5 Things To Do This Weekend, July 25-27: Farm fresh and fancy free

beat1_rusticovertones_main1. Friday night brings the opening of the Bangor State Fair over at Bass Park, which means this summer is just about halfway over. Le sigh. But no matter — enjoy the lovely weather this weekend, even with the bit of rain we might get Sunday. Friday night, downtown Bangor plays host to fun stuff including Celtic rockers St. Huckleberry at Nocturnem Drafthaus, the Junkyard Cats at Paddy Murphy’s or Stesha Cano and the Wicked Friggin’ Jerks at the Big Easy, while River City Cinema screens sci-fi classic “The Black Hole” in Pickering Square at sundown, and out in Winterport, the Crown Vics rock 4Points BBQ & Blues. On Saturday, the Galley Rats perform at Nocturnem, while Sus4 takes the stage at the Big Easy, Portland rockers the Box Tiger are set for Paddy’s, and there’s a Bangor Storyslam on the topic of telling lies both big and small, set for 7 p.m. at the KahBang Arts Central Gallery. 4Points is the place to be to check out Maine rock legends the Rustic Overtones (pictured above).

dominic2. Three distinctly different dance parties to choose from Friday night in Portland. At the Space Gallery the Space Summer Jams night features some fantastic Portland DJs spinning hip hop, electronic and everything between, including  Che Ros, God Damn Chan, DJ Mom and Dom Damiami; there’s also the monthly Penthouse Dance Party at Empire, and at Port City Music Hall, local soul machine Model Airplane rocks the house. If none of that is your style, ShaShaSha (pictured), KGFREEZE and Sea Level bring the Portland rock to One Longfellow Square, and out in Biddeford, indie rock is set for the Oak and the Ax with Rick Rude, Comma, Perfect Hair and Colby Nathan. Saturday night take your pick of either the Old 97s and Tommy Stinson at Port City, Maine roots group the Tumbling Bones with Spuyten Duyvil at One Longfellow Square, Butcher Boy, Leveret and the Feather Lungs at Bayside Bowl, or, a unique version of “Gianni Schicci,” a contemporary one act version of Puccini’s opera, presents by PortOpera’s Young Artist Program, set for the Space Gallery. Sunday features either punk band Against Me with Jenny Owens Young at Port City, or experimental groups Animal Hospital Ensemble with Drab Pony at the Space Gallery.

jeffbeam_73. Friday night in Rockland there’s some good music all across the board, including rockers the Box Tiger at Fog Bar, songwriting duo Shayna and Alex at Rock City Coffee and party band Just Teachers at the Speakeasy. Saturday night, the best 90s tribute band in Maine, Hello Newman, is set for the Myrtle Street Tavern, while electronic duo Quantum is set for Rock City, the Wicked Blues Band will play at the Speakeasy, and rockers Slygo Road are set for the Waterdog Tavern in Thomaston. Across the bay, the Lompoc Cafe in Bar Harbor will host the band Crushed Out on Friday night, while the Bluesboy Revue will perform at Second Wind Tapas Bar in Southwest Harbor, also on Friday, and the Lompoc on Saturday host a terrific double bill featuring the psychedelic sounds of Jeff Beam (pictured) and Kafari.

open-farm-1-250x2504. This Sunday is Open Farm Day in Maine, which is possibly the best opportunity non-farmers and the people who love them across the state can get to see just where their food comes from; from broccoli growers and berry farmers to tons of goats, cheep, cows, even llamas and alpacas and water buffalo. Yes, water buffalo. It’s in Appleton. I’ve been there. There’s a full list of all the farms participating across the state up online on the Get Real Maine website; there are more than 100 farms from Aroostook to York counties. Bring your kids. They’ll love it.

5. Still more theater out there for those interested in taking in some good stuff; Ten Bucks Theatre continues their production of “Julius Caesar,” set for 6 p.m. at Indian Trial Park in Brewer all weekend, while in Northeast Harbor, the Harborside Shakespeare Company presents their “dust bowl” version of “Hamlet” at 7:30 p.m. at the Neighborhood House. The free presentation of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by the Fenix Theatre Company is still set for 6:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday at Deering Oaks Park in Portland. All free or cheap. Bring a chair.

Emily Burnham

About Emily Burnham

Emily Burnham is a Maine native, UMaine graduate, proud Bangorian and a writer for the Bangor Daily News, where she's worked since 2004. She reports on everything from local bands to local food to all the cool things going on in the Greater Bangor area. In her quest for stories, she's seen countless concerts and plays, been lobster fishing, interviewed celebrities, hung out with water buffalo and played in a ukulele orchestra. She's interested in everything that happens in Maine.