The Bollard Bulletin for July 11-13, 2025
Three-Day Weekender Edition: A frenzy of festivals! (Plus an unstoppable asteroid heading directly for downtown Portland)
Friday
Maybe you missed the annual Greek Festival in Portland two weekends ago. Maybe it was too rainy. Or maybe you’re just a freak for all things Greek. In any of these cases, the St. Demetrios Greek Festival in Saco (186 Bradley St.) is happening this weekend for you, featuring ethnic foods, crafts, music and dancing today and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free.
The Maine International Film Festival also begins today, and among the opening night offerings is The Librarians, a documentary by Kim Snyder about the freedom fighters pushing back against book bans in the U.S.A., at Waterville Opera House (1 Common St.) at 6:30 p.m. The fest continues with dozens of screenings and special events through July 20. Full schedule & tix here. And check out some festival recommendations by our pals at The Maine Playweek!
Film buffs — hold up! There are also screenings of the 40th anniversary restored edition of Akira Kurosawa’s Ran, the master director’s epic adaptation of King Lear, at the Portland Museum of Art (7 Congress Sq.) at 2 p.m. today and on Saturday and Sunday, too. Tix: $6 (Fri. matinee only).
Austin-based comic and podcaster Kim Congdon (This Bitch, The Kim Congdon Takeover) takes over Empire Comedy Club (575 Congress St., Portland) at 7 p.m. tonight, and reconquers the place Saturday at 7 and 9:30 p.m. Tix: $25 (21+).
There’s an old-school get-down goin’ down down at Vinegar Hill Music Theatre (53 Old Post Rd.) in Arundel. Higher Ground — A Tribute to the Superstars of Soul features 20 of Portland’s funkiest players with singers including Julia Gagnon from that big TV talent show! It starts at 8 p.m., and the venue’s garden opens at 6 p.m. for drinks and Korean-Hawaiian food by Barry Larry’s. Tix: $50-$60 (all ages; benefits Sweetser).
On a slightly newer-school tip, there’s Gimmie Gimmie Disco, the DJ production team blasting hits by Abba, Donna Summer, The BeeGees and other ’70s and ’80s greats, at Aura (121 Center St., Portland) at 9 p.m. Tix: $15 (18+).
And lastly, the newest old-school dance party on tonight’s schedule, the Miami Vice 80s Neon Rave presented by The Hive at Portland House of Music (25 Temple St.) at 9 p.m. Tix: $15-$20 (21+).
Saturday
The Dawnland Festival of Arts & Ideas takes place today and Sunday on the North Lawn of College of the Atlantic’s campus (105 Eden St., Bar Harbor). Presented by Abbe Museum, the fest features a Wabanaki art and crafts market, musical and dance performances and panel discussions on cultural and agricultural topics. Check out the full schedule here.
The North Atlantic Blues Festival is also happening this weekend, presenting two days full of performances by acts including Canned Heat, Baton Rouge guitar phenom Kenny Neal, Cash Box Kings, Desoto Tiger and many more. Music starts at 11:15 a.m. today at Rockland’s Public Landing. Tix: $60-$70 (all ages).
It’s not technically a festival, but with four bands on the bill, you could pretend it is. Portland pop-punkers Vices Inc are joined by local rockers Euphemia and Maine Summer of ’25 playlist acts Cryin Caleb (“Blues-Punk Prophet of Doom”) and Gum Parker at Geno’s (625 Congress St., Portland) at 8 p.m. Tix: $10 (21+).
Led by guest conductor Morihiko Nakahara, the Portland Symphony Orchestra voyages "“Beyond the Stars” with a program of music from Star Wars, Star Trek, The Lord of the Rings and other sci-fi and fantasy films at Seaside Pavillion (8 6th St., Old Orchard Beach) at 7 p.m. Tix: $37.50-$52.50.
Today's musical highlights include the big show at Portland’s Thompson’s Point headlined by Father John Misty, with Lucinda Williams and Hamilton Leithauser opening at 6 p.m. Tix: $49.50-$55 (all ages). The Record Company plays rousing blues-rock at Aura (121 Center St., Portland) with Maine’s King Kyote opening at 8 p.m. Tix: $27.50-$32.50 (18+). Guts Baroque presents “Fantasticus,” period music played with passion on period instruments, at The Waldo Theatre (916 Main St., Waldoboro) at 7:30 p.m. Tix: $23-$28. Raging Brass plays reggae in The Portland Zoo’s backyard (41 Fox St.) at 3 p.m. Free (all ages). And live disco band Motor Booty Affairs shakes rumps for free at The Porthole (20 Custom House Wharf, Portland) at 8 p.m. (21+).
Sunday
Among the many accolades heaped upon innovative jazz soprano saxophonist Jane Ira Bloom, the first musician commissioned by the NASA Art Program (which I’m sure Trump has since cancelled), is the International Astronomical Union’s decision to name an asteroid after her. HUGE NEWS: She’s heading directly for the heart of downtown Portland and no, she cannot be stopped! In fact, Bloom will be joined by two other stellar players, bassist Ken Filiano and local drummer Brian Shankar Adler, to form the trio Shift and play SPACE (538 Congress St., Portland) at 5 p.m. Tix: $20-$25.
Stephen Taylor, Lou Pharis and Joe McKenna are The Unteachables, a trio of super-comics whose resistance to education as wise-ass kids transformed during “adulthood” into the ability to get paid to teach America’s children. They tell jokes about this at Empire Comedy Club (575 Congress St., Portland) at 7 p.m. Tix: $20 (21+).
The Hair of the Pig music series at The Thirsty Pig (37 Exchange St., Portland) is not your dad’s Sunday afternoon folkie open-mic. Check out this fun promo vid by organizer Joe Sweeney (starring Chad Walls) and look forward to the electro pop of Drew Scarlet and music by Ajay Henry at 2 p.m. Free (all ages).
Pssst… The Punk Rock Flea market of rad art and crafts and pins and ripped clothes and such happens today at Geno’s (625 Congress St., Portland) from noon to 4 p.m. Free (all ages). Pass it on.