May Festival fun for seniors and families

May is upon us and that can only mean one thing: The May Festival is imminent. And why not? May is, after all, Older Americans Month.

Sponsored by the University of Maine Center on Aging, with a healthy dose of good will and hard work from Eastern Agency on Aging, the May Festival is a two-day event geared to the varied interests of young and old alike. Seniors can come alone or with their families and enjoy a bevy of events. There is something for everyone.

The fun begins at 7:30 a.m. Friday, May 9, at Norumbega Hall in downtown Bangor and continues through May 10.

“We are hoping that people will stop by on their way to work and get acquainted with us,” said Jane Johnson, May Festival committee member. “Last year, the festival was a way to introduce the Center on Aging to the community. We’d like to make it an annual event to celebrate the senior population.” A coffee welcome wagon, complete with delicious pastries, will be on hand for early attendees, courtesy of Maine Wholesale Foods of Bangor, she added.

As if the lure of hot, fresh coffee is not enough to attract a crowd, flutist Sergio Espinoza will be stationed under a cloud-like canopy, donated by Acadia Fabric Structure, in Norumbega Park near the Hannibal Hamlin Statue, plying his craft.

“Sergio is Peruvian and his music has a Caribbean influence,” Johnson said. “You close your eyes and feel like you are on the beach.”

Art lovers are in luck because a tour of the University of Maine art museum begins at 10:30 a.m. Friday. Select vendors will be on hand to supply information concerning services for seniors.

At noon, a lunch of deli-style sandwiches, salads and desserts will be served by celebrity waiters – you’ll have to join us to find out who will be donning aprons. Diners will be serenaded by the Six Basin Street Band.

You can walk off your meal by strolling around the neighborhood and visiting other art exhibits at the Hammond Street Senior Center, and Bangor Public Library.

Then, make your way to City Hall, where four separate classical concerts will be offered beginning at 4:30 p.m.

“When these concerts are over, people will have time to go home and put on their dancing shoes and return to Norumbega Hall for the swing dance,” Johnson said. “We are excited to have the Moon Puppies and Zoot Suit Revue. They have a strong following and are a lot of fun.”

It’s back to Norumbega Hall Saturday morning, where Robert Croul and Paul Zebiac will appraise antiques and collectibles. There is a limit of three items per person and a cost of $5 each. No written appraisals will be given.

After discerning the value of your treasures, you can scoot over to Movie City 8 on the Odlin Road, where the River City Film Society will present “I’m Going Home,” a subtitled foreign film. Movie buffs with a May Festival ticket will receive a $3 discount on their admission. Check local listings for times.

And if live theatre is your passion, the Penobscot Theatre Company is offering a $2 discount to festival attendees on the play “I Hate Shakespeare” May 9 and 10.

Registration for the May Festival is $7.50. Advance tickets for the dance are $8 for singles and $15 for couples. At the door prices are $10 and $18. For more information or to register, call Maine Center on Aging at 581-3444.

Carol Higgins is communications director at Eastern Agency on Aging. For information on EAA call 941-2865 or log on www.eaaa.org.