Welcome to the American Folk Festival on the Bangor Waterfront.
On behalf of all who attend the festival from 6 to 10:30 p.m. today, noon to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, and noon to 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30, I thank volunteer festival chairwoman Maria Baeza, festival executive director Heather McCarthy, all volunteers, sponsors and supporters for making this possible.
On their behalf, I remind you to leave pets at home, and to park bicycles in the bike lot at the corner of Washington and Broad streets.
I also hope you will be very generous when Bucket Brigade volunteers approach and ask for a donation, because it is your contributions that keep this family-friendly weekend free.
Penobscot Plaza Associates vice chairman Sonny Leclair reminds readers that Curran Homestead Living History Farm and Museum volunteers will manage parking access for Penobscot Plaza customers and offer festival visitors all-day parking for $5, with proceeds benefiting the historic Curran Homestead at Field’s Pond in Orrington.
Leclair notes that Penobscot Plaza parking is particularly appropriate for families with young children and people with physical challenges.
• • •
Marianne Moore, owner and manager of Curves of Calais, reports that the fitness center is participating in a back-to-school supply drive and any woman who brings in a “backpack of school supplies” today only at Curves, 263 North St., Calais, will receive a free one-year membership.
For information or to make an appointment, call Moore at 454-2787.
Moore reminds you, “Curves works for you, your budget and your community.”
• • •
Jody Trost reports that Hartland Fun Days, organized by volunteers and folks “dedicated to our community,” begins with breakfast at 7 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, at Grace Linn Methodist Church, followed by the Farm Days Parade at 10:30 a.m. and the Lion’s Club barbecue at 11 a.m. at Hartland Consolidated School, “where children’s activities are scheduled throughout the day.”
Local citizens will be honored; the Kiwanians will host a bike rodeo for those ages 5 to 12; musicians will entertain; and you will find a float contest, an auction, a yard sale and crafts.
And, if you want, have your blood pressure checked, then check out the old cars and tractors on display.
• • •
Beth White reminds readers that the second annual Barber Shop Quartet is 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, at the Vanishing American Barbershop in Abbot.
Men’s and women’s quartets, crafts, food and fun await all who attend.
• • •
Gene Perreault invites you to the St. Francis Historical Society open house, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, in that community.
“Our caboose has had a new inside renovation,” Perreault wrote, that “was made possible through a grant from State of Maine, New Century Community Program.”
Also, Perreault wants you to know that, through the Maine Acadian Heritage Council, the third edition of “History Speaks” has now been published.
It features obituaries of people who were born, or lived in, St. Francis between the mid-1800s and August 2009.
Copies are $19.95 plus $4.90 for postage and handling, and are available between 1 and 4 p.m. Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the museum, by calling 398-3495 or 398-3387, or e-mailing geneperreault@hotmail.com or cpelletier44927@roadrunner.com.
• • •
Lillian Garwood performs a sacred-music concert at 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30, at Columbia Street Baptist Church, Bangor.
Clayton Rogers wrote Garwood “has enjoyed a long and varied career as a piano soloist, accompanist, music teacher, chamber music player, organist and choir director.”
A member of the music faculty at Nyack College and the University of Maine, Rogers explained Garwood’s performance “will include sacred music arrangements by contemporary composers as well as several short organ works of J.S. Bach.”
• • •
Jill Lang of Pen Bay Healthcare wrote the American Red Cross will conduct a blood drive 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday, Aug. 31, in conference rooms C and D at the Pen Bay Physicians Building, which is adjacent to the hospital off Route 1 in Rockport.
Of greatest importance, Lang added, is that “in order to collect 100 usable pints,” the ARC “needs to collect blood from 150 people,” and she requests that donors make an appointment by calling the PBMC blood bank at 596-8770 or the ARC at 800-GIVE-LIFE.
The drive will feature drawings for prizes and “fabulous food, including many homemade goodies to help donors replenish.”
For information about donating blood, visit http://www.redcross.org/donate/give/.
Joni Averill, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402; javerill@bangordailynews.net; 990-8288.