The Weekender, June 22-24: Pride vibes for everyone!

BDN File Photo

It’s Pride weekend in Bangor, and Friday night brings the annual Pride drag show, set for 8 p.m. at the Downunder Club at Season. Elsewhere, improv troupe the Focus Group is at the Next Generation Theatre in Brewer, roots songwriters Kieran Kane and Rayna Gellert are at the Bangor Arts Exchange, it’s vinyl night at Nocturnem Drafthaus, country artist Troy Youngblood is at the Sea Dog, and Jimbillism is at Black Bear Brewing in Bangor. On Saturday, the Pride parade and festival starts at 10 a.m., and that evening, there are dance parties at the Bangor Arts Exchange (21 plus) and the Bangor Public Library (for youth); elsewhere, the Plus Four Jazz Quintet is at Nocturnem Drafthaus, Analog Salad is at Paddy Murphy’s, Rock Revelation is at the Downunder Club at Seasons, and there’s an Aretha Franklin and Smokey Robinson tribute show at the Gracie Theatre at Husson University.

In Portland on Friday, there’s a night of funky, jammy fun with Lettuce, Galactic and Jaw Gems at Thompson’s Point, while hip hop legend Wyclef Jean performs with local duo Armies at Aura, and jazz star Harry Connick Jr. is at Merrill Auditorium. Elsewhere in town, Talking Heads tribute band Start Making Sense is at Port City Music Hall, Shut Down Brown is at Portland House of Music, singer-songwriter Mary Fahl is at One Longfellow Square, local rockers Cadaverette, Lesser Glow, Willsyx and Say John Earl are at Geno’s, and Tundrastomper, Amiright?, CJ Lee and Hyosis are at the Apohadion.

Moving onto Saturday, roots ensemble Houndmouth with Liz Cooper and the Stampede are at Port City Music Hall, there’s a Jeff Buckley tribute night at Portland House of Music, roots bands All Our Exes Live in Texas and Sugarbush are at Blue, and it’s night one of two nights of sold-out shows from Leo Kottke at One Longfellow.  Elsewhere, Vic Thrill, Will Bradford and Count Draquila are at Bayside Bowl, there’s some punk rock with the Toasters, the Pubcrawlers and Sonic Libido at Geno’s, and indie rockers Cushing, Haru Bangs, FCC and Sterling Black are at the Apohadion.

Photo courtesy Crosby Center

Moving onto the Midcoast, in Belfast on Friday night, virtuoso guitarist Kaki King is at the Crosby Center, while in Rockland, songwriter Poor Eliza is at Rock City Coffee. On Saturday, there’s the first-ever Unity Ukulele Fest, all day at MOFGA headquarters; that night, songwriter Benjamin Dakota Rogers is at the Crosby Center in Belfast, trio Drive By Todd is at Rock City Coffee, bluegrass band Miner’s Creek plays a CD release party at the Lincoln Street Center in Rockland, and it’s another Maine comedy night at Thresher’s Brewing in Searsmont. Across the bay, reggae legends The Wailers are at the Criterion Theatre in Bar Harbor on Friday night.

There’s still a plethora of theater offerings in the Bangor area this weekend, with second weekends for “Shear Madness,” at the Bangor Opera House. Some Theatre Company’s “Hand to God” at the Keith Anderson Community Center in Orono, and True North Theatre’s “Table Manners” at the Cyrus Pavilion Theatre on the University of Maine campus. It’s also the premiere weekend for the musical revue “A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline” at the Grand Theatre in Ellsworth.

Food lovers have two opportunities to eat delicious things in a lovely outdoor setting this weekend. In Dover-Foxcroft, the annual Maine Whoopie Pie Festival is set for Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in downtown. Down in Portland, the annual Greek Festival set for Friday and Saturday afternoon at the Holy Trinity Orthodox Church on Pleasant Street in Portland, offering up more gyros, souvlaki and baklava than you can shake a stick at.

My dog, Iggy, who is perfect.

Also this weekend, there are three! opportunities for you and your dog to mix, mingle and have a arf-ully good time with other doggos. In Portland on Friday, it’s Bark in the Park at Hadlock Field, an annual chance for your dog to go to a Sea Dog game with you. In Bangor on Saturday, Pints & Pups, a rescue dog adoption event, is set for noon to 5 p.m. on the Waterfront, with food, a beer tent and live music as well. Also on Saturday, in Belfast, there’s the Canine Games and Family Festival, set for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Belfast Waterfront and featuring a pet parade, dog contests and vendors.

Finally, on TV this weekend the latest Netflix Marvel show — season two of “Luke Cage” — premieres. In theaters, “Jurassic World 2″ lumbers onto the screens. And if you love dinosaurs that much, in Portland on Saturday, at 5 p.m. there’s a T-Rex Stampede. What is that, you ask? Watch the video below, and then decide if that’s something you want to be a part of (correct answer: yes).

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.