Cool Sounds Concert Series: RetroRockerz

By: Melinda Hart






RetroRockerz drew in crowds of people for the last Cool Sounds Concert Series and Outdoor Market in Downtown Bangor – bringing in the largest audience of the series for its last week.

What's Happening this Weekend...

Make the most of the rest of your summer!

Art for the Animals
July 30-August 1
Maine Lighthouse Museum, Rockland
Art by some of the finest local and national artists will be auctioned to benefit the Humane Society of Knox County at this 21st annual event. Prices $10-$3,000. Silent and live auction items offered. Free and open to the public.
www.hskcme.org

Bangor State Fair
July 30-August 8
Bangor Fair Grounds
At the Bangor State Fair, there are outdoor concerts, midway rides, great food, a petting zoo, a demolition derby, and more for you to enjoy.
www.basspark.com

Northern Maine Fair
July 30-August 7
Northern Maine Fair Grounds, Presque Isle
A large family fair with rides, exhibits, horse pulling, harness racing, tractor pulling, demolition derby, pig scramble, live music, and more.
www.northernmainefairgrounds.com

Bar Harbor Summer Arts & Crafts Festival
July 31 & August 1
College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor
All sorts of arts will be on display at the Bar Harbor Summer Arts and Crafts Festival, such as turned wood, pottery, metal sculpture, dried floral, fleece, hats, pewter, and watercolors. The event also features food samplings, craft demonstrations, and live music. 10 am-5 pm daily.
www.casteberryfairs.com

Eileen Ivers & Immigrant Soul
July 31
The Strand Theatre, Rockland
Enjoy the unique sounds of the Celtic fiddle from Eileen Iver and Immigrant Soul, the 9-time All-Ireland Fiddle Champions.
www.rocklandstrand.com

Sneak Peak!
July 31
Rockport Opera House
This one-of-a-kind concert features Bay Chamber's Young Stars Prize-winning quartet along with Bay Chamber's resident string quartet: the St. Lawrence. This is a special 50th anniversary event to benefit Bay Chamber's Community Music School. $125.
www.baychamberconcerts.org

2010 Artisan Bread Fair
July 31
Skowhegan
Bakers, Artisans, and Growers (BAG) present breads of all tastes and sizes. Breads are baked in masonry ovens before your eyes. In addition, the event features live music, books, farm foods, and live music.
www.kneadingconference.com

Friendship Day
July 31
Friendship
This 27th annual event offers fun for the whole family and includes a pancake breakfast, children's parade, music, contests, softball games, lobster boat races, and more.

Piscataquis River Festival
July 31
Piscataquis
The annual festival is a great, community-wide summer event for Guilford as well as the the surrounding communities.
www.townofguilford.com

Cool Sounds Concert Series: Banjo Dan and the Mid-Nite Plowboys

By: Melinda Hart




Cool Sounds Concert Series brought Banjo Dan and the Mid-Nite Plowboys to West Market Square this week – with the sun pushing the rain away once again!

What's Happening This Weekend...

Here is a listing of what's going on in the Bangor metro area. Have a great weekend!

Central Maine Egg Festival
July 20-24
Pittsfield
This annual festival celebrates the brown egg industry with a parade, scholarship pageant, breakfast, BBQ, street dance, “Egglympics,” craft fair, and more. Don’t forget to see the world’s largest frying pan.
http://eggfest.craftah.com

Friendship Sloop Days
July 22-24
Rockland
This 50th annual homecoming and regatta features sloop races, demonstrations, and visits to historic Friendship Sloops. Sponsored by the Friendship Sloop Society.
www.fss.org

Thoreau-Wabanaki Festival
July 22-24
Greenville
Held at the Center for Moosehead History, this annual event celebrates Thoreau and the Wabanaki people’s exploration and contribution to the cultural heritage of the Moosehead Lake region.
www.nrecmoosehead.org

Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella
July 22-August 1
Belfast
Hold on to your glass slippers! Rodgers and Hammerstein’s magical musical Cinderella appears under the stars by the Belfast Maskers.
www.belfastmaskers.com

Battle at Fort Knox
July 23
Prospect
Naval, infantry, and artillery forces are called into action on the west bank of the Penobscot River. It’s the reenactment of the battle at Fort Knox on the shore and in the water. Activities for civilians as well.
www.ftknox.mainemilitia.com

Bucksport Bay Festival
July 23 & 24
Bucksport
There’s plenty to see and do at the Bucksport Bay Festival, including live bands, a pie bake-off, a musical, a 5K fun run, fireworks, and much more. Parade starts at 9 am on Saturday.
www.bucksportchamber.org/bayfestival

Deer Isle Jazz Festival
July 23 & 24
Stonington
Friday features Detroit Brooks on banjo, Kerry Lewis on bass, Greg Stafford on trumpet, and Dr. Michael White on clarinet. On Saturday catch Mainer Paul Sullivan on piano.
www.operahousearts.org

Maine Lobster Ride & Roll
July 24
Rockland
It’s a bike race for lobster lovers. Cycle along the coast toward a fresh lobster roll. The race has four distance options: 16, 30, 50, or 100 miles. All proceeds go to the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. Registration at 7 am.
www.bikemaine.org

Hope4Jazz Festival
July 24
Camden
Featuring the John Jorgenson Quintet, the Steve Grover Band, and Primo Cubano. This is an outdoor event on the lawn surrounded by the Camden Hills under a nearly full moon. Bring blankets, chairs, the kids, your dancing shoes, and a picnic dinner. 4–10 pm. $20 adults; $10 students; free for children under 12.
www.hopejazzfestival.com

Downeast Country Fest 2010
July 24
Whitneyville
This event will feature country music star Michael Peterson and homegrown guitar legend Johnny Hiland. $18.
www.downeastcountryfest.com

Sea Kayaking to the Petroglyphs
July 24
Machias Bay
View the ancient petroglyphs etched into the eastern-facing rocks on Machias Bay. These glyphs are inaccessible by land and are a beautiful example of Washington County’s prehistory. Open to novice and proficient paddlers and includes all equipment needed. Bring your own lunch. $55.
www.sunrisecanoeandkayak.com

Gallery on the Green
July 24 & 25
Southwest Harbor
The Coastal Fine Art Alliance of Maine presents two days of outstanding juried art on the Pemetic School Green in Southwest Harbor. Rain or shine. Sat. 9 am–5 pm;
Sun. 10 am–5 pm.
www.acadiachamber.com

Bangor Summer Craft/Business Expo
July 24 & 25
Hollywood Slots, Bangor
There are all sorts of gifts and crafts to be found at the Bangor Summer Craft and Business Expo, from jewelry to original artwork, home décor to renovation ideas.
www.xtrapromotions.com

Grand Lake Stream Folk Art Festival
July 24 & 25
Grand Lake Stream
Where folk art meets the water, you’ll find the Grand Lake Stream Folk Art Festival. Features live music, canoe and boat builders, craftsmen, and folk artists.
796-8199

Wings & Wheels Spectacular & Aerobatics Airshow
July 24 & 25
Owls Head Transportation Museum
Come see all things wings and wheels featuring a world-class aerobatic airshow you’ll never forget.
www.ohtm.org

Cool Sounds Concert Series: Teen Jamboree

By: Melinda Hart







This week’s Cool Sounds Concert Series showcased the Bangor area’s talented youth with the Teen Jamboree! Four acts shared the stage last night, each bringing their own unique sound.

What's Happening This Weekend...

Holy cow! July is already half over. How did this happen?

Lincoln Homecoming Festival
July 15-18
Lincoln
This annual event boasts four days of family fun. Take in craft and food vendors, street dances, concerts, parades, antique car cruise-in, and some of the best fireworks around.
www.lincolnmaine.org

"Lighthouse: A Downeast Musical"
July 15-24
Camden Opera House
Lighthouse: A Down East Musical by Mainers Robert Richardson and John Chandler tells the tale of life off the coast of Maine during the last year of prohibition. Identify with the characters, enjoy a toe-tapping square dance number, and root for bootleggers at the Camden Opera House. 7:30 pm. $12–$16.
www.camdenoperahouse.com

Maine Celtic Celebration
July 16-18
Belfast
Come experience live Celtic music, storytelling, and dance along with sporting events including a rugby scrum. There will be various contests along with children’s activities.
www.mainecelticcelebration.com

Jackson Memorial Library Annual Book Fair
July 17
Tenants Harbor
An outstanding selection of old, new, and rare books. There will also be baked goods, perennials, art, and a silent auction.
372-8961

Cherryfield Historic House Tour
July 17
Cherryfield
Private homes, churches, and other historic buildings open their doors to the public.
1–4 pm. $20.
www.cherryfieldhistorical.com

Harbor Arts Juried Arts & Craft Show
July 17 & 18
Camden
Over 100 artists and craftspeople display their work in scenic Camden for the 24th year in a row.
www.visitcamden.com

Fishermen's Day
July 17 & 18
Stonington
This annual family fun day is celebrating its 20th year on the Stonington fish pier. There will be crafts, slippery cod contest, wacky boat races, and lots of great food. Sponsored by the Island Fishermen’s Wives Association.
www.deerisle.com

Trucks, Tractors, & Commercial Vehicles Show
July 17 & 18
Owls Head Transportation Museum
More than 250 antique pickups, delivery vans, tractor-trailers, military vehicles, and more will be on display.
www.ohtm.org

Bangor Greendrinks at the Sea Dog

Last night's Bangor Greendrinks was a success, thanks to the help of the Sea Dog staff. We had delicious appetizers to munch on, good music to listen to, and $2 drinks. Can't beat that! If you didn't make it this time, join us next month, August 10th, at the University of Maine Museum of Art. It's a beautiful venue that will be filled with great people. For more information, check out Bangor Greendrinks on Facebook. Read on to see photos from the event...

The Way We Work: Nicole Ouellette

By: Melanie Brooks

Each month in Maine Ahead magazine we feature a working Mainer. Nicole Ouellette, owner of Breaking Even Communications in Bar Harbor, is our featured Mainer for our August issue. Space constraints kept us from publishing all of her fabulous answers, so I'm going to publish them here. If you're interested in learning more about social media networking from a smart, young whippersnapper...read on. For more on social media networking, pick up a copy of our August issue.

Cool Sounds Concert Series: Evergreen

By: Melinda Hart

Evergreen had listeners on their feet last Thursday at the Cool Sounds Concert Series and Outdoor Market with blues, bluegrass, and swing!

A four part band, Evergreen is comprised of Steve Chiasson, Chris Prickitt, Nel Kennedy and Joe Kennedy. Their performance spanned old time country music, bluegrass, blues and folk.

Star Power

By Melanie Brooks

A couple of weeks ago I had an idea. Wouldn't it be cool if we had a way to put local people on fake covers of Bangor Metro? Wouldn't it be cool if we had some sort of cover frame that we could take to events? I decided to pick my dad's brain about it. He's a carpenter by trade and can make just about anything you can imagine.

We talked over what I wanted and how he thought it would work and he whipped up a fake Bangor Metro cover frame in no time. We decided to debut it at last night's Business After Hours at The Charles Inn.


We had a ball with it! Pictured here on the left is David Whitehill and Jessica Bloch Whitehill. On the right is Jessica Sleeth and Katy England.

For more fun cover shots, check out our facebook page. We'll be bringing our life sized cover frame to the next Bangor Greendrinks, which will be held after work on Tuesday, July 13th at the Sea Dog on the Bangor waterfront. We hope to see you there!

What is a potato blossom anyway?

By Melanie Brooks

The Potato Blossom Festival kicks off in Fort Fairfield this weekend and I bet many of you have never even seen a potato blossom. I'm here to change that. Last year I went up to the Potato Blossom Festival to check them out for myself. It was my first real trip up to "the county" for work. The weather wasn't spectacular, but the views were amazing.

What's Happening This Weekend...

There's no excuse for boredom this weekend!

East Millinocket Summerfest
July 8-11
Opal Myrick Park
This year's theme is country and western, and the weekend will be packed with a parade, pony rides, concerts, good eats, fireworks, and more.
www.eastmillinocket.org

9th Annual Celebration at the Visitors Center
July 9
West Quoddy Head Light, Lubec
This is your chance to take a tour of the famous red-and-white-striped lighthouse tower. There will also be food, music, and a raffle. 11 am-2 pm.
www.westquoddy.com

United Maine Craftsmen's Arts & Crafts Show
July 9-11
Bangor Waterfront
Talented Maine artisans sell their unique crafts, specialty foods, and art.
www.unitedmainecraftsmen.com

16th Annual Strawberry Festival
July 10
Lincolnville Center
Don't miss this sweet event, which features a parade, desserts, children's activities, and music. Held on the campus of the United Christian Church.
763-3038

Summer at Leonard's Mills
July 10 & 11
Bradley
Experience days bone by with a reenactment of a 1790s colonial village with horse-drawn wagon rides, candle making, blacksmithing, and more. 10 am- 4 pm. Adults $8; children $4.
www.leonardsmills.com

North Atlantic Blues Festival
July 10 & 11
Harbor Park, Rockland
One of the most prestigious blues festivals in the country, this year's roster features over 15 blues artists from around the country and abroad.
www.northatlanticbluesfestival.com

15th Annual Arts in the Park
July 10 & 11
Belfast
Over 80 artists display their works on Belfast's waterfront. The festival offers continuous live music throughout the weekend, as well as a variety of foods. Don't miss the Maine Coast Carving & Art Competition at the Boathouse!
www.artsintheparkbelfast.org

Flamingo Festival
July 10-12
Southwest Harbor
A weekend-long celebration of the iconic plastic lawn ornaments. Enjoy a parade, children's carnival, a steel drum band, and more.
www.harborhousemdi.org

Maine Potato Blossom Festival
July 10-18
Fort Fairfield
Enjoy 9 days of farmer olympics, road races, arts and crafts, fireworks, river races, mashed potato wrestling, and more.
www.potatoblossom.org

Cool Sounds Concert Series: Blue Northern

By: Melinda Hart




Blue Northern brought bluegrass to Bangor for the fourth week of the Cool Sounds Concert Series, performing to families and their dogs under a rainbow in Pickering Square.

What's Happening this Weekend...

Celebrate the country's independence with an activity-packed weekend!
Happy 4th of July!

Houlton Fair
July 1-4
Houlton
This fair features livestock, crafts, a midway, and stage entertainment, ending with a fireworks show for the 4th of July. $10.
www.houltonfair.com

"Picnic"
July 1-11
Steamboat Landing Park, Belfast
When a handsome young man moves into a small town in Kansas, he ignites change and drama in the neighborhood. The Belfast Maskers presents Picnic, the first show performed on the new festival stage. 7-9:30 pm.
www.belfastmaskers.com

Alasdair Fraser & Natalie Haas
July 2
The Strand Theatre, Rockland
With big and small fiddles, Fraser and Haas reinvent Scottish music with their engaging Celtic performance during their second visit to The Strand.
www.rocklandstrand.com

Independence Day Celebration
July 2-4
Millinocket
Enjoy three days of fun including live entertainment, craft fair, parades, food vendors, and fireworks.
www.katahdinmaine.com

River City Cinema
July 2, 9, 16, 23, & 30
Pickering Square, Bangor
Grab your lawnchair and head downtown to catch a free show. Movies start at sundown, around 8:30 pm.
www.rivercitycinema.com

MDI YMCA's Annual Lobster Races
July 3
Bar Harbor
Ever seen a lobster race? Go to MDI town athletic field after the parade and check it out. All proceeds benefit the MDI YMCA.
www.mdi.org

4th of July Parade & Celebration
July 3
Thomaston
Check out this traditional small-town 4th of July celebration that includes a pancake breakfast, entertainment, horseshoe tournament, baking contests, crafts, and fireworks.
www.thomaston4thofjuly.com

July 4th Celebration Weekend
July 3 & 4
Bar Harbor
Celebrations begin with a 6 am blueberry pancake breakfast at the Bar Harbor athletic field. From 9 am to 3 pm visit the craft fair, then enjoy the parade, followed by lobster races. Other festivities include a seafood festival, free concert on the Village Green, by the Bar Harbor town band, and an antique show. End the day with a fireworks display over Frenchman Bay.
www.mdi.org

Paranormal & Psychic Faire
July 3 & 4
Fort Knox, Prospect
Meet with people who believe in things unusual: psychics, ghost hunters, UFOologists, dowsers, and more. Regular fort admission applies, plus $2 event donation requested.
fortknox.maineguide.com

The Fabulous '50s, Sensational '60s, & Antique Aeroplane Show
July 3 & 4
Owls Head Transportation Museum
See over 400 big, beautiful cars along with vehicle demonstrations, biplane rides, and activities for the whole family. 9:30 am-5 pm. $12 adults; free for children under 18.
www.ohtm.org

Brooks Field Day
July 4
Brooks Community Park
This annual celebration is filled with family-friendly activities and great food. $5.
www.brooks.govoffice2.com

4th of July
July 4
Eastport
Don't miss the Grand Independence Parade, entertainment in Overlook Park, water sports, antique car show, contests, and the fireworks.
www.eastport4th.com

July 4th Celebration
July 4
Greenville
Spend the day and catch the annual parade, craft fair, children's activities, live music, and the largest display of fireworks in Piscataquis County.
www.mooseheadlake.org

4th of July Celebration
July 4
Deer Isle-Stonington
Check out early morning road races and fun run in downtown Stonington, then head over to Deer Isle Village for the 4th of July parade. Grab lunch at the annual Fish and Fritter Fry on the Stonington Fish Pier, followed by fireworks over Stonington Harbor at nightfall.

Food & Wine Pairings
July 4, 18, & 25
Cellardoor Vineyard, Lincolnville
Discover which wines best compliment local foods with Cellardoor Winery. Sessions will feature area farms and businesses, such as Seal Cove Farm, Appleton Creamery, and O'Meara Family Farm.
www.mainewine.com

Don't see a listing for 4th of July activities for your town? Check out your town's website.