Move Your Feet As You ‘Hike For The Homeless’ On The Bangor Waterfront This April

This coming Christmas Eve will mark 40 years since the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter (BAHS) opened its doors for the first time.

Over the past four decades, countless individuals have sought refuge within its walls, enjoying warm meals and fellowship inside.

It takes a lot of volunteers, community involvement, and funding to keep the shelter operational year after year.

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One of the biggest annual fundraisers that the BAHS relies on is their annual 'Hike For The Homeless', which takes place each spring.

Boyd A. Kronholm, Executive Director of the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter, says their yearly 'Hike For The Homeless' event has evolved quite a bit since it first started 31 years ago, when it was just the news team from a local television station hiking up Katahdin.

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What started with a handful of people now attracts hundreds, Kronholm says. Some events have had participants numbering upwards of 700. They took some time off during the pandemic, but returned to the Bangor Waterfront a couple of years ago.

"It evolved into 4 local starting points (Bangor, Brewer, Hampden, and Hermon) converging at the waterfront. We moved it to a virtual hike for a few years during the pandemic.  We now begin and end at the waterfront."

Last year, the event helped raise $52,125. Those funds go directly to the shelter to help with programs.

According to their website, from the summer of 2024 to the summer of 2025, the Bangor Area Homeless Shelter provided almost 375 people with safe lodging, provided over 50 an opportunity to secure permanent housing, and offered over 23,000 meals to folks at their facility at 263 Main Street in Bangor.

This April will mark the 31st year for the hike, and organizers say each year it's grown and grown. Coordinators say they'll be honoring community partnerships and connections in 2026.

The event takes place rain or shine, and is a fun event for all ages. With music, games, facepainting, live demonstrations, and even great 'selfie' opportunities, the energy of that day matches the good the folks feel in their heart for supporting such an important event.

This year's event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 4th at 9 AM. They are looking for both participants to gather pledges and take part in the Hike, and also community sponsors.

If you're interested in joining the cause as a hiker or a team, you can register for this year's hike by clicking here.