SEARSPORT — String-players, music lovers, and contradancers are invited to tune up their instruments and put on their dancing shoes for a weekend celebration of Maine folk music with some of the best players in New England, September 13-15, 2024 at Searsport Shores Campground.

Strung Together is a unique three-day experience that includes community jam sessions, contradances, story-telling, and workshops. This year’s Strung Together is focused on some of the various forms of Maine folk music that Mainers most enjoyed, such as Old-Time, Irish, Bluegrass, Quebecois, and Cape Breton.

“Music brought to Maine by seafarers, lumberjacks, travelers, and homesteaders that we continue to play and love,” said the campground, in a news release. “Come prepared to jam and fall in love with the music of Maine.”

Strung Together offers the opportunity to jam with some of New England's top traditional music players, including Owen Marshall, Max Wareham and the National Bluegrass Team, Resa Randolph, Alden Robinson, Jon Kerr, Benjamin Foss, George and the Fowler Family, Art Bryan, John Pranio, Ando Anderson, The Bluebirds, Jim Burke and many more. It's an opportunity for new to advanced players to learn about and participate in Maine’s rich musical heritage. Players of all instruments and levels are welcome (and listeners, too).

Pat Danscen will be calling the Friday and Saturday evening contra dances. 

“Pat's energetic calling and clear, concise teaching has delighted dancers of all ages,” said the release.

She has called dances and taught workshops in Colorado, Maine, several other states, and recently in Nepal.

“Pat delights in seeing seas of smiling faces twirling and whirling on the dance floor as she shares her passion for dance and music,” said Searsport Shores.

 Linden Frederick, a luthier, will be set up all weekend, showcasing some of his new violins/fiddles which are available for you to play and try out. He also does violin repair and bow re-hairing. Linden's violins are some of the most admired in New England.

Tom Goze has been trying to play the banjo for 59 years. and has a large collection of different types of five string banjos. His company, Stockton Strings, will be at Strung Along offering instruments for sale on Saturday Sept. 14 from 12-4. Goze offers a range of prices, some parts and bluegrass and Old Time open back styles. He will be showing in public, for the first time, open back top tension Corian tone ring banjos which are completely different from anything made before. Goze also has one which will do double duty as a Charcuterie Board for cheese lovers.

Evening performance and dancing will be open to the public. A donation of $10-20 dollars is being accepted. Extra proceeds will be used for musician scholarships and to help fund the instrument lending project at the Searsport Carver Memorial Library.

For more details, visit the website: Strungtogether.us or call 207-930-5920

Strung Together is sponsored by The Makers Guild of Maine, First National Bank and Bangor Savings Bank