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Summertime in the BelgradesContentsfor Printing Article Summaries |
Kingfield POPS Celebrates With Day-Long FestivitiesWhen the fourth annual Kingfield POPS with the Bangor Symphony Orchestra performs on July 1, 2006, a unique area-wide festival will also take place. Growing from a "grass roots outdoor concert" to a daylong family event the Kingfield POPS celebration now includes a garden tour, arts and crafts show, and a music event that promises to take the festival to new heights. "The Kingfield POPS was created to showcase the endless recreational and cultural opportunities that are available in the western Maine mountains," states Bobby Brown, one of the event organizers. "This year we have taken a more diverse regional approach to make the POPS the must-attend event of the summer." New to the POPS line-up this year are the Festival of the Arts in downtown Kingfield and area Garden Tours to be held during the day. In addition to the traditional arts and crafts fair, the Festival of the Arts will offer the chance for visitors to see how many of the handcrafted items are made through hands-on demonstrations. Artists will be creating and making jewelry, stained glass, blown glass, painting, wooden bowls, and spinning yarn so patrons can get a feel for what goes into fine handcrafted products. Green thumbs and horticulture admirers will love visiting some of the finest flower, ornamental, and vegetable gardens in the area as part of the Kingfield Garden Club tour. Nearly a dozen area residents will welcome visitors throughout the day for guided tours of their gardens. Tours and demonstrations in and around town will come to a close just as the concert grounds open at the Kennedy Farm on the outskirts of downtown Kingfield. Picnics on the lawn will be accompanied by the main event beginning with a performance by the Western Mountain Steel Drum Band followed with a special performance by the internationally acclaimed Kruger Brothers. This engaging trio, originally from Switzerland and now based in North Carolina, bring their unique style to traditional American folk, bluegrass and compelling original music. "We are thrilled the Kruger Brothers can be a part of the POPS," said event organizer Cindy Gilmore. "Their music brings an exciting new facet to the event that we think every music fan will enjoy." The fifty plus member Bangor Symphony Orchestra, under the leadership of Music Director and Conductor Xiao-Lu Li, will close out the evening with a spirited and patriotic medley of the finest American POPS that the entire family will recognize and appreciate. Their exhilarating performance culminates with the region's first fireworks display of the July 4th holiday. The Kingfield POPS is a community driven event and is a collaborative effort with The Bangor Symphony Orchestra. The mission is to provide a sustainable cultural and family annual event in the setting of the western Maine mountains. The historic town of Kingfield, nestled in the foothills of the Longfellow and Bigelow Mountain ranges, is the ideal backdrop for this outdoor music and family festival. Proceeds from this event are used to bring educational, entertaining and inspirational music experiences to two regional school districts, SAD 58 and SAD 9. Admission is free for the Festival of Arts and $8 ($5 for seniors) for the area Garden Tours. Tickets for the music events are $20 in advance and $25 at the gate. Children 17 and under are admitted FREE when accompanied by an adult. For more information and to get tickets call | ||