The Bollard Bulletin for July 18-20, 2025
Cool stuff to do in Yarmouth, Freeport, Windham, Wells, Arundel and Ogunquit too!
Friday
If Thompson’s Point had a roof, that sucka would be torn off in short order tonight during the big show headlined by New Orleans jazz-funk maestro Trombone Shorty, with JJ Grey & Mofro and Dumpstaphunk opening at 7 p.m. Tix: $65 (all ages).
Comic Hannibal Buress has almost reached the pinnacle of fame, but as of this morning, Google search results for his first name still place him below the fictional cannibal (but above the Vice President and the Carthaginian general and statesman). He performs at the State Theatre (609 Congress St.) as part of the Portland Maine Comedy Festival at 8 p.m. Tix: $29.50-$65 (all ages).
Feeling a little clammy? Then stay home until symptoms subside. Definitely do not go to the Yarmouth Clam Festival this weekend and rub shoulders with thousands of strangers, regardless of RFK Jr.’s advice. If you’re not sniffly, definitely check out the three-day bacchanal of bivalves, arts and crafts, games and races, fireworks and music, including renowned Maine roots singer Jenny Jumpstart & The Cap Guns, The Mallett Brothers Band, Spencer & The Walrus and many others. Full schedule at the link above.
What’s better than a ragin’ summer house party? A ragin’ summer mansion party! The owners of Victoria Mansion (109 Danforth St., Portland) won’t be home tonight (they died like a century ago), so the dudes at Allagash Brewing are bringing a bunch of kegs, Cheese Louise is bringin’ sandwiches and stuff, and The Dapper Gents are bringing their instruments. If you bring at least $55, you can mingle on the lawn and take a tour of the first floor during Brownstone Brews & Bites at 5:30 p.m. Maybe leave the red Solo cup at home.
The Wolfe’s Neck Center in Freeport (184 Burnett Rd.) is hosting a helluva fun show tonight in the Mallet Barn called Barnyard Boogie, headlined by groovy Canadian act Bombargo, with Maine party rockers Rigometrics opening at 7 p.m. Tix: $30 (all ages).
Melodic metalheads Prospect Hill rock Erik’s Church (824 Roosevelt Trail, Windham) with openers Anaria and Trawl at 7 p.m. Tix: $20 (21+).
Rob Duquette, formerly of the acclaimed folk-pop duo Cactus Highway, sings his mostly happy songs while you sip craft cocktails and munch food-truck pizza at Wild Bevy Distilling (596 N. Berwick Rd., Wells) at 5 p.m. Free (all ages).
Saturday
Maine rap royal Spose spits timely rhymes at Oxbow Blending & Bottling (49 Washington Ave., Portland) with Matt Giard opening at 8:30 p.m. Tix: $20-$25 (21+).
Modern disco diva St. Vincent performs at the State Theatre (609 Congress St., Portland) with Brooklyn alt-rock band Hello Mary opening at 8 p.m. Tix: $45-$55 (all ages).
Nationally laughed-at comic Todd Barry yucks it up at Vinegar Hill Music Theatre (53 Old Port Rd., Arundel) at 8 p.m. Tix: $30-$45 (all ages).
Jon Pousette-Dart survived the heady folk and soft-rock scene of the ’70s and ’80s, and tonight his acoustic duo brings back memories and makes a few new ones at Jonathan’s (92 Bourne Ln., Ogunquit) at 7:30 p.m. Tix: $32.50 (all ages).
The Maine Mineral & Gem Museum (99 Main St., Bethel) is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a daylong party, Community Rocks, featuring interactive science activities, talks and demos, art and food and all sorts of sparkly stuff from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free.
Sunday
Austin’s White Denim plays gnarly indie rock with prog and psych influences on both sleeves. They’re at Oxbow Blending & Bottling (49 Washington Ave., Portland) with groovy Brazilian act Tagua Tagua warming up the room at 8 p.m. Tix: $28-$30 (21+).
Let’s close out this weekend’s festivities with a good ol’ fashioned bar crawl! I mean, brewery crawl. It happens, naturally, in Portland’s East Bayside enclave. Begin at Austin Street Brewery (115 Fox St.), where The High Spirits duo plays favorites by acts from Motown to Nashville from 10:30 a.m. till 12:30 p.m. The funky DJ collective Human Fam, featuring mosart212 and Gabe FM today, spins soulful music next door at Rising Tide Brewing Co. (103 Fox St.) from 1-4 p.m. And around the corner at Orange Bike Brewing Co. (31 Diamond St.), Jeff Aumuller & The Potato Pickers get down home from 3-5 p.m. It’s all free and all-ages.