BANGOR, Maine — For the first time in recent memory, Bangor High School graduates won’t be tossing up their mortar boards in Bangor this year.
The high school will hold its June 5 ceremony at Harold Alfond Sports Arena at the University of Maine, rather than the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, because of a scheduling conflict with Cirque du Soleil.
Cirque du Soleil is holding six performances of OVO at the Cross Insurance Center between June 2 and June 5. The last show wraps up at 5 p.m on the same day Bangor school officials originally hoped to host graduation in the same spot starting at 4 p.m.
Joe Imbriaco, general manager of the Cross Insurance Center, said Cirque du Soleil reserved that weekend for performances in October 2014, well before Bangor had finalized its academic calendar for this year.
“That type of production doesn’t spring up on you,” Imbriaco said.
Bangor Superintendent of Schools Betsy Webb said Imbriaco and the city reached out to the school department around the time school started this year to notify them that the weekend they traditionally held graduation had been booked.
School officials considered changing graduation weekend, but knew it would be problematic for some families that planned ahead on it taking place on the traditional first Sunday in June. The switch also could have forced organizers to change their Project Graduation plans.
“It was decided it would be best to keep it the same date and same time,” Webb said.
About 275 seniors are graduating from Bangor High School this year, according to Webb. Each student can provide up to 20 tickets to family members and friends, boosting typical attendance to 3,500-5,000. That’s too large for any other Bangor venue, including the high school’s own auditorium and the Gracie Theatre at Husson University.
The only venue capable of seating that number of people in the area is the Alfond. Webb said students and parents were notified of the venue change prior to winter break, and that the university has been helpful and accommodating. She said there will be no additional cost to the department because of the switch.
“Everything is working out beautifully,” she said.
Bangor High School students opened Bangor’s new arena in 2013 when 280 graduates walked on stage to get their diplomas. Prior to the opening of the Cross Insurance Center, the school held its graduations at the now-demolished Bangor Auditorium.
Webb and Imbriaco both said that the graduation ceremony will return to the Cross Insurance Center next year, and such conflicts would be avoided in the future.
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