AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — About 1,500 Maine Democratic Party activists will gather in Augusta for a three-day convention that will help set the tone for the campaign season.

Opening ceremonies are at 5:30 p.m. Friday at the Augusta Civic Center, and the convention will continue Saturday and into Sunday. The theme of the convention is “Forward Together,” as Democrats seek to win back control of the State House and deliver a statewide victory to President Barack Obama in November.

Besides electing delegates to the party’s national convention, adopting a platform and taking care of other party business, Democrats will hear from Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, and from the party’s four U.S. Senate candidates on Saturday.

Friday night’s speech by former U.S. Sen. Max Cleland has been canceled.