3 Acts To Look For At This Year’s American Folk Festival

This weekend, The American Folk Festival will open for it's 14th year on the Bangor Waterfront, and as usual, this year's lineup promises to have something for everyone!

According to their website, this year's festivities will kick of at 6PM on Friday with a Portland's 'Shoestring Theater', accompanied by the John Bapst Memorial High School Band lead the opening parade through the waterfront. "... these talented musicians and artists will bring to life dozens of life-size (and larger!) puppets, plus entertainers and instruments to guarantee that you’ll be caught up in the energy! Follow the parade along Front Street to the Railroad Stage where the first concert of this year’s AFF will begin."

Looking through the scheduled performances for this year, there were 3 that really caught my attention, so keep an eye out for these ones!

The first, was a band called "Los Straitjackets", from Nashville. They play what they call "surf-centric" music, featuring heavily on twangy guitars and drums.

Featured on several late-night talk shows, like The Conan O'Brien Show, from the videos I've seen online, these guys know how to put on a show, from the music to the masks, they make it all fun. (Here's an example for ya.)

According to the American Folk Festival Schedule, they'll be performing on Saturday and Sunday.

Another act that looks to be a must see of high-energy step dance/fiddling skill is a group of siblings out of Ottowa Valley, Canada, called The Fitzgeralds. Not only are their moves mesmerizing, but those fiddles are intense!

The Fitzgeralds are the first scheduled act to perform at the start of the festival Friday, right after the opening parade. They will also make appearances Saturday and Sunday.

The other act that you should make sure to check out (not that you could miss them, as they are quite a sight to behold) is the Portland based Rwandan music and dance troupe, Ikirenga Cy’intore. Laden with high energy drumming and the most impressive head-banging I've ever seen, these guys look amazing.

Whatever you do, make sure you stop by for at least one of the days, and check out this year's American Folk Festival at the Bangor Waterfront. As always, there is no admission to get it, but their is a suggested donation of $20. The festival runs from Friday through Sunday.