Sounds of summer
A return to live music finds Maine’s outdoor music festivals filled with more energy and talent than ever before.
View from the stage at the Ossipee Valley Music Festival, which takes place at the Ossipee Valley Fairgrounds in South Hiram. Photo: Andrew Gagne Photography.
This article was originally published June 2022. It was last updated June 2023.
By Saisie Moore
AFTER TWO YEARS of quiet venues, empty stages and unplucked strings, Maine’s live music scene returns in full force for the summer of 2023. In the wake of an enforced hiatus, musicians have nailed down tour dates to reconnect with fans, promising this season will be one of the most exciting ever for live music events, as bands and listeners finally reunite in a wave of collective celebration. For those still uneasy about mass social gatherings, the space and fresh air afforded by outdoor festivals offer a gentle reintroduction to the world of live arts. This season’s calendar is already packed with talent from across the genres that will satisfy music lovers of every stripe, from folk to blues to reggae.
Attendance for the Ossipee Valley Music Festival is free for children 17 and under. Photo: Andrew Gagne Photography.
If the idea of music festivals conjures up thoughts of feet in the grass and notes on the breeze, prepare to be won over by Maine’s array of folk and bluegrass offerings, like the Ossipee Valley Music Festival, which has brought rustic charm and folk talent to South Hiram for over two decades. “Many families have had children grow up at the festival, each acting as a way to mark the passage of time in their lives, like height measurements on the wall,” says co-director Molly Griffin McKenna. The festival attracts a wealth of talented artists from the worlds of bluegrass, roots, Americana, jazz, soul and folk. Past performers include The California Honeydrops, The Wood Brothers, Billy Strings, Crooked Still, and The Infamous Stringdusters, among many others. “This year’s lineup features women in 70% of our performances,” says McKenna. “Molly Tuttle, Sierra Hull, Sierra Ferrell, Grammy award-winning Della Mae and guitarist Yasmin Williams, to name a few. We’re especially looking forward to a performance by the Ukrainian folk band DakhaBrakha from Kyiv.” In turn, these artists attract a relaxed and family-centric crowd looking to soak up the sun and sounds, buy crafts and camp onsite under the tall trees. The younger crowd can learn musical skills at the Roots and Sprouts tent or enjoy art, games and the shows. “Ossipee is unique in that people 17 and under get in for free!” McKenna says. “Above all, it’s a place for those who love music, delicious food and community.”
Farther east, Blistered Fingers Festival in Litchfield offers a more downhome style of festival. Launched in June 1991, Blistered Fingers was founded by the eponymous band, whose members hail from Central Maine. The band was inspired to create an annual festival in their home region to invite others “to hear banjos, fiddles and those high, lonesome harmonies” of the bluegrass tradition. The event became so popular, attracting musicians from across the country, that it soon launched a second weekend in August. Both weekends are family-friendly and attendees can camp onsite. So whether you lean folk or country, Ossipee and Blistered Fingers both offer a joyful weekend experience, showcasing music that stirs the soul.
Three-time Grammy nominee Ruthie Foster at the 2019 North Atlantic Blues Festival. Foster is headlining again in 2022. Photo: Jim Hartzell.
There are few things that can beat the experience of live music on a sparkling waterfront. Lucky for us, Maine has plenty of these moments to offer. The North Atlantic Blues Festival, a fixture of the event calendar for 29 years, showcases blues royalty against the stunning backdrop of Rockland Harbor. “There are so many different styles of blues out there, we try to keep it fresh and diverse,” says co-organizer Paul Benjamin. This year’s lineup includes Grammy winners and other virtuosos of all sorts, including “guitars, horns, pianos, vocalists,” Benjamin says. “We’ve got Billy Branch, a member of the Blues Hall of Fame; Ruthie Foster; and King Solomon Hicks, who was named Best Emerging Artist at last year’s Blues Music Awards. It’s Hicks’ first visit. I like to include a newcomer who might steal the show.” One of Benjamin’s greatest privileges is encouraging collaboration among the performers to create a spontaneous “supergroup” performance designed to blow the Sunday night crowd away. “I can’t give too much away, but Danielle [of Danielle Nicole Band] told me it was her dream to sing alongside Ruthie Foster. Imagine those two and Nora Jean Wallace on stage together.”
Guster’s On the Ocean Maine Weekend at Thompson's Point in Portland is a favorite new tradition. Courtesy photo.
On Portland’s waterfront, new traditions are being made at Thompson’s Point. In recent years, national bands with local connections have established cult followings for their annual musical extravaganzas. This year, alternative rock band Guster returns with its On the Ocean weekend of performances and activities. Singer and guitarist Adam Gardner lived in Maine for many years, and throughout this time, the band strove to create an accessible, community-driven approach to music, hosting bike rides and intimate events to connect with fans in person. The On the Ocean weekend is the fullest expression of this effort. Attendees are treated to a full day of music featuring Guster, Shovels & Rope, Amythyst Kiah, local favorites Darlingside and Pete Kilpatrick, and comedy sets from actor Connor Ratliff.
On Labor Day weekend in 2022, an eight-year tradition reaches its finale as the final Ghostland festival went out with a bang. Maine folk trio The Ghost of Paul Revere got its start playing bars and tiny venues around Portland, gathering a loyal following before graduating to international tours and performances on “Conan.” Ghostland is an homage to the trio’s home state and musical community. Over the years, the festival grew in size and reputation to become a sold-out fixture of Portland’s music scene. Last year, The Ghost of Paul Revere announced that Ghostland would be the band’s final show, a bittersweet end to a much beloved creative journey.
You don’t always need to plan ahead or pay a premium for a full festival experience. Communities throughout Maine host weekly concerts throughout the summer, catering to every musical genre and taste. Some of the highlights: L.L. Bean Summer in the Park series offers free concerts at its flagship campus in Freeport throughout the summer; past years featured starry acts such as Fitz and the Tantrums and The Fray. In Portland, Friends of the Eastern Promenade schedules weeknight music at the Fort Allen Bandstand, a beloved staple for local families. In the mood for some island vibes? Catch an early ferry out of Portland to Peaks Island every Sunday for reggae music at Jones Landing beside the dock. Westbrook boasts multiple nights of music throughout the summer, including Tuesdays at Riverbank Park, Thursdays in Vallee Square and every other Friday, May 8–September 22 at the idyllic Conant Farm. During July and August, downtown Bath is alive with music. On Tuesdays and Fridays, the Library Park Gazebo hosts a diverse lineup of musicians, and on Saturdays, Waterfront Park is the destination for free musical entertainment. Meanwhile, in Brunswick, Tuesday is the night for local bands and outdoor food and drink vendors at the Brunswick Family Community Center. In the Western mountains, the nonprofit Rangeley Friends of the Arts hosts the Monday night Outdoor Concert Series, where local musicians perform weekly in a timber-frame gazebo on the scenic banks of Haley Pond. Skowhegan welcomes crowds to Coburn Park each Sunday evening to wind down the weekend with music filling the summer night air. In Presque Isle, Thursday night is the night for live music and Riverside Drive is the place to be. Favorite local bands perform throughout the summer to welcome in the weekends at Rockin’ on Riverside. Find weekly summer concerts near you.
Gallery: 1, 2: Guster On the Ocean Maine Weekend at Thompson’s Point, Portland. 3,4: 2019 Ossipee Valley Music Festival in South Hiram. 5: Fans at the 2019 North Atlantic Blues Festival in Rockland.
This photo of the Milky Way above Oak Pond in Skowhegan, Maine was shot by John Meader of Fairfield, Maine in 2019.