NORWAY – The Sidewalk Art Show is the heart of the Norway Summer Festival, and on July 9 and 10 about 80 artists from all over New England will fill the downtown.

The art show will be held from from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The focus of this year’s celebration is Vivian Akers, a famous Norway artist who created wood carvings, portraits and landscapes in the middle of the 20th century. A display of Akers’ work will be at the Norway Memorial Library from June 30 through July 17, and a brochure highlighting his life will be available. A lecture titled “Vivian Akers: Bringing Impressionism to Oxford Hills” will be presented by art historian Marius Peladeau, a former director of the Farnsworth Museum in Rockland. It will be held at 6:30 p.m. July 6 at the library.

The Oxford County Fair Association is hosting a pig roast at the Norway Fire House at 5 p.m. The festival begins Friday evening with a concert and dance by Debi Irons and Art Moves Dance Co. of Norway with the nationally-acclaimed percussion group Inanna, Sisters in Rhythm. It will be held at 7:30 p.m. July 9 at Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School Auditorium. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door and are available at Books-N-Things in Oxford and Pick-a-Lily in Norway.

Fiddlers will play on the Weary Club porch from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with an exhibit of memorabilia on Norway fiddler Mellie Dunham.

The Boxberry School will provide children’s art activities from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Witherell Park. Poets on the Porch offers original poetry read aloud from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Norway Memorial Library porch. This year, the festival will welcome Brunswick poet Gary Lawless, in addition to local bards, including Lisa Moore, John Governale, George Twine and Rockie Graham.

Dancers from Art Moves Dance Studio will offer morning workshops at the studio on Cottage Street and then perform on an outdoor stage near the town office from 3 to 5 p.m. The Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a duck race at noon. There will be a yard sale behind the Fare Share Market on Main Street.

All day, music will resound through the town, offered by Nathan Towne, Heather Pierson, Bill Shimamura, Mary Ukelady, the Matt Newburg Duo and Martin Swinger. There will be food that includes everything from burgers to fruit smoothies.

A Fair Association dinner will be served Friday evening and a lobster roll lunch on Saturday at the Congregational Church. The Norway library book sale will be held at the American Legion Hall all day Friday and Saturday.

On Sunday, there will be an 8K run and a 5K fitness walk, sponsored by Healthy Oxford Hills.

If it rains on Saturday, the Sidewalk Art Show and outdoor events will be held Sunday, July 11.