5 Things To Do This Weekend, May 20-22: Let’s go fly a kite

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1. You may — or may not, I don’t know — have noticed that there were no 5 Things posts for two weeks. That’s because my husband and I were traipsing about England and Scotland for two weeks. Not a terrible excuse for my absence, eh? Pro Tip: If you’re ever able to, go to the Isle of Skye. Spectacular. Anyway, I’m back – hey! – back in the Bangor groove, and have a stellar lineup of statewide weekend events for you. Let’s start with the Queen City, as per usual. Friday night, take your pick of either Bangor Pecha Kucha at 7 p.m. at the Bangor Opera House, improv troupe The Focus Group at 8 p.m. at the Next Generation Theatre in Brewer, the monthly contradance at 8 p.m. at the UU Church, a benefit party for Health Equity Alliance featuring the Tough End String Band (and a red hot dog buffet!) at 8 pm. at 58 Main in Bangor, Stesha Cano and the Jerks at the Sea Dog, Magnetic North at Paddy Murphy’s, jazz group Indigo at Nocturnem, or rock duo Armies (pictured above) at the Boomhouse in Old Town. On Saturday, enjoy either Tomorrow Morning at Paddy’s, St. Huckleberry at Nocturnem, rockers Dance Yourself Clean at the Downunder Club at Seasons, or another show from Magnetic North at Ipanema.

2. It’s the final weekend before the big summer concert series starts in Portland — outdoor shows at the pier and at Thompson’s Point will begin over Memorial Day weekend — but there’s still lots to see and hear this weekend. On Friday night, try your hand at eitehr some heavy rock with Scissorfight, Murcielago and White Dynomite at Port City Music Hall, hip hop throwback night with DJ KTF at Empire, folk songwriters the Suitcase Junket and Griffin Sherry at One Longfellow Square, and some Phish/Dead fun with Pardon Me Doug and the Maine Dead Project at Portland House of Music. On Saturday, there’s the springtime spectacular bellydance show at One Longfellow Square, and there’s the Noreasters and the Peacheaters (Marshall Tucker and Allman Brothers tribute acts) at Portland HOME. Finally, on Sunday, there’s two very cool shows — theAppleseed Collective at One Longfellow Square, and some true blue punk rock with Kid Congo Powers and the Pink Monkey Birds with Tiger Bomb and the Tarantula Brothers at Space Gallery.

Bar Harbor band Coke Weed playing at the American Legion Hall in Belfast at last year's All Roads Music Festival. Photo by Emily Burnham.

Bar Harbor band Coke Weed playing at the American Legion Hall in Belfast at last year’s All Roads Music Festival. Photo by Emily Burnham.

3. The Midcoast this Saturday plays host to one of my favorite events of the year — the annual All Roads Music Festival, which I wrote about more extensively earlier this week. There are so many great bands to see on that day, from all over the state, and I can’t recommend checking it out enough if you’re at all interested in the state of music in our state. Tickets are just $25 the day of the festival, and you can buy tickets right there on High Street in downtown Belfast. For a full schedule, visit the All Roads website.

4. The Criterion Theatre in Bar Harbor hosts this year’s edition of TedXDirigo, the Maine edition of the popular TED Talks that happen each year, internationally. Set for 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday, TEDxDirigo Ebb + Flow will explore how human communities have shaped the form and history of the Mount Desert Island and vice versa as Acadia National Park and the National Park system as a whole turn 100. Also this weekend in Bar Harbor is the annual Taste of Bar Harbor, four days (May 19-22) of delicious food throughout the community, including special menus, a chef’s dinner, a pub crawl, a special farmer’s market and more; visit the Bar Harbor Info website for ticket info and a full schedule.

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5. Of course, with a weekend that’s looking as beautiful as this one is shaping up to be, I suggest taking it outdoors. What better way to enjoy spring than at the annual Bug Light Kite Festival, set for the morning and afternoon of Saturday at Bug Light House in South Portland. Bring your kites – or buy one there – and join the colorful throng of fliers. It’s free, though there’s a barbecue and bake sale benefiting the friends of the light house.

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.