Friends of the Eastern Promenade and Portland Trails are hosting an event on Thursday, Sept. 17, to celebrate and raise money for the Fort Allen Park Trail on Portland's East End.

A benefit reception will be held from 5-6 p.m. at Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad at 58 Fore Street, with proceeds to go toward plantings around the newly built Fort Allen Park Trail. Tickets start at $20 and admission includes wine, beer, and light hors d'oeuvres. Advance registration is necessary for the benefit; tickets are available by calling 1-800-838-3006 or visiting www.friendsofeasternpromenade.org.

Following the benefit, there will be a community celebration from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Fort Allen Park gazebo, open free for the public. Along with big-band music by Big Chief, speakers will commemorate the completion of the new Fort Allen Trail. Vendors from Spartan Grill and Island Cow will be selling falafels, gyros and ice cream.

With construction finished earlier this summer, the new Fort Allen Trail connects Fort Allen Park with the Eastern Promenade Trail and has been well received on Portland's East End. The set of 40 granite steps provides a safer, more attractive replacement for a rough, steep bushwhacked path carved out by feet over the years. The project was a collaborative effort between Friends of the Eastern Promenade, Portland Trails, the City of Portland, and Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad.

While a $25,000 grant paid for trail construction, extra funds are needed for plantings that will dress up the trail and hold soil in place on the steep bank. Volunteers are needed for a planting day on Saturday, Sept. 12, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m., rain or shine. For more information, email info@friendsofeasternpromenade.org.

FRIENDS OF THE EASTERN PROMENADE is a community organization committed to preserving the park's significant historic public landscape, protecting its environmental integrity and enhancing recreational use. Learn more at www.friendsofeasternpromenade.org.

PORTLAND TRAILS is a member-supported land trust dedicated to building and maintaining a network of multi-use trails in Greater Portland. To learn more, visit www.trails.org.