The Weekender, Feb. 15-17: Feeling the love… or is that frostbite?

Juggler Zach Fields entertains during the 2017 Bangor Winterfest.

On Friday night in beautiful old Bangor Maine, there’s a night of Valentine’s Day-themed music and cabaret hosted by the Bangor Symphony Orchestra, set for 7:30 p.m. at the Bangor Arts Exchange. Elsewhere, the Altar Boys are at Paddy Murphy’s, Little Rodeo is at the Sea Dog, Allison Bankston and Hippie Soup is at Nocturnem Drafthaus, and comedians Adam Hatch, Alex Giampapa and guests are at Bangor Beer Company. At Husson University, the Gracie Theatre hosts the comedy one-woman show “Late Night Catchecism”; in Brewer, the Focus Group brings the funny at the Next Generation Theatre; and in Orono, rock band Quiet! The Giants performs at the Common Loon Pub, and reggae band Catchavibe is at Black Bear Brewing.

On Saturday, Bangor Winterfest is set for downtown Bangor, featuring loads of kid’s activities, tastings and samples, deals and sales at shops and restaurants, and more. Later that evening, at the Bangor Arts Exchange, there’s the third annual Fantasy Ball — a cosplay dance extravaganza — set for 5 p.m., while Piedmont plays at Paddy’s, blues band Cryin’ Out Loud is at the Downunder Club at Season, the Skyliners Big Band plays at the Next Generation Theatre in Brewer, and there’s a drag show featuring Laila McQueen of RuPaul’s Drag Race, set for 7 p.m. at Bangor Inn & Suites on Hogan Road.

On Friday night in Portland, there’s a sold-out show from Between the Buried and Me and Tesseract at Port City Music Hall, there is night one of two nights of jam band moe. at the State Theatre, Viva and the Reinforcements are at Bayside Bowl, Deltanine is at Empire, Johnny Cremains, Glacier and Quad are at Geno’s, and there’s a Marilyn Manson tribute night at the Apohadion. On Saturday, Robert DeLong and Superorder are at Port City Music Hall, Gina and the Red Eye Flight Crew plays at Portland House of Music, Tetrarch, Ruins and Devil’s Nite Out are at Geno’s, and the Javier Rosario Trio is at Empire. On Sunday, Terror, Death Before Dishonor, War Criminal and DNA are at Port City Music Hall, the Oshima Brothers and Western Den are at Portland House of Music, and comedian Colby Bradshaw is at Empire.

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows the characters Emmet, left, and Rex Dangervest, center, both voiced by Chris Pratt, in a scene from “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part.” (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

In movie theaters this weekend, “The Lego Movie 2” hits cinemas, as does sci-fi action flick “Alita: Battle Angel” and rom-com “Isn’t It Romantic.” Also, both the Strand Theatre in Rockland and Railroad Square Cinemas in Waterville this weekend screen the 2019 Oscar-nominated shorts in live action, documentary and animation, beginning Friday and running at various times all week. Bangor Mall Cinemas will also show the acclaimed World War I documentary “They Shall Not Grow Old,” all week at 2 and 8 p.m.

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.