The Weekender, Aug. 23-25: For $50 you can spend this Saturday night with ghosts at Fort Knox

This weekend in Bangor, it’s the 15th annual American Folk Festival, with 14 artists performing over the course of three days on the Bangor Waterfront, alongside loads of food and vendors. Elsewhere in town on Friday night, local rock duo When Particles Collide plays at Black Bear Brewing, and it’s vinyl night at Nocturnem Drafthaus. On Saturday, the Bangor Arts Exchange hosts songwriter Nick Thomas, local indie rockers the Rotating Taps play at Nocturnem, guitarist August West pays tribute to the Grateful Dead at Paddy Murphy’s, and it’s Latin music and dance night at COESPACE on Columbia Street, starting at 7 p.m. On Sunday, Chris Ross and the North play an outdoor show at 4 p.m. at Orono Brewing Company in Orono.

Livid Orange, courtesy of the band

On Friday in Portland, the Skatalites and Gorilla Finger Dub are at Bayside Bowl, Maine rockers Livid Orange, Getmo and Random Ideas play at Portland House of Music, songwriters Roscoe & Etta are at One Longfellow Square, there’s some metal with Ascent to Power, Unscarred and Critical Defect at Geno’s, and there’s lo-fi rock with Divorce Cop, Goiter, Amiright and Cat Food at the Apohadion. On Saturday, Lula Wiles plays at Port City Music Hall with Snughouse, there’s a Pearl Jam tribute night at Portland House of Music, Sarah Potenza is at One Longfellow, there’s local indie rock at Geno’s with Euphemia, An Overnight Low and Cape Cannons, psychedelic folk band Big Blood plays at the Apohadion, and there’s a night of local garage rock with Kris Rodgers and the Dirty Gems, the Desires and Midwestern Medicine at Empire. On Sunday, Surfer Blood plays with local guitar hero Jeff Beam at Port City Music Hall, there’s a full day of local post-punk and metal at the Apohadion, and there’s standup comedy at Empire with headliner Mike Cannon.

Jamie Dube, co-founder of East Coast Ghost Trackers, says that paranormal investigator Hannah Baird, snapped this green-tinted photo purporting to show a family of ghosts at 3 a.m. in October 2011 at the entryway of Fort Knox in Prospect. In the photo submitted to the BDN via email, several figures appear to be standing together just under the far left corner of the archway, while a lone figure wearing a long, hooded black cloak seems to be standing against the wall just left of that. PHOTO COURTESY OF EAST COAST GHOST TRACKERS

Hancock County and the surrounding environs are rife with cool things to do this weekend. On Friday night, Les Sorciers Perdus, the very cool jazz quintet, will accompany several short silent films at Fogtown Brewing in Ellsworth, and the Crown Vics play an outdoor concert at Harbor Park at 6 p.m., also in Ellsworth. Also this weekend, the Grand Theatre presents a production of “Steel Magnolias” all weekend. Down on the island, the Seal Cove Auto Museum holds its annual “Car-b-que,” featuring live music, food and a car show, all day on Saturday. And, this weekend, for those of us not easily spooked (or maybe you are and that’s the whole point), the East Coast Ghost Trackers host “Ghost Camp,” Saturday night through Sunday morning at Fort Knox Historic Site in Prospect. For $50, you can camp out in the fort and see if you experience anything scary. Snacks and breakfast are provided. For more info, check out the website. 

There’s lots of new stuff on TV this weekend, including season three of “13 Reasons Why” on Netflix on Friday, the premiere of the Kristen Dunst-led comedy “On Becoming A God in Central Florida” on Sunday on Showtime, and new seasons of “Power” on Starz, “The Affair” on Showtime and “Ballers” on HBO. And don’t forget: a surprise new Dave Chappelle comedy special goes up on Netflix on Monday! In movie theaters, action flick “Angel Has Fallen” and horror flick “Ready or Not” both hit screens.

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.