The dedicated student musicians who make up the Bangor Symphony Youth Orchestra invite you to their Fall Concert at 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23, at Hauck Auditorium at the University of Maine in Orono.

While admission is free, reports BSYO president Nick Pappas, donations are always welcome to support this most important musical opportunity for students in our area.

Composed of 70 students from eastern and central Maine and conducted by Rebecca Edmondson, the young musicians’ program will feature “a full concert of lively pieces,” Pappas wrote of works ranging from opera to the Lord of the Dance and March of the Toys.

For this concert, Thomas School of Dance members will join the BSYO to “lend their dancing talents for the Irish Party from ‘Titanic,’ March of the Toys and Lord of the Dance.”

The musicians, in grades five through 12, rehearse Sundays at the University of Maine and perform twice yearly.

For more information about this concert or the BSYO, e-mail Pappas at bsyoboard@roadrunner.com.

Nelson Durgin invites you to the Hammond Street Congregational Church Snowman Fair, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, at the church on the corner of High and Hammond streets in Bangor.

A fish chowder-chili luncheon will be served, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and an auction conducted at 1 p.m.

You can purchase a calendar of past and present churches and all proceeds benefit the Ecumenical Food Cupboard, open 10 a.m.- noon Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, year-round, at the church.

Karen “Kadee” Reynolds reports that the bluegrass band Anna Mae Mitchell & Rising Tide will appear in two benefit concerts.

The first, to benefit Toys for Tots and The Salvation Army, is 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, at Next Generation Theatre, 39 Center St., Brewer.

Guests are asked to bring an unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit The Salvation Army.

Advance tickets are available at NGT for $5. Tickets at the door are $7 for adults, $5 for students and seniors.

The second concert, sponsored by Hampden Highlands United Methodist Church, is 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, at Reeds Brook Middle School, Route 1A, Hampden.

Proceeds benefit the Help for Hampden Fund for emergency fuel assistance.

Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for students and seniors. Advance tickets are available by calling Chris Henderson at 862-5506.

Eastern Maine AIDS Network and Wabanaki Mental Health have announced several activities in observance of World AIDS Day, Monday, Dec. 1. The public is invited.

First is the offer of information and testing, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Pleasant Point Health Center, where the video “Our Story,” produced by native youth, will be aired.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. that day, quilt panels from the Names Project Northern New England Chapter will be displayed at the University of Maine Student Union in Orono.

During those same hours, that day, at the UMaine Wabanaki Center, Allen Sockabasin of Wabanaki will offer free HIV testing of the university’s Native American population.

Hammond Street Congregational Church will hold an open house featuring quilt panels from The Names Project, a timeline of HIV, and information about HIV-AIDS and red ribbons from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at HCC on the corner of Hammond and High streets in Bangor.

The Rev. Mark Doty will discuss the meaning of this day, and Ja’Nette Coverse will discuss her experience growing up with her late mother and sister who were both infected with HIV.

The Rev. Margaret Beckman will lead a service from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 6 Easy St. in Pittsfield, where Dr. Jean Lavigne, an AIDS activist living with HIV-AIDS, is also a featured speaker.

For more information, visit www.maineaidsnetwork.com or call 877-990-3626.

Lucy Wilson reminds Penobscot County AARP Chapter 374 members their annual Christmas luncheon is at noon Tuesday, Dec. 2, at Sunbury Village, 922 Ohio St., Bangor.

To reserve your space, mail your check for $7.50 to Jane Plummer, 66 Monument Drive, Eddington 04428.

Wilson also reminds members “to bring unwrapped, new toys to donate to The Salvation Army.”

Buddy Mills reports the Christmas Flotilla is 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, on Moosabec Reach between Jonesport and Beals and, afterward, Mills added, Santa Claus will be at the Jonesport Firehouse.

For more information, call 497-2806.

Joni Averill, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402; javerill@bangordailynews.net; 990-8288.