"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 2019
Room with a View: To Catch the Morning Sun, Susan Hand Shetterly
Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, Katy Kelleher and Ian Rothwell, illustrator
Slippery Business, Willy Blackmore
Small Farms, Big Ideas, W. G.
Snow Farm, Jaed Coffin
Snow Reservations, Will Grunewald and Jennifer Hazard
Soak it Up, The Editors
Taking It to the Streets, J. C.
Tales of the Hunt, The Editors
Taste Buds, Will Grunewald
The 35 Maine-iest Foods, Mark Fleming, photographer; Catrine Kelty, food stylist; and The Editors
Theater: Knight Moves, Will Grunewald
The Cruise Ships Are Coming, Will Grunewald, Joel Crabtree, and Joyce Kryszak
The Feel-Good Film Geek of the Year, Joel Crabtree
The Goodly River, Tristan Spinski
The Great Maine Scavenger Hunt (2019), Joel Crabtree, Brian Kevin, Kendra Caruso, Jennifer Van Allen, and Virginia M. Wright
The Hoot, Will Grunewald
The Kids are Alright, Jillian Bedell
The Long Haul, Suzanne Rico
The Miller's Table at Maine Grains, Malcolm Bedell
The Monson Experiment, Amy Sutherland
The Sound of Silence, Leah Hurley
The Sportsman's Alliances, Murray Carpenter
The Surry Forest, Susan Hand Shetterly
This Cape Porpoise Fish Hounse Is An Icon. But of What, Exactly?: Beauty, Authenticity, and Community in the Age of Instagram, Brian Kevin and Benjamin Williamson, photographer
This Cider House Rules!, Willy Blackmore
Tough Spudder, J. C.
Tower of Dour, B. K.
Trailblazing, Will Grunewald
Treasure This, Tina Fischer
Wares: Talking Heads, Virginia M. Wright
Welcome to the Quarry, Greta Weber
When Harry Met Sally Met the Midcoast
Whistleblower, W. G.
Wild Idea, Willy Blackmore
Yes, We Can, Michaela Cavallaro
Submissions from 2018
2018 Down East Reader Photo Contest
Acadia National Park; A Peak Survival Guide: In midsummer, Maine's marquee national park is at its best- and, unignorably, its busiest. From town to trail, here's how to avoid the crowds, find the park's secret gems, and maker your Acadia adventure unforgettable, James Kaiser and Chris Bennett Photographer
Artist in Wilderland, Brian Kevin and KDB Dominguez
Art Spots, Tina Fischer, Carl Little, Brian Kevin, and Erwin Sherman Illustrator
A Town in Between, Joyce Kryszak and Adam Woodworth
A Vintage Down East Winter, Brian Kevin
A Whole Other Kettle, Carla Jean Lauter
A York County Autumn: From Farms to Footpaths, Five Ways to Love the Fall in Maine's Scenic South, Bridget M. Burns and Douglas Merriam Photographer
Barn Swallows: Some of Maine's liveliest spots for dinner and drinks these days are down on the farm and for some Maine farmers, the gastronomic "barn social" is a key part of a new agrarian model, Willy Blackmore and Molly Haley
Best of Maine: Thousands of down East Readers Took Our Annual Poll To Tell Us What They Love Most In Maine-- From Landmarks to Lobster Shacks to Libraries. Then We Chimed in With a Few Picks of Our Own. So How'd Your Favorites Do?, Kathleen Fleury, Will Grunewald, Brian Kevin, Joe Ricchio, Sarah Stebbins, and Virginia M. Wright
Business; Blueberry Blues: Growers leave fields unharvested as they confront plummeting prices and a glut of frozen berries, Joyce Kryszak
Deep Space, Benjamin Williamson Illustrator and Brian Kevin