Music not only attraction at National Folk Festival

BANGOR – Music may be the premier reason for attending the National Folk Festival Friday-Sunday, Aug. 23-25, but it’s not the only one. Folk arts demonstrations are also part of the grand melange of things to see, do and learn between noon and 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on Front Street.

Demonstrations of arts related to the Maine woods will include canoe maker Rollin Thurlow of Atkinson, pack basketmaker Bill Mackowski of Milford, snowshoe makers Darrell Brewer and Bill Mackowski of Milford, Penobscot root club carvers Joe Dana and Stan Neptune of Indian Island, burl bowl maker Dick Stokes of Kingman, cedar fan carvers Rodney Richards Jr. and Sr. of Rangeley and Pownal, wooden beam carver John Seargerson of Dover-Foxcroft and mini-boat maker Bruce Hallett of Howland.

Textile demonstrations will be offered by hooked rug maker Joan Dwyer of Brewer, spinner and needle felter Hattie Clingerman of Winterport, knitting pattern creator Joan Davis of Northport, spinner and knitter Lynn Winters of Sebec and tatting expert Mildred Crocker of Lee.

Arts related to the home demonstrations are with rattan egg basket maker Donna Wolf of West Tremont; and herbal soaps, lotions and oils maker Gail Edwards of Athens.

Or if you want proof in the pudding, these demonstrations may be just the thing to savor: lobster bisque with Wendy Polstein of Millinocket, Vietnamese food with Bich Nga Burrill of Winterport, Finnish coffee bread with Annalee Libby of Old Town and buckwheat ployes by the Bouchard Family Farm of Fort Kent.

In addition, Harold LaCadie, Albert Michaud, Amy Morin and Sandy Ives will present “Nos Histoire d’Isle”; woods poet Jeep Wilcox will read from his works; Rhea Cote Robbins will discuss “From Textures to Textiles to Text,” and Davida Kellogg will give a presentation on the Women Veterans Oral History project.