Can you hear the music just over the horizon? The 2006 American Folk Festival on the Bangor Waterfront is just five months away – Aug. 25, 26, and 27, when once again, Bangor’s waterfront parks will be filled with music, song, and dance from the world’s best traditional artists.

Reminiscing about last year’s event, and anticipating the upcoming August festival lets us re-live some of our favorite festival moments. Remember dancing to Steve Riley and the Mamou Playboys at the Dance tent? Hearing the sounds of Hawaiian slack-key guitar float over the water from the Two Rivers stage? Enjoying a gyro sandwich in the food court? Listening to Don Vappie and the Creole Jazz Serenaders performing on the Railroad stage, even as their homestate was being devastated by Hurricane Katrina?

These are just some of the moments that make up the total Folk Festival experience; we hope that you brighten the long Maine winter days by recalling your favorite festival memories. Plans are now well underway to bring you new moments to cherish at the 2006 AFF, when – once again – Eastern Maine will host over 20 performing groups from polka to junkanoo to zydeco, all of whom are proud to represent the many cultures that are part of our country today.

Once again, Maine’s residents and visitors will have free, unlimited access to all of these performances thanks to the festival’s no-admission-fee policy. It is truly ourselves, and our friends and neighbors who make up the majority of the festival audience: in 2005, 39 percent of festival-goers came from Greater Bangor; 45 percent from other Maine communities. The festival is popular with all ages; public survey results show that representatives from every age demographic attend and enjoy the event.

And once again, the eastern Maine region will reap the economic benefits associated with over 100,000 visitors – an economic impact estimated at $5 million in 2005. For an event that costs just $1 million to produce annually, this combination of cultural, tourism, and economic benefits is a value from all angles.

As a non-profit organization, we are grateful to our local and state governments, foundations, individuals, and vendors who have contributed to the success of this million-dollar event. However, there is an additional crucial category of festival supporters – the business community. Without contributions from businesses that are vested in the Bangor region, we cannot maintain the quality of the American Folk Festival as we have all come to enjoy it.

All levels of sponsorship are crucial to the annual success of this event; the festival’s board of directors, staff, and volunteers work year-round to ensure that the festival continues to bring economic and cultural benefits to businesses in our region. Our business community prospers from this success both directly and indirectly, and now we are requesting your financial support.

We thank the many local businesses who have taken the lead in supporting the 2006 Folk Festival, and we hope that those that have not pledged will consider the many benefits that the Folk Festival brings to our community, and will step forward with your gift. More information is available at www.americanfolkfestival.com.

Folk Festival performers from across North America have shared with us their delight at the welcome that they receive in Bangor. They like our people, our festival, and our community. Working together, we can all continue to enjoy the magic that we experience each August on the waterfront in Bangor, Maine.

The American Folk Festival on the Bangor Waterfront is a gem in the crown of the Queen City. Its music, its culture, and its people draw the world to Bangor. Only with your help we can keep it shining brightly.

Brad Ryder is the owner of Epic Sports in downtown Bangor, and is the Chair of the Folk Festival board of directors. The Folk Festival can be contacted at (207) 992-2630.