KINGFIELD — The town will host a music and art celebration that has become a traditional Western Maine summer kick-off.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 28, the free Arts Festival will feature live music, bake sales, handmade quilts, jewelry, soaps, lotions and original artwork.

Gates open for the Kingfield POPS concert at 4:30 p.m. at Kennedy Field on Route 142. The field, across from Kingfield Elementary School, has parking and is a short walk from the village center.

Concert organizers suggest bringing a picnic, low-backed chairs and blankets for the evening of music.

The infectious rhythms of the Western Mountain Trash Can Band start the evening of music in the shadow of Mt. Abram. National recording American folk artist Jonathan Edwards will perform with composer Tom Snow and also the Bangor Symphony Orchestra for some special musical offerings. Edwards, who has a home in Maine, wrote hit ’70s song “Sunshine.” Although it remains his signature single, he has had a very successful career writing for other well-known performers, including Emmylou Harris and Jimmy Buffet.

At the Saturday evening concert, Edwards and fellow musicians will debut four original works, arranged and composed exclusively for this year’s POPS concert.

Bangor Symphony Orchestra conductor Lucas Richman won a 2011 Grammy Award in the Best Classical Crossover Album category for conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on Christopher Tin’s classical/world fusion album, “Calling All Dawns.”

Richman has served as music director and conductor for the Bangor Symphony Orchestra since 2010. Previously, he served as music director for the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra since 2003.

Kingfield POPS ticket holders also will hear talented singer/songwriter Kate Schrock in a one-hour set. Schrock has six nationally-released CDs that feature her blend of rock, jazz, gospel and pop.

The Kingfield POPS organizers also will present a singing group of multicultural immigrant children from war-torn countries around the globe. These special musical guests form the Pihcintu Multicultural Chorus. When these young women came to the Portland area, Con Fullam, a Maine producer, musician and songwriter, saw an opportunity to combine his passion for music with a deep concern for the effect of war on children.

Seven years ago, he organized this unique group of 24 singers to give them a way to represent the immigrant community in Portland. They tell their stories through song about the diverse cultures they have left behind — including Cambodia, China, Congo, El Salvador, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda, Vietnam, British West Indies and Zambia. With Fullam’s guidance and the Portland community’s support, they have become nationally recognized and have appeared on national venues, including the Voice of America and “The Today Show.” The group’s name, Pihcintu, is a Passamaquoddy word that means “when she sings, her voice carries far.”

The Kingfield POPS concert ends with a grand finale of Americana musical favorites and a fireworks display.

The concert will be at Kennedy Field, rain or shine. If extreme weather conditions force relocation to Mt. Abram High School, the organization’s Facebook page and webpage will post the change of venue. Pets aren’t allowed on concert grounds.

Adult tickets are available for the 12th POPS concert at Tranten’s Family Markets in Kingfield and Farmington or at Skowhegan Savings Bank, also in Kingfield and Farmington. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.kingfieldpops.com. Young people aged 17 or younger are admitted for free. 

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