BELOW: Van Halen had played the Civic Center several times before, but 1986 marked the band's first appearance with Sammy Hagar. This photo shows Hagar and Eddie Van Halen from the first of two concerts Van Halen played in August.
Lucky Clark Photo
BELOW: Kenny Rogers has long been a fan favorite here in Maine. This is a photo of him in April 1986 in front of a full house, part of a country triple bill with Lee Greenwood & Sawyer Brown.
Lucky Clark Photo
Events By Year:
<<< 1986 >>>
| Date(s): | Event: | Attendance: |
| 01/02 | Mariners vs. Springfield | 2374 |
| 01/04 | Mariners vs. Sherbrooke | 3329 |
| 01/05 | Mariners vs. Sokol, Kiev (USSR) | 6916 |
| 01/08 | Mariners vs. Binghamton | 2205 |
| 01/10 | Twisted Sister | 5511 |
| 01/11 | Mariners vs. Rochester | 3930 |
| 01/15 | Mariners vs. Nova Scotia | 2324 |
| 01/16 | Wrestling | 520 |
| 01/18 | Mariners vs. Nova Scotia | 4682 |
| 01/19 | Mariners vs. Adirondack | 2813 |
| 01/21 - 01/23 | Downeast Commercial Fish Show | 3000 |
| 01/25 | Mariners vs. Fredericton | 4320 |
| 02/02 | Mariners vs. Adirondack | 2972 |
| 02/08 | Mariners vs. Nova Scotia | 4793 |
| 02/10 - 02/12 | Maine Water Utilities Convention | 1500 |
| 02/12 | Mariners vs. Moncton | 2435 |
| 02/14 | Glenn Miller Orchestra | 1091 |
| 02/15 | Mariners vs. New Haven | 4672 |
| 02/17 | Mariners vs. Fredericton | 3402 |
| 02/19 - 02/23 | Ice Capades (10 shows) | 49305 |
| 02/24 | Loverboy w/ The Hooters | 9500 |
| 02/26 | High School Class A Hockey | 1416 |
| 02/27 | Western ME Class A Basketball | 992 |
| 02/28 | Western ME Class A Basketball | 3322 |
| 03/01 | Mariners vs. New Haven | 4845 |
| 03/01 | Western ME Class A Basketball | 4219 |
| 03/02 | Pat Benatar | 9160 |
| 03/03 | International Wrestling | 1090 |
| 03/04 | Western ME Hockey Championship | 3491 |
| 03/05 | Mariners vs. Adirondack | 3003 |
| 03/07 | Western ME Class A Basketball | 7216 |
| 03/08 | Western ME Class A & B Hockey | 3152 |
| 03/08 | Western ME Class A Basketball | 4995 |
| 03/09 | Mariners vs. Springfield | 6499 |
| 03/12 | Mariners vs. Hershey | 2478 |
| 03/14 | Mariners vs. Adirondack | 4194 |
| 03/15 | ME Class A Basketball Finals | 6700 |
| 03/16 | Mariners vs. Rochester | 3328 |
| 03/20 - 03/23 | Maine Boat Show | 11201 |
| 03/26 | Mariners vs. Springfield | 2385 |
| 03/27 - 03/28 | Grateful Dead (2 shows) | 19000 |
| 03/29 | Mariners vs. Sherbrooke | 4494 |
| 03/30 | Black Sabbath/Wasp | 3437 |
| 04/02 | Mariners vs. Binghamton | 2349 |
| 04/05 | Mariners vs. New Haven | 3811 |
| 04/06 | Maine Event Bull Auction | 600 |
| 04/06 | Mariners vs. Moncton (playoff) | 2737 |
| 04/10 | Mariners vs. Moncton (playoff) | 2060 |
| 04/11 - 04/13 | Downeast Direct Distributors Conv. | 3000 |
| 04/13 | Mariners vs. Moncton (playoff) | 2942 |
| 04/15 | Kenny Rogers,g Lee Greenwood,g Sawyer Brown | 8893 |
| 04/16 | Aerosmith w/ Ted Nugent | 9500 |
| 04/19 | Mariners vs. Moncton (playoff) | 2958 |
| 04/21 - 04/23 | Kora Temple Shrine Circus (7 shows) | 44045 |
| 04/25 - 04/27 | Maine State Republican Convention | 4500 |
| 05/03 - 05/04 | Jehovah's Witness Convention | 6000 |
| 05/08 | Heart | 9500 |
| 05/10 | USM Graduation | 5000 |
| 05/13 | Magic of David Copperfield | 4548 |
| 05/19 | Simple Minds | 4493 |
| 05/27 | Alabama / Charlie Daniels | 7690 |
| 06/03 - 06/04 | ZZ Top (2 shows) | 19000 |
| 06/07 | WCSH World's Largest Garage Sale | 7000 |
| 06/08 | Hank Williams,g Jr. | 3618 |
| 06/11 | South Portland H.S. Graduation | 2500 |
| 06/12 | Bonny Eagle H.S. Graduation | 2500 |
| 06/15 | Windham H.S. Graduation | 2500 |
| 06/19 | Hancock Lumber Trade Show | 500 |
| 07/04 | Robert Palmer | 1675 |
| 07/05 | Jackson Browne | 6585 |
| 07/08 | .38 Special | 5707 |
| 07/12 | Joan Armatrading | 3104 |
| 07/19 | Eddie Murphy | 6735 |
| 07/27 | Stevie Nicks | 7418 |
| 07/31 | Judas Priest | 6842 |
| 08/16 | Air Supply | 3457 |
| 08/23 - 08/24 | Van Halen | 18891 |
| 09/04 - 09/07 | Carroll Reed Ski Bonanza | 3500 |
| 09/09 | Steve Winwood | 4773 |
| 09/11 - 09/14 | Muppet Babies Live (7 shows) | 11311 |
| 09/16 | AC/DC | 9500 |
| 09/19 - 09/21 | 4th Annual Shop n Save Food Festival | 20000 |
| 09/23 | Ozzy Osbourne | 6548 |
| 09/25 | Bruins vs. Devils | 5019 |
| 09/27 - 09/28 | Watchtower Convention | 3000 |
| 10/08 - 10/09 | Maine Industrial Show | 4000 |
| 10/11 | Mariners vs. New Haven | 3269 |
| 10/13 - 10/19 | Skate America | 26588 |
| 10/22 - 10/23 | Maine Business Show | 2500 |
| 10/25 | Mariners vs. Hershey | 2570 |
| 10/26 | Mariners vs. Adirondack | 1975 |
| 10/27 | Harry Belafonte | 1531 |
| 10/29 | Chicago | 3838 |
| 10/31 | W.W.F. Wrestling | 2074 |
| 11/01 | Mariners vs. Sherbrooke | 2885 |
| 11/02 | David Lee Roth | 9500 |
| 11/04 | R.E.M. | 4259 |
| 11/08 | Mariners vs. New Haven | 2950 |
| 11/09 | Mariners vs. Baltimore | 2333 |
| 11/15 | THe Great Chili & Chowder Challenge | 1300 |
| 11/15 | Mariners vs. Rochester | 3118 |
| 11/16 | Mariners vs. Adirondack | 1994 |
| 11/21 | The Monkees | 6360 |
| 11/22 | Mariners vs. Nova Scotia | 3001 |
| 11/26 | Mariners vs. Springfield | 4412 |
| 11/29 | Mariners vs. Moncton | 2993 |
| 12/05 | W.W.F. Wrestling | 2307 |
| 12/06 | Mariners vs. Fredericton | 2577 |
| 12/07 | Mariners vs. Springfield | 1926 |
| 12/13 | Mariners vs. Sherbrooke | 2584 |
| 12/14 | Mariners vs. Spartak (USSR) | 4517 |
| 12/17 | Cyndi Lauper / Eddie Money | 6463 |
| 12/20 | Mariners vs. Sherbrooke | 2337 |
| 12/26 | Bon Jovi | 9500 |
| 12/27 | Mariners vs. New Haven | 3060 |
| 12/28 | Mariners vs. Rochester | 2308 |
| 12/28 | Torvill & Dean | 6791 |
| 12/29 | U-Maine vs. Univ. of Alaska | 5582 |
| 12/31 | Mariners vs. Hershey | 2312 |
