5 Things To Do This Weekend, Oct. 14-16: Behold the power of cheese

Wax On DJs Zeth and Matt.

Wax On DJs Zeth and Matt

1. It’s Stephen King weekend at the Bangor Drive In! Get into the Halloween spirit on both Friday and Saturday, when at 6:30 p.m. there’s a double feature of “Christine” and “Pet Sematery.” Doesn’t get more Bangor than that, does it? Also on Friday night, there’s the Focus Group improv troupe at 8 p.m. at the Next Generation Theatre in Brewer, there’s the next edition of the Wax On dance party at 9 p.m. at the Central Gallery (tunes from 1981 vs. tunes from 1991 this time around). Later on, there’s Little Rodeo at Paddy Murphy’s, Indigo at Nocturnem Drafthaus, and up in Orono, the Napper Tandies at Black Bear Brewing Company. On Saturday, rockers KGFREEZE and The Cards are at Central Gallery, the Blast Addicts tear down the sucka at Paddy’s, songbird Stesha Cano is at Nocturnem, and Aerosmith tribute band Draw The Line is at the Downunder Club at Seasons. The Skyliners Big Band is at the Next Generation Theatre in Brewer, and up in Old Town, The Fossils are at the Boomhouse.

2. Portland this weekend hosts another edition of a Halloween traditiona; it’s the annual “Damnationland” screening at 7:30 p.m. at the State Theatre, showcasing a number of Maine-made short horror films; watch the trailer above! Also on Friday night in Portland, there’s Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds at Port City Music Hall, there’s Ossalot, $300, Burr and Glistener at Empire, songwriter Marshall Crenshaw at One Longfellow Square, and it’s the goodbye show from Mama’s Boomshack at Portland House of Music. On Saturday, take your pick from either The Primate Fiasco and Gang of Thieves at Portland House of Music, songwriters Connor Garvey and Raina Rose at One Longfellow, or a big bill of punk rock with the Charms, the Lyres, the Flipsides and Gwynne and the Tonics at Bayside Bowl. On Sunday, the Capitol Steps at the State Theatre, and the Nth Power are at Portland House of Music.

3. For some fall fun, check out one of these nifty events, like the annual Peninsula Harvest Festival in Blue Hill, set for 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Mainescape Garden; food, beer, music, shopping and kid’s activities. In Belfast, there’s the first-ever Harvest Moon Festival at Steamboat Landing, set for 4 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday and featuring performances from the Belfast Ukulele Club, Cold Comfort Theatre, the Belfast Bay Fiddlers and more, as well as pumpkin carving and ice cream. And in Brunswick, though for many folks in Maine baseball season is over now that the Red Sox are out (single tear), you can still enjoy the beautiful game with the annual Vintage Baseball event, set for 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Crimmins Field; the Pejepscot Historical Society hosts a 19th-century-style baseball game between Dirigo Vintage Base Ball Club and the new Sunrise Club of Brunswick. After the game, kids and adults can try their hand at some vintage baseball as well.

4. It’s Homecoming Weekend at the University of Maine, so whether you’re a student, alumnus or staffer, it’s bound to be a nice weekend to be up at the ol’ Orono campus. Especially if you’re a member of the graduating classes of either 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006 and 2011, which are the spotlight years for alumni reunions this year. There’s fun events like the “Paint the Town Blue” challenge wherein you stop into downtown Orono businesses to get stamps to win prizes; there’s hockey games on both Friday and Saturday nights; and the alumni craft fair and Maine marketplace at the Field House 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Go Blue!

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5. Finally, here’s what possibly the most exciting event of the fall (at least for me). Sunday brings the first-ever Maine Cheese Festival. If you know me, you know that one of my biggest obsessions — a dangerous obsession — is cheese. All cheese, from mass-produced crap to the finest imported cave-aged rarities. There’s lots of great cheese made right here in Maine, and Sunday’s festival, set for 11 a.m. to 5 p.m, features 20 different cheesemakers, as well as a bar and live music. The event is set for the lovely Savages Oakes Winery in Union, and tickets are just $10. It’s located at 174 Barrett Hill Road. I can’t think of a better way to spend your Sunday. Cheese.

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.