“Harmony Free Fair,” Fairgrounds, Harmony

Aug. 29, Thursday, 6-7pm, “Author Talk: Aislinn Sarnacki,” Aislinn Sarnacki, outdoors columnist for the Bangor Daily News, shares her latest book “Dog-Friendly Hikes in Maine.” Free, Thompson Free Library, 186 E. Main Street, Dover-Foxcroft. FMI: 207-564-3350, www.thompson.lib.me.us.
Aug. 29, Thursday, 6pm, “Mount Hope Cemetery Tour,” learn little known facts about some of Bangor’s famous—and infamous– residents during our guided tour. Hear about the importance of symbolism in the gravestones and get a chance to take in some of the city’s beautiful vistas. Built in 1834, Bangor’s 300 acre Mount Hope Cemetery is the nation’s second oldest garden cemetery. It was designed by renowned architect Charles G. Bryant as part of a national movement to provide respite from grassless urban landscapes. Garden cemeteries were created as much for living as for those who had passed on, Superintendent’s House, Mt. Hope Cemetery, 1048 State Street, Bangor. FMI: www.bangorhistoricalsociety.org.
Aug. 29, Thursday, 7:30pm, “Season Finale Organ Concert featuring Kevin Birch,” recital comprises works of Felix Mendelssohn, Dudley Buck, and Robert Schumann. Kevin Birch holds the Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Iowa with previous studies at New England Conservatory in Boston and the Sweelinck Conservatory in Amsterdam. Since 1992 he has served as Director of Music at St. John’s Catholic Church in Bangor, Maine where he also serves as Executive Director of St. John’s Organ Society. He is a member of the music faculty at the University of Maine’s School of the Performing Arts in Orono and serves on the Liturgical Commission for the Diocese of Portland. He has performed solo recitals in the US, Canada, Europe, South America and for several national conventions of the Organ Historical Society, free, donations appreciated, St. John’s Catholic Church, 207 York Street, Bangor. FMI: 207-942-6941, stpaulbangor.me.
Aug. 30-Sept. 2, Friday-Monday, all day events, “Harmony Free Fair,” with four days of fun for all ages. Once again, the Harmony Volunteer Fire Department will offer their must-have dough boys in the booth next to the food pavilion. They will have some new food items too, and more picnic tables have been added to the area in front of their booth. This year, a wide range of demonstrations will take place during the fair. Black-smithing, wood carving, herb drying (11 a.m. Saturday), weed walks, and much more will entertain and enlighten. Information on events in the Fiber Arts Barn will be posted on the building. The Reptile Guy will be back this year in a building between the food pavilion and the fiber barn. A new event – Open Ox Pulling – will be held Saturday afternoon, Aug. 31. It will include amazing “gentle giants” and will be held in the Livestock Arena. A returning favorite, the Farmers Oxen and Draft Horse Event will be held Sunday morning and includes a class for children 16 and under. Also Saturday afternoon is the Demolition Derby, featuring three classes. Spectator admission is $5, and a food booth in the area offers plenty of refreshments. On Sunday and Monday, Sept. 1 and 2, there will be a variety of children’s contests. Such games as: an egg toss, pie-eating contest, frog-jumping contest (held in the Outback Arena), and much more offer entertainment for all. There are even games for adults, like corn hole toss, spaghetti-eating contest, and a salsa-chugging event, and of course the women’s skillet throw and men’s hammer toss. Registration sheets will be available at the Prize Ticket Booth, free, 1 Fairway Lane, Harmony. FMI: www.harmonyfreefair.weebly.com.
Aug. 30, Friday, 7pm, “Dream to Fly,” have you ever thought how wonderful would it be to fly free as a bird? Discover the mystery of flight with Leonardo da Vinci, Montgolfier brothers, Wright brothers and other inventors. Experience the adventure with powerful images and music, an immense and challenging dream, since the beginning of history. Dream to Fly explores the history of flight and its most important milestones on our route to conquering the skies—both in terms of technological breakthroughs, as well as our perceptions on flying itself. The dream to fly has raised the man even further – into the outer space, $6/adults, $4/under 12, Emery Astronomy Center, 167 Rangeley Road, USM, Orono. FMI: 207-581-1341, astro.umaine.edu.
Aug. 31, Saturday, 5-6pm, “Bean Supper,” menu includes salads, pork and beans, vegetarian spicy BBQ beans, hot dogs, mac and cheese, brown bread muffins, corn bread and pies, $8/adults, $20/families, $3/under 12, First United Methodist Church, 703 Essex Street, Bangor. FMI: 207-947-7009, uubangor.org.
Sept. 1, Sunday, 7pm, “Alabama-50th Anniversary Tour,” Waterfront Concerts are pleased to present ALABAMA with The Charlie Daniels Band on their 50th Anniversary Tour. It’s the kind of story you read about in books and watch on the big screen at the movies. For the band ALABAMA, it’s not just a story; it’s their life. It is a classic American tale of rags to riches. From humble beginnings picking cotton in the fields to international stars that went on to sell 73 million albums while changing the face and sound of country music. It’s been over 40 years since Randy, Jeff and Teddy, left the cotton farms of Fort Payne, Alabama, to spend the summer playing in a Myrtle Beach, South Carolina bar called The Bowery. Having grown up working in the fields, the cousins were no strangers to hard work. They didn’t flinch when it took six long years of working for tips and living hand to mouth playing in the bar, $25-$250, Darling’s Waterfront Pavilion,1Railroad Street, Bangor. FMI: waterfrontconcerts.com.