5 Things To Do This Weekend, July 28-30: Step right up!

Snake Plissken, anyone?

1. Friday night in Bangor, River City Cinema’s summer movie series continues with a screening of “Escape From New York” at sundown in Pickering Square. There’s also night one of two nights of the annual Blues, Brews and BBQ fest on the Bangor Waterfront; Friday’s lineup features Texas Flood, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Dana Fuchs, Sean Chambers and Between Dead Stations, alongside great Maine barbecue. Later in the evening, enjoy either Cold Engines at Paddy Murphy’s, vinyl night at Nocturnem Drafthaus, or singer Stesha Cano at the Sea Dog. Blues, Brews and BBQ continues on Saturday with music from the likes of the Devon Allman Band, Coco Montoya, the Nick Moss Band, Mr. Sipp and Murali Coryell. Later Saturday evening, take your pick from KGFREEZE, $300, They Called Me Legion at the Central Gallery, Happy Folk at Paddy’s, Shawn Mercer at Nocturnem, the Tyler Healy Band at the Sea Dog.

Wilco. File photo.

2. Friday night in Portland is one of those nights that showcases the best of what you can enjoy in Maine’s biggest city for music. Right? There’s alt-pop duo Tegan and Sara with Japanese Breakfast at the State Theatre, there’s OC and the Offbeats at Slab Sicilian Pizza, there’s garage rockers Kris Rodgers and the Dirty Gems and Memphis Lightning at Empire, there’s local indie rock from Cuse Me, KGFREEZE, Buddusky and 4 Star China Taste at Space Gallery, and there’s local metal with Heavy Necker, Barishi and Hessian at Geno’s. What’s not to love? On Saturday, the Punch Brothers, I’m With Her and Julian Lage are at the State Theatre, 80s cover band The Awesome is at Portland House of Music, and the Space Gallery hosts the record release for “World of My Dreams,” a songwriting project featuring youth songwriters, curated by Chandra Oppenheim and Dan Capaldi. Wrap it all up Sunday, with Wilco at Thompson’s Point, and Kansas at the State Theatre.

3. Friday evening, songwriter Tamara Hanssen is at Rock City Coffee, and at the Oxbow Brewery in Newcastle, roots ensemble Driving Charlie Home plays at 5 p.m., along with a beer release for new brew Momoko, a peach farmhouse ale. There’s also the Fourth Friday Art Walk in Belfast that evening. On Saturday, the Sandy River Ramblers perform at the Unity College Center for the Performing Arts, in Rockland, there’s two shows from Maine’s favorite stand up comic, Bob Marley, at the Strand Theatre, and songwriter Will Brown is at Rock City Coffee, and in Camden, “Happy Days Are Here Again,” a Barbra Streisand cabaret revue, is at the Camden Opera House.

4. Yes, it’s that time of year again: it’s time for the Bangor State Fair. The festivities open to the public on Friday, with all the rides and fair food you can handle; it’s $14 to access and ride everything. There’s motocross, a demolition derby, horse and ox pulls and fascinating people watching. There’s live music, too; Friday River Bottom Funk plays at 4:30 p.m., the Eric Green Party plays Saturday at 4:30 p.m., and on Sunday, the Al Corey Big Band is at 4:30 and Three Button Deluxe is at 8:30 p.m. Enjoy!

5. There are two ways to get your carb on this weekend and embrace the wonders of grains, malts, yeasts and everything delicious. On Saturday, there’s the annual Maine Brewer’s Guild Summer Session, the biggest brew fest in the state, set for Thompson’s Point in Portland; more than 80 breweries, at a cost of just $49 for general admission or $60 for VIP; the fun starts at noon. Also this weekend is the annual Kneading Conference, a celebration of flour, bread and baked goods in Skowhegan — it all culminates in an artisan bread fair, set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday at the Skowhegan Fairgrounds, with all the delicious carby treats you could ever want to try.

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.