Community Calendar

The biggest names in bluegrass, plus thousands of their fans, are heading toward Thomas Point Beach for Labor Day weekend. The Thomas Point Beach Bluegrass Special, September 3-6, offers four days of performances by America’s most-honored and long-established artists, plus many up-and-coming talents.

 The list of headliners is topped by the Del McCoury Band. Hailing from Nashville, McCoury and his family ensemble have amassed 31 awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association (the most of any artist) plus the 2006 Grammy Award for Bluegrass.

Other much-honored bluegrass legends include Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives (Tennessee), Gibson Brothers (New York), Earls of Leicester (Tennessee), Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver (Tennessee), Della Mae (Massachusetts), Larry Stephenson Band (Tennessee), Karl Shiflett and Big Country (Texas), Leroy Troy and the Tennessee Mafia (Tennessee) and Special Consensus (Illinois).

 Half a dozen other bands include New England regional artists plus the brightest and best newcomers to the national bluegrass scene.

 The main performance stage is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday. After the main stage shuts down, off-stage performances begin at the big campfire and continue into the wee hours. Plus dozens of informal performances and jams amongst festival musicians and attendees -- known to aficionados as “field picking” -- continue at campsites throughout the night.

 Thursday is devoted to bingo games, a potluck supper, a “dance social” and several performances. Thursday’s featured bands will be Twisted Pine (Massachusetts) and Hot Rize with Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers (Colorado).

 Thomas Point Beach hosted the first major gathering of national bluegrass talent in the northeast in 1979. Since then families have flocked to “Where the Music meets the Sea” to revel in the pick-and-twang sounds of the Southern Appalachian mountains.

 This event, which combines the seaside splendor and salty air of the Maine coast with the sweet harmonies of bluegrass music, is the state’s largest gathering of bluegrass artists and fans. It was honored with the International Bluegrass Music Associations’ Event of the Year award in 2008.

 Four-day, three-day, two-day and single-day tickets are available at the festival gates. Single-day ticket prices are: Thursday -- $35, Friday, Saturday and Sunday -- $55 per person each day (after 5 p.m. -- $50). Weekend tickets, which include free camping, are $165 per person (4 days), $150 per person (3 days) and $130 per person (Saturday and Sunday).

 Children 12 and under are free, while those 13-16 pay half the adult rate when accompanied by an adult. A one-day camping area ticket costs $20 per night. Visitors can expect a festival atmosphere, with gift vendors and food wagons on site. Workshops and children’s activities are scheduled. For complete event information and policy details call toll-free 877-TPB-4321 or visit www.thomaspointbeach.com/special. 

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