Music Beckons from the Moonlit Mountains of Western Maine

• Joshua Stewart performing original guitar pieces
• Lianna Wales - violin music - classical, sacred hymns and fiddling
• Elizabeth Chenard on baritone saxophone
• Nadia and Jocko - Karen Szahun and Jeff Beedy performing Acoustical Blues and original Soul
• Heidi Baker - keyboard and vocals
• The Smith Brothers  - Varied styles of fiddle music: Bluegrass, old time tradition, Down East, Celtic

"Since it was introduced to the Kingfield POPS in 2006, the Festival of the Arts has proven to be very popular and it complements the cultural focus of the POPS," stated Kingfield POPS President, Donald Tranten. "The response has been tremendous and by attracting an increasingly diverse group of artists, the Festival of the Arts helps fulfill the Kingfield POPS' mission of strengthening our communities through music, arts, and culture."
 
As part of the day's events, The Stanley Museum will park a Stanley Steamer downtown for all to see and the Festival of Arts committee members will be selling "Pasta with Personality," as a fund raiser for future town projects.  The gourmet pasta comes in various shapes and flavors.
 
Following the Festival, the gates open at the Kennedy Farm for the Kingfield POPS, beginning at 4:30 pm. Now in its seventh year, the 2009 Kingfield POPS promises to top all previous years. The evening kicks off with the sounds of the Western Mountain Trash Can Band, a community steel drum band that was formed in the early 90's. This band sets the tone for a fun and festive family evening and has been an important part of the POPS for all seven years.
 
Next, Port City Jazz (a septet) will delight concert-goers with standards from the Great American Songbook in the Chicago/Kansas City style like no other group north of Boston. This music will lighten your burdens and gladden your heart. Port City Jazz has played throughout southern, coastal and central Maine, as well as southern New Hampshire.
 
Native Oak has been playing together since 1995 and specializes in songs of great harmony; songs of the 50's to the 80's that include rock, jazz, bluegrass, country, folk, accappella and instrumentals, as well as some original works. From the Farmington area, Native Oak members include Bill Colwell, lead singer and mandolin; Randy Gauvin, guitar and harmony; and Paul Soucie, bass guitar and harmony.
 
Back again this year by popular demand are the Smith Brothers! The Smith Brothers from Industry, Maine, have been performing throughout Maine for the past nine years. They have entertained audiences at the National and American Folk Festivals in Bangor, the Maine Festival at Thomas Point Beach, the Kingfield POPS, Maine Lobster Festival, Yarmouth Clam Festival, and the East Sangerville Grange, just to name a few as well as many community events and fiddle contests.
 
Soloist Sally Swallow will perform several pieces. Sally is a prizewinning local talent who has moved onto the "big time" in New York. A Coloratura Soprano, she has performed in theatre and operetta in NYC and recently returned from a road tour across the U.S. 
 
Headlining this year's event, the Kingfield POPS is proud to present the Casco Bay Concert Band, southern Maine's premier community concert band. The band is an organization of over 80 adult musicians, aged 19-93 who are passionate about participating in great live music.
 
The result is a group of music ambassadors, with a mission which is very closely aligned with the POPS. They demonstrate that the arts, and music in particular, are a lifelong pursuit which provides enjoyment for the musicians as well as their audiences.
 
The Metropolitan Wind Ensemble of Boston recognizes top community bands in New England and has invited Casco Bay Concert Band to perform every year at the Boston Festival of Bands at Faneuil Hall.
 
This band will fill the stage with their size and sound! A selection of patriotic, POPS, and classical tunes will ring through the hills. For the grand finale, they will conclude with a resounding rendition of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. Wanting to produce a more authentic sound than the kettle drums or recordings that many modern orchestras use to replicate the sound of cannon shots in the 1812, the POPS has invited the Maine Army National Guard to provide true cannon fire for a thrilling extreme percussion event as the Kingfield Pops' signature fireworks display launches into the moonlit sky, bringing the fantastic day to a resounding close. 
 
Each year the Festival of the Arts and Kingfield POPS attracts visitors from far and wide, enticing attendees with its full day of arts, cultural activities, fun, festivities, a road race and fine food. Patrons can bring their own picnic baskets -- or they can buy a tempting variety of specially prepared POPS fare, snacks or dessert from a number of local vendors, and dine al fresco against the backdrop of the mountains. There are wonderful activities offered for children, including clowns and face painting. Selected POPS gear and souvenirs will also be for sale.
 
In just seven years, Kingfield POPS has grown from a single outdoor concert to the largest regional event of the season, presenting world-class performers to this stunning outdoor venue in rural Maine. It also creates opportunities to present young Maine performers. "Kingfield POPS has become a focal point for showcasing the endless recreational and cultural opportunities that are available in the western Maine Mountains," Tranten concluded. "Visitors to the POPS are at the hub of a region with breathtaking vistas, fantastic hiking, Sugarloaf golf, biking, swimming, rafting, boating and fishing. You name it, we've got it. This is the most gorgeous outdoor playground to be found anywhere. We also have great facilities - and we take special pride in the way we care for our guests."
 
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Pre-registration for the POPS 1K Fun Walk and 10K Road Race is available online at: www.kingfieldpops.com. Admission is free to the Festival of the Arts, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tickets for the Kingfield POPS concert are $20 in advance and $25 at the gate. Children 17 and under are admitted FREE when accompanied by an adult. Gate opens at 4:30 p.m. For more information visit www.kingfieldpops.com or call 1-207-778-4215. Advance tickets may be purchased at Camden National Bank branches in Farmington, Kingfield, Stratton, Phillips, and Rangeley; Tranten's Store in Kingfield and Farmington; Mickey's Hallmark and the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce office in Farmington or online at: www.kingfieldpops.com
 
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Directions:
 
Go to www.kingfieldpops.com for a link to a map and directions.
 
To get to Kingfield POPS from southern points, follow Route 27 North to Kingfield. Take a left on Route 142 in the center of Kingfield and travel one half mile to the Kennedy Farm on the right. Alternately, follow Route 4 south out of Rangeley to Phillips. Turn left on Route 142 just past the Phillips Elementary School and travel 15 miles to the Kennedy Farm on the left.
 
From Rangeley, you can also follow Route 16 to Stratton and Route 27 south to Kingfield. Take a right on Route 142 in the center of Kingfield and travel one half mile to the Kennedy Farm on the right.
 
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About Kingfield POPS:
 
Kingfield POPS is a community-driven event that is pledged to provide enrichment for the community with a focus on area youth through exposure to live music and cultural events, education and performance opportunities. Kingfield POPS will encourage positive economic growth for the region by bringing high quality arts events to the Western Maine region. This includes a sustainable annual music festival and downtown arts festival that strengthens the community by providing exciting live music, arts and cultural experiences for diverse audiences. For information about Kingfield POPS, contact Vici Robinson at (207) 265-5831 or Lorna Nichols (207) 778-4215.