BANGOR – There are two ways to measure the success of an event, according to Heather McCarthy, coordinator for the 66th annual National Folk Festival. “Attendance is certainly one way to look at [it],” McCarthy said Monday. “Another way is how much the audience enjoys… Read More
    A peachy pale moon rose over the Penobscot River in Bangor, illuminating the masts of the schooner Bowdoin, which had sailed up from Castine two days before for the 66th National Folk Festival. Near the food vendors, streetlights cast haloes through a mixture of haze and barbecue smoke,… Read More
    BANGOR – What’s in a name? Based on a sampling of those attending the last National Folk Festival held in the Queen City, not much. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var… Read More
    BANGOR – It wasn’t about hitting all the right notes, making all the right moves on the dance floor or being perfectly in tune. Instead, it was a party to celebrate the hard work of the hundreds of volunteers and staff members it takes to make the National… Read More
    BANGOR – Bangor police removed seven people from the 66th National Folk Festival grounds Saturday, but only three were arrested, according to Bangor Police Lt. Mark Hathaway. “The entire festival, all three years, we’ve had virtually no problems,” Hathaway said Sunday. googletag.cmd.push(function () { //… Read More
    The road between Mississippi and Bangor was a straight shot when Joe Willie “Pinetop” Perkins took his seat at the piano Friday at the Railroad Stage. The legendary musician, one of the last great Mississippi Delta bluesmen and a headliner at the National Folk Festival, closed the distance… Read More
    Members of the Irish music group Solas claimed to be a bit under the weather after a flight from Scotland to Newark and a 10-hour van drive to Maine. But the five-piece group served up the full range of their sound during a late-afternoon set… Read More
    Long before the Reeltime Travelers took the stage Friday evening, festival-goers had staked out spots in front of the Heritage Stage, where the band would kick off the 66th National Folk Festival. It seemed fitting, after a short crowd-warming instrumental, that the Travelers launched their… Read More
    If this is indeed a National Folk Festival, then it only makes sense that it takes a nation to stage it. And so it goes that the people who set up the festival are not only from the Bangor Public Works Department and local volunteers… Read More
    BANGOR – Community radio station WERU-FM 89.9 and 102.9 is broadcasting live from the National Folk Festival during its weekend run. The nonprofit station said Friday it plans to broadcast from the Bangor waterfront from noon to 7:15 p.m. Saturday and noon to 6:15 p.m. Read More
    We celebrate Bangor this weekend with the National Folk Festival. But other riches lie beyond our city’s limits. We asked NEWS writers throughout the state to tell us why they live where they live. Below you’ll find their stories about Belfast’s gothic architecture, blueberry barrens in Washington County,… Read More
    We celebrate Bangor this weekend with the National Folk Festival. But other riches lie beyond our city’s limits. We asked NEWS writers throughout the state to tell us why they live where they live. Below you’ll find their stories about Belfast’s gothic architecture, blueberry barrens in Washington County,… Read More
    We celebrate Bangor this weekend with the National Folk Festival. But other riches lie beyond our city’s limits. We asked NEWS writers throughout the state to tell us why they live where they live. Below you’ll find their stories about Belfast’s gothic architecture, blueberry barrens in Washington County,… Read More
    We celebrate Bangor this weekend with the National Folk Festival. But other riches lie beyond our city’s limits. We asked NEWS writers throughout the state to tell us why they live where they live. Below you’ll find their stories about Belfast’s gothic architecture, blueberry barrens in Washington County,… Read More
    Most people go to the National Folk Festival for the music, the food and the camaraderie. I’m not going to lie – I’m in it for the shopping. Don’t get me wrong. I love the spirit, the dancing and the gyros. But my first stop… Read More
    BANGOR – Maine Public Radio will broadcast live coverage of the 66th National Folk Festival on Saturday and Sunday from the riverfront in downtown Bangor. Beginning at noon, Maine Public Radio will broadcast the entertainment from the Railroad Stage that includes a full roster of… Read More
    BANGOR – Anyone needing help at this year’s National Folk Festival shouldn’t have to look too far. Approximately 800 volunteers in bright red T-shirts will be scattered throughout downtown Bangor during the festival assisting with everything from setup and parking to running sales and information… Read More
    BANGOR – The four kinetic sculptures that are to adorn the entrance to the Bangor Waterfront will not arrive in Bangor in time for the beginning of the 66th National Folk Festival. The four sculptures, which city officials had previously stated would be in place… Read More
    It all started at the National Folk Festival. Ten years ago, Joe Wilson, the director of the National Council for the Traditional Arts, asked Seamus Egan to gather some friends together to play traditional Irish music in Lowell, Mass. So Egan, who is hailed as a multi-instrumental virtuoso,… Read More
    Conjunto music has been very good to Hector Barron. Barron is the founder and leader of Los Fantasmas del Valle (roughly “the ghosts of the valley”), a much-revered conjunto group from Texas that will be playing at the 66th National Folk Festival. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
    It all started at the National Folk Festival. Ten years ago, Joe Wilson, the director of the National Council for the Traditional Arts, asked Seamus Egan to gather some friends together to play traditional Irish music in Lowell, Mass. So Egan, who is hailed as… Read More
    AUGUSTA (77 miles from Bangor) Maine State Housing Authority 56 googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i < slot_sizes.length; i++) { if (isMobileDevice()) { if (slot_sizes[i][0] googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
    Consider the river. We mean the Penobscot River. Remember dancing on the banks of the river last summer during the National Folk Festival? We do. We think of Dale Watson and His LoneStars and instinctively our toes start tapping. Did you shake your hips to the Congolese beat… Read More
    In May, Jerry Douglas, who has been called the Jimi Hendrix of the dobro guitar, was traveling with Alison Krauss and her band, Union Station. They were on the Great High Mountain Tour, an amalgam of roots and old-time music concerts produced by the legendary T-Bone Burnett. Near… Read More
    Smoothies, homemade lemonade Aucoin Concessions googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i < slot_sizes.length; i++) { if (isMobileDevice()) { if (slot_sizes[i][0] googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var… Read More
    When folk artists take to the stage, they often perform or demonstrate for an audience not well versed in the particular culture and traditions. Folklorists serve as interpreters, making communication between the artist and audience easier. At the 66th National Folk Festival, the following folklorists will be on… Read More
    With nearly 100,000 people expected to attend the third and final year of the National Folk Festival on Aug. 27-29 in Bangor, plans are in the wrapping-up stage. “This is the last call for volunteers,” Folk Festival assistant director Noelle Richard told me this week. Read More
    BANGOR – The transformation of Railroad Street into the gateway of the Bangor Waterfront will be completed in time to greet the nearly 100,000 people expected to attend this year’s National Folk Festival on Aug. 27-29, city officials said this week. Construction on the waterfront… Read More
    BANGOR – There’s no such thing as a free lunch – or a free Folk Festival, according to organizers of the national traditional arts concert. Attendees of the waterfront festival are admitted free of charge, but corporations, local businesses and the city for three years… Read More
    BANGOR – National Folk Festival organizers have announced the first six of more than 20 performing groups that will be featured in August at the event in Bangor. They are: Blinky and the Roadmasters, Vishten, Henry Butler and the Game Band, The Birmingham Sunlights, Harmonia… Read More
    BANGOR – The 66th National Folk Festival is now accepting volunteer registrations. More than 900 volunteers are needed to provide services at the festival this year, which will be held Aug. 27-29. Volunteers will receive a free T-shirt and an invitation to the Saturday night… Read More
    I had the great opportunity to be a buddy for the Colombian band at the National Folk Festival. Every artist or group I spoke to raved about Bangor and the warm welcome they received. The festival provides an opportunity for everyone to experience the beauty… Read More
    This year’s National Folk Festival once again provided something for everyone. “It’s awesome,” Lisa Greider of Terryville, Conn., said on Saturday. “We’re definitely coming back next year.” googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false;… Read More
    Ribs, sausages, gourmet wraps, Chinese and Greek food, and baked and fried goodies of all kinds happily coexisted at the 65th National Folk Festival. More than 40 vendors served up culinary delights ranging from down-home comfort foods to the unique and exotic for the hungry masses. Read More
    Robin Foster sat with her 31/2-year-old daughter on her lap in the front row Friday night, just a few feet from the giant speakers at the Kenduskeag Dance Stage. Because Emma is deaf, Foster wanted to be sure the little girl could feel the vibrations… Read More
    Downtown Bangor merchants delivered mixed reports Sunday as to whether their businesses benefited from tens of thousands of people converging on the city during the 65th National Folk Festival. From a bus stop strategically placed at West Market Square, thousands of people poured onto lower… Read More
    Real cowboys themselves, Wylie & the Wild West delivered a bona-fide country music performance. The group’s mix of traditional cowboy tunes and western swing definitely got toes tappin’ and led to loud hand clappin’ – especially when singer-guitarist Wylie Gustafson let out a yodel. googletag.cmd.push(function… Read More
    Los Camperos de Nati Cano burst into song amid wind gusts billowing across the sea of people surrounding the Railroad Stage on Saturday. Nattily clad in brown-embroidered suede suits and matching boots, the Los Angeles-based Mexican mariachis serenaded the crowd, delivering a rapid-fire “Los Pollitos”… Read More
    It looked as though a few hundred people had stumbled onto a back-porch blues jam and, liking what they heard, decided to stay as Warner Williams and Jay Summerour played Saturday at the Two River Stage. The Piedmont-blues duo kept things simple with nothing more… Read More
    Thanks to Riverdance and the Boston-Ireland connection, Celtic music can hardly be described as exotic here in New England. In fact, most of us have heard enough Irish, Scottish and English ballads, jigs and reels to be able to tell whether they’re played well. The… Read More
    Full of spunk and charm, Dale Watson and His LoneStars delighted thousands Saturday at the Railroad Stage with a seamless fusion of traditional country and upbeat swing. For close to an hour, the tattooed, honky-tonk musician and his cohorts from Austin, Texas, captivated the audience… Read More
    Bluegrass is a genre of music made for the great outdoors, with bright sun and blue skies a perfect complement for the uplifting nature of this American acoustic artistry. Whether Mountain Heart brought the sun out from behind the clouds Sunday, or perhaps the sun… Read More
    Alternating instrumental performances with flowing choreography and complex drumming, the 12 members of Sounds of Korea created an astonishing visual and auditory experience Saturday at the Penobscot Stage. Garbed in traditional Korean dresses of brilliant pink and green, the graceful dancers intertwined in a cascading… Read More
    In the world of professional sports the conventional wisdom is that only a dope would eagerly look forward to replacing an aging superstar legend when the time comes to put the old boy out to pasture. Far better to be the replacement for the replacement who fails to… Read More
    BANGOR – With the long-awaited National Folk Festival in full swing, railroad safety officials are reminding residents and guests to use caution around the active railroad tracks running through the entire length of the festival site. Despite an estimated attendance of 80,000 people last year,… Read More
    On one of those crystalline sunny days of summer in Maine, Heidi Johnson was walking with her two children in Norumbega Park, an esplanade along the Kenduskeag River in downtown Bangor. She had her 2-month-old son, Nicolas, strapped to her chest. Daughter Olivia, who is 3, scooted around… Read More
    It was a warm August evening when my husband and I attended the first night of this much anticipated event. We got out food and sat down on one of the railroad ties overlooking the Penobscot River with the sun on our faces. A young man approached us,… Read More
    The National Folk Festival is all about tradition. So is Dale Watson, particularly when it comes to country music. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i < slot_sizes.length;… Read More
    Parlez-vous musique? For many of French descent, the answer is a resounding “Oui!” Two prime examples from both ends of the experience scale will perform at the 2003 National Folk Festival in Bangor. Don Roy is the well-traveled veteran. The dean of Franco-American fiddling in… Read More
    Editor’s Note: The following piece is one in a series of short stories profiling performers in the 2003 National Folk Festival this weekend in Bangor. The distinctive rhythm of Mexican mariachi music has roots that reach as far back as the 1850s. googletag.cmd.push(function () {… Read More
    Peanut-almond butter and jelly sandwiches Greater Bangor Seventh-day Adventist Church googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i < slot_sizes.length; i++) { if (isMobileDevice()) { if (slot_sizes[i][0] googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
    Editor’s Note: The following piece is one in a series of short stories profiling many of the performers in the 65th National Folk Festival Aug. 22-24 in Bangor. While a traditional Russian instrument, the balalaika is not often heard on an American stage. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
    As I am a native-born Portuguese from Lisbon (now an American citizen for many years), I was delighted last summer to find a fado singer from Portugal at the festival. Fado is the song of Lisbon, and I never expected to hear it in Bangor, Maine, being sung… Read More
    Editor’s Note: Following is one in a series of short stories profiling many of the performers in the National Folk Festival on Aug. 22-24 in Bangor. East European Jewish party music kind of says it all. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes =… Read More
    Editor’s Note: For Veazie resident Deolinda Amaral, the 64th National Folk Festival was a memorable time. Amaral and other Mainers will share their experiences in the coming days before the 65th National Folk Festival Aug. 22-24. As I am a native-born Portuguese from Lisbon (now… Read More
    BANGOR – With an even larger crowd than last year expected for the National Folk Festival next weekend on the city’s waterfront, festival organizers have taken steps to help avoid some of the traffic and parking hassles some attendees experienced in 2002. This year’s festival… Read More
    Editor’s Note: The following piece is one in a series of short stories profiling many of the performers in the 65th National Folk Festival Aug. 22-24 in Bangor. We’ve all heard him before: He’s the yodeler at the end of the Yahoo.com commercials, and he’s… Read More
    Editor’s Note: The following piece is one in a series of short stories profiling performers in the 65th National Folk Festival Aug. 22-24 in Bangor. Alan Shavarsh Bardezbanian and his Middle Eastern ensemble will be at the National Folk Festival spreading Armenian culture. googletag.cmd.push(function ()… Read More
    Editor’s Note: The following piece is part of a series of short stories profiling many of the performers in the 65th National Folk Festival Aug. 22-24 in Bangor. The musical ensemble of Yang Wei and Betty Xiang create harmonious tones from ancient Chinese instruments the… Read More
    Editor’s Note: The following piece is one in a series of short stories profiling performers featured in the National Folk Festival Aug. 22-24 in Bangor. For harmonica player Jay Summerour, defining the type of blues that he and guitarist Warner Williams play is easy. “A… Read More
    . Through Sept. 7 “Fairfield Porter: A Life in Art, 1907-1975,” Portland Museum of Art, Seven Congress Square, Portland. 775-6148. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes = []; var has_banner = false; for (var i = 0; i… Read More
    We marched backward. That was the only way to see our neighbors, our friends, the kid next door, the guy from work, all in a parade. A parade. In Bangor. And it wasn’t Memorial Day. It was opening night of the National Folk Festival last… Read More
    Parlez-vous musique? For many of French descent, the answer is a resounding “Oui!” Two prime examples from both ends of the experience scale will perform at the 2003 National Folk Festival in Bangor. googletag.cmd.push(function () { // Define Slot var slot_sizes = [[300,250]]; var new_slot_sizes… Read More