FARMINGTON – The gazebo in Meetinghouse Park is undergoing lead encapsulation and being repainted in time to serve as the site for a variety of free musical performances this summer.

The Board of Selectmen approved three requests to use the park’s gazebo last week for performances, including a weekly event and two one-time performances. The park is located downtown on Main Street.

Concerts in the park are planned weekly for Monday and Tuesday during June through August with other weekly performances planned during June, August and September.

The Old Crow Band traditionally plays from 7 to 9 p.m. every Monday starting after Memorial Day and ending before Labor Day, said Steve Shible, Parks and Recreation director. Their first concert starts on June 1.

Seminole Wind and Arizona Rose offered six Tuesday lunchtime events in the park last year but plan to extend that to every Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. starting June 2 through August 25. Seminole Wind members Jeff and Donna Wells, along with Arizona Rose singer/musician Sandy Waite-Haskell, play a mix of new and old country and 1960-1970 oldies.

This year Travis Pinkham, known locally for his country/southern rock/gospel music, will provide a weekly concert from 4 to 6 p.m. every Wednesday during June, August and September. His first concert begins June 3.

Lori Ireland has reserved the gazebo for a Foothills Freestyle drum circle at 6:30 p.m. on June 5 and Tina Bilodeau is organizing a Christian concert for Aug. 9 from 2 to 5 p.m.

Over several years, the gazebo has been repainted, but the new paint just covered the original lead-filled paint, a situation Shible said he has wanted to correct for a long time.

The Board of Selectmen recently approved a bid from Bangor Abatement for just under $5,000 to scrape the peeling lead paint, encapsulate or cover the paint to seal it in and repaint the gazebo. The Parks and Recreation Department is using capital improvement funds to cover the cost, Shible said.

A two-man crew started last Wednesday and expects to be done this week. Two coats of primer, two coats of lead barrier paint and two coats of finish have been applied, said worker Brian Marlow. The colors remain green and white, with gray on the inside.