PORTLAND – The annual Old Port Festival, featuring local and regional music, food and children’s activities, will be Sunday, June 5.

New this year will be an outdoor activity area featuring the Maine Rock Gym’s mobile climbing wall and the Portland Pirates’ street hockey with Salty Pete and Crackers.

The festival kicks off at 11 a.m. with a parade starting at Federal Way and then down Exchange Street, featuring mascots, music, giant puppets and stilt walkers.

From noon to 5 p.m. the festival will host seven musical stages for blues, acoustic, folk, world music, country, children’s and hip-hop. Old Port shops and restaurants will be open, with vendors on hand from throughout the region.

There will be two children’s areas, one hosted by Northern Sky Toyz and the Children’s Museum and the other by Kid’s Town Amusements.

The schedule of events will include:

The Northern Sky Toyz children’s stage will be at Canal Plaza (Middle Street). In addition to all-day activities, including entertainment, kite making and games, it will have, from noon to 1 p.m. Wayne from Maine; 1 to 1:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 2 p.m. Rhythm Inlet, drums and percussion; 2 p.m. Wayne from Maine and 3 p.m. Bob Nixon the Magician.

The WRED hip-hop stage at Exchange and Federal, noon to 5 p.m., with DJs and special guests.

The Maine Songwriters’ Association/Acoustic Coffee stage in Lobsterman’s Park at Temple and Middle streets, noon Anna Maria Tocci, 12:30 p.m. Sorcha Merrill, 1 p.m. Tom Dean, 1:30 p.m. Rachel Griffin, 2 p.m. Shanna and The Hawk, 2:30 Jason Spooner Band, 3 p.m. Keith Dover, 3:30 p.m. Carl Wilkinson, 4 p.m. Matt Shipman and 4:30 p.m. Matt DelRossi.

An Unplugged in the Park acoustic music stage is planned in Post Office Park, with the performers to be determined.

The WPOR country stage will be at Fore and Union streets. It will include at 1 p.m. Jerks of Grass, 2 p.m. Lauren Lucas, 3 p.m. Mark Knight and 4 Lauren Lucas.

The world beat stage will be on Moulton Street. It will have, at noon, Inanna, 1 p.m. Gitano, 2 p.m. Esperanza, 3 p.m. Jordan Bennisan and 4 p.m. Inanna.

The blues stage will be at Fore and Silver streets with, at noon, the Steve Bailey Band, 1 p.m. Kevin Kimball & the Steel Drivers, 2 p.m. Pam Baker and the SGs and 3 p.m. Jimmy and the Soul Cats.

The festival is free.


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