron
A Quartet at the Bridge, Douglas Rooks
A Spectacle of Abundance, Brian Kevin
Blasts from the Past, Will Grunewald, Bridget Burns, Brian Kevin, Adrienne Perron, Virginia M. Wright, Joe Ricchio, Jesse Ellison, Joyce Kryszak, Joel Crabtree, and W. G.
Buckwheat Revival, Virginia Wright
Do Go Chasing Waterfalls, Adrienne Perron, Brian Kevin, and Claire Baldwin (illustrations)
Everything You've Always Wanted to Know About Heating with Wood but Didn't Know Who to Ask, Katy Kelleher
Food and Drink: A Bitters Taste, Joel Crabtree
Food and Drink: A Classic, Re-inn-visioned, Brian Kevin
Food and Drink: A Garden-Variety Bakery, Kate McCarty
Food and Drink: Around the World in One Little Restaurant, Joel Crabtree
Food and Drink: Beating the Heat, Will Grunewald
Food and Drink: Be Her Guest, Teresa Versteeg
Food and Drink: Bye, Bye Mixologist Guy?, W. G.
Food and Drink: Elevated Fare, Will Grunewald
Food and Drink: Fresh From the Vault, Will Grunewald