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June 19, 2017

American Folk Festival inks five-year contract with Bangor

The American Folk Festival has signed a new five-year contract with Bangor to continue offering its annual weekend-long late summer music festival on the city’s waterfront.

The Bangor Daily News reported that under the terms of the contract, the festival will receive $50,000 worth of city services each year and agreed to pay annually $15,000 to pay down its $120,000 debt with the city (which had been as high as $300,000 in 2010). 

Founded in 2002 as the National Folk Festival, in 2005 it became the American Folk Festival and is credited with pumping millions of dollars into Bangor’s economy, the newspaper reported.

“What I’ve seen from the organization since 2009 is a dedication to commit themselves to be better,” City Councilor Cary Weston told the newspaper. “The organization has shown a real sincere interest in securing the fiscal health if you will and making sure the festival is available for years to come.”

This year's lineup

This year’s festival will be held Aug. 25-28.

Announced performers include: Selwyn Birchwood (blues); Cora Harvey Armstrong (gospel); Les Poules a Colin (Quebecois); C.J. Chenier and the Red Hot Lousiana Band (zydeco); and Las Cafeteras (Angeleno); Ben Miller and Anita MacDonald (two young Celtic artists from Cape Breton); Doug Moreland and his group The Flying Armadillos (Texas and western swing music); Rhythm Future Quartet (Gypsy jazz alive); Culture (reggae); RAM (Haitian group described by its founder as ”Vodou rock ‘n roots”).

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