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Fall Festival Season: Local Events to Put in Your Calendar – Flagpole

Fall Festival Season: Local Events to Put in Your Calendar - Flagpole

Last year offered a preview of the bustle of fall in Athens, but the months ahead offer more promise of delivering a packed season of events. Some festivals are returning for the first time in three years, and others are just getting started. Below, check out Flagpole’s guide to festivals happening this fall, and look for more in-depth coverage in the upcoming issues.

TRASHFEST: In celebration of Heffner’s second album release, the band has curated a mini-festival inside the 40 Watt featuring two indoor stages loaded with local and regional indie and punk rock. Featured performers include Heffner, Heat, Basically Nancy, The Echolocations, Klark Sound, Zoo Culture and MAK with a dance party afterwards courtesy of DJ Maeam. Aug. 13, 7 p.m.–1 a.m. at 40 Watt Club. $15–$20.

59 X FEST: 59 X Records’ third annual festival features punk and alternative rock bands from Athens and Atlanta. This year’s performances include a special comeback from local punk outfit Burns Like Fire, debuting songs off its latest album Always in Trouble. The Carolyn is co-headlining with support from Rosie and The Ratdogs, The Killakee House, Noise Mountain, Viper Club, Mishapen and Way Past Cool. Sept. 3, 3:30 p.m. at Akademia Brewing Co. $15–$20.

AQUEMINI MUSIC FESTIVAL: Encouraging diversity and empowering minority creators, this inaugural festival will include performers, vendors, food, fashion, art and more. The lineup features the Splitz Band, Aquatic Soul, Natti LoveJoy Band, Diamond Elyse, Kalena & GSG Band, Misnomer, Ishues, Domino 787, Candy Morgan, Guaranteed Money, Charlie Beatz, Greg R&B, Luckie, Quezzy Poet, Motorhead 2x, Farin, Derty Lingo, Mack2Tone, LLK and more. Sept. 4, 2–9 p.m. at Southern Brewing Co. $10, children are free.

ATHENS RAP FEST: Bag Talk Talent and Gue$$ present this hip hop exclusive lineup with artists Kxng Blanco, RR, Gloxkboy Fat, KFamouz, Young Esco Da Don, Gue$$ and Friends, Lil Ken, Dre Carr and more. DJ Sublime will be taking care of the vibes for the night. Sept. 9, 7 p.m.–1 a.m. $10.

SEPTEMBER DAYS FEST: Back for a second year, a portion of proceeds from this event benefit Goodmood, a nonprofit emergency aid for touring artists. Day one features Flipturn, Hotel Fiction, Neighbor Lady, Well Kept, A.D. Blanco and The Getaway Company. Day two is packed with performances by Vision Video, T. Hardy Morris, Girlpuppy, Heffner, Lighthearted, Wim Tapley & the Cannons, Five Eight, CannonandtheBoxes, The Echolocations, Drew Beskin & The Sunshine and The Head. Sept. 16 at 4 p.m. and Sept. 17 at 12 p.m. at Southern Brewing Co. $20–$35, children are free.

PRIDE FEST: Welcoming and inclusive to all, this LGBTQIA+ community celebration also highlights local resources and activities. Enjoy live music, performance art, drag shows and vendors with more details coming soon. The organizers, Athens Pride & Queer Collective, will also organize a week of smaller events leading up to the festival. Sept. 17, 12–8 p.m. at Terrapin Beer Co.

©2021 Sarah White Attendees take photo with Mx. Athens Pride Diamond Tiara Dupree-Sanchez at Pride Fest on Nov. 13, 2021.

NORTH GEORGIA FOLK FESTIVAL: Head to the park with a blanket and chairs for music, art, food and other activities. There will be performances by Rebecca Sunshine Band, Ain’t Sisters & Danielle Howe, Bichos Vivos, Athens Mountain Singers, Art Rosenbaum, Hogeyed Man, Veronika Jackson, The Lucky Jones, MrJordanMrTonks, Cicada Rhythm, Tin Cup Prophette, Marion Montgomery and Glyn Denham, and Fester Hagood. Sept. 24, 12–8 p.m. at Sandy Creek Park.

WILDWOOD REVIVAL: Festival in the form of an upscale camp-out experience, Wildwood offers an artisan market, performance art, yoga, brunch and more. This year’s music lineup includes The Drive-By Truckers, Jenny Lewis, The Wood Brothers, John Moreland, Elizabeth Cook, Suzanne Santo, Early James, The Bones of J.R. Jones, The Heavy Heavy, The Packway, Handle Band, Zach Person, J.P. Harris, The Pink Stones and Leon III. Sept. 30–Oct. 2 at Cloverleaf Farm. $106–$485.

CLASSIC CITY BREW FEST: This long-running event gives everyone from casual drinkers to seasoned beer aficionados an opportunity to sample craft brews from Athens and the general region. Location and details are still to be announced. Oct. 1.

LATINXFEST: During National Hispanic Heritage Month, the community comes together to celebrate and share the food, music, art and dance of Latinx cultures with the larger community. The festival aims to highlight the contributions of the immigrant community in Athens through artistic expression and recreation. This marks the festival’s first return since 2019. Oct. 1 in downtown Athens.

PORCHFEST: Historic Athens’ largest event combines the city’s musical and architectural history for an afternoon of community discovery. Hosts in Athens’ walkable intown neighborhoods lend their porches to a variety of bands and artists for outdoor performances, providing a large sample of what the local music scene has to offer. Oct. 2, 1–8 p.m. at various neighborhoods.

WILD RUMPUS PARADE AND SPECTACLE: Wear your spookiest or kookiest Halloween costume and join the parade that winds through the streets of downtown, cheered on by music performances lined up along the way. The parade ends in a massive late-night outdoor dance party with performance artists adding to the festivities. Oct. 29 in downtown Athens.

Lee Shearer Participants in the 2021 Wild Rumpus parade.

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Big events and staff shortages put strain on Edmonton hotel industry | CBC News

Big events and staff shortages put strain on Edmonton hotel industry | CBC News

A confluence of large events like concerts returning to the city and staffing shortages is putting pressure on the Edmonton hotel industry.

Country singer Garth Brooks brings his latest tour to the city with shows tonight and Saturday. The Edmonton Pride Festival is also hosting a range of events in the city this weekend.

That is presenting staffing challenges for hotels that see low booking numbers during the week, but experience a surge on the weekends. 

“We have to be creative,” Manendra Sharma, general manager of Sandman Signature Edmonton Downtown, said Friday.

“The consistency of business isn’t there and there is a shortage in the workforce, especially in an industry like [hospitality].”

Staff are being trained in multiple roles which allows for them to maintain steady hours, Sharma said, adding that it helps fill different positions during events when occupancy soars.

Dave Kaiser, president of the Alberta Hotel and Lodging Association, said the industry lost staff due to layoffs in the COVID-19 pandemic and many are not returning.

“We scramble to find people to manage it,” Kaiser said. 

“We’re still in a place where occupancy and rates together aren’t strong enough.”

People with luggage stand near the front of a hotel.
Hotels like the Sandman Signature in downtown need creativity to cope with bookings that ebb and flow, general manager Manendra Sharma says. (Trevor Wilson/CBC)

Travel Alberta data shows that April was the first time hotel occupancy hit 53 per cent since 2019.

The national average is 63 per cent, about seven per cent below 2019 levels, according to a recent Smith Travel Research report. That report showed the lowest occupancy was reported in Edmonton.

A Google search shows that Edmonton hotel rates in most categories are higher than is typical. (Google)

Traci Bednard, chief executive officer of Explore Edmonton, said a lack of international travellers is slowing the recovery.

“They’re the folks that stay the longest and also spend the most most money,” she said. 

Explore Edmonton data shows that internet searches for Alberta and specifically Edmonton are up compared to this time last year.

Bednard believes that is a positive sign that visitors are looking to return. 

“In some ways this is our chance to really get out and experience and enjoy Edmonton … we have more festivals than we do weekends.”

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10 seasonal events that will put a spring in your step

10 seasonal events that will put a spring in your step

Spring is the least trustworthy season in Maine; sometimes it snows in April, sometimes you can go to the beach in May. But even if we won’t sugarcoat it, we can pour maple syrup all over it because it all kicks off with Maine Maple Sunday Weekend, which is back in full swing this year.

Also returning is the All Roads Music Festival in Belfast with a sensational lineup. A couple of our mountain ski resorts have plenty of spring merriment scheduled, and let’s not forget our Portland Sea Dogs who can’t wait to run out to that diamond at Hadlock Field.

The previous two springs were challenging because of the many pandemic-related cancellations, but this year, you can choose from a bouquet of spring events and start getting back out there.

Visitors tour the sugar shack and buy maple products at Hidden Roots Maple Farm in Limington as part of Maine Maple Sunday in 2018. Joel Page/Staff Photographer

Maine Maple Sunday Weekend
Saturday and Sunday. Statewide. mainemapleproducers.com
Sweet dreams are made of this! Scott Dunn, president of the board of directors of the Maine Maple Producers and owner of Dunn Family Maple in Buxton agrees. Although it’s not a banner year for sap flow, he said, there will certainly be plenty of syrup to go around and more than 100 sugarhouses will be opening their doors so you can see maple syrup production up close. Many houses also have farm animals to visit with, and they’ll all be selling maple syrup. At Dunn’s farm, they’ll be firing up the doughnut maker, and you can also expect some sugarhouses to be serving Maine wild blueberry pancakes as Wyman’s is an official partner this year. Check with individual sugarhouses for schedules and details. How sweet it is!

Maine Garden + Marketplace
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Brick South at Thompson’s Point, Portland, $17, $12 seniors and veterans, free for under 12. mainegardenplusmarketplace.com
If your green thumb is looking a little pale, head to the Maine Garden + Marketplace to give it a massive recharge. More than 100 garden and landscape exhibits will be set up at Brick South for you to peruse. As you roam around, you’ll discover the latest gardening and arbor tools and supplies. You can also partake of tasty local food, craft beer and spirits. Best of all, you can get expert advice from the pros to discuss plans for everything from small gardens to big yardscaping projects. Think of this as one-stop shopping in a gardener’s paradise.

Competitor in a previous year’s Pond-A-Palooza at Sunday River Resort. Photo by Nick Lambert

Sunday River Spring Fest Weekend & Pond-A-Palooza
April 1-3 and April 9. Sunday River, 15 S. Ridge Road, Newry. sundayriver.com/events
Sunday River Resort has two fun reasons to venture to their slopes in April. First up is the Spring Fest Weekend from April 1-3. Picture a mountainside party with a very beachy theme. The return of spring is celebrated with live music, painkiller cocktails, barbecues and, of course, spring skiing. Make a day of it or book a room for the whole shebang.  Pond-A-Palooza is on April 9, and the annual pond skimming contest draws up to 100 participants, maybe including you! You’ll don a costume as you ski down a hill and skim your way across a chilly pond hoping to stay upright as long as possible.

Reggae Fest at Sugarloaf. Photo by Jamie Walter/Courtesy of Sugarloaf

Reggae Fest 
April 7-10. Sugarloaf, 5092 Access Road, Carrabassett Valley. sugarloaf.com
Baxter Outdoors invites you to bask in the glow of the Sugarloaf Reggae Festival. Over the course of four days, there will be multiple parties with two nights of live music in the King Pine room, three nights in The Widowmaker and plenty of outside entertainment on the temporary yet terrific “beach.” Reggae DJs will be spinning at Bullwinkle’s, and you’ll be feeling the vibe all weekend long. Head back to The Loaf on April 16 for the East Coast Pond Skimming championship, where you can either participate or cheer on skiers who skim their way across a not-so-frozen pond.

Portland Sea Dogs fans bundle up for an early-season game at Hadlock Field in 2019. Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer

Portland Sea Dogs Opening Day
6 p.m. April 8. Hadlock Field, Portland, $8 to $16. portlandseadogs.com
One moment that signifies spring in Maine better than most others is the first pitch at Hadlock Field. Is it cold in April? You bet! But us Mainers will bundle up and cheer on the boys of summer as they face the New Hampshire Fisher Cats for a weekend series. The hot dogs will be sizzling, the pretzels will be hot, and the beer will be flowing as the innings go by. Swing batter, batter, swing!

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens will open for the season in May. Gordon Chibroski/Staff Photographer

Opening Day at Maine Botanical Gardens
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 1. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, 205 Botanical Gardens Drive, Boothbay, $22, $18 seniors and vets, $15 students, $10 kids, under three free. mainegardens.org
Another hallmark of spring in Maine is the annual opening of Maine Botanical Gardens. Inhale the fresh air as you roam its many paths and keep an eye out for the Guardians of the Seeds giant trolls who are hidden throughout the vast wooded areas. Find spots like the Vayo meditation garden, fairy house village, arbor garden, Burpee kitchen garden and Slater Forest Pond, among other lovely elements of the gardens’ more than 300 acres. Also, calling all artists! The garden is hosting plein air days May 14-17, and you’re invited to set up your easel to paint or sketch with free entry for artists.

Caribbean Night
7 p.m. May 7. Opera House at Boothbay Harbor, 86 Townsend Ave., $10 in advance, $15 day of show. boothbayoperahouse.com
They had to put it on ice the past two years, but Caribbean Night is back in Boothbay Harbor. Put on your favorite beachwear and head out for a night of dancing to the drumming of Pan Fried Steel. The Opera House will be transformed into a sandy island for the night, and the special drink will be the Pan Fried Punch. Flip-flops are encouraged, and no matter what the early May evening throws at you outside, it will be hot, hot, hot inside.

All Roads Music Festival
May 20 & 21. Downtown locations, Belfast, $25 to $75.  allroadmusicfest.org
After a painful two-year pandemic hiatus, the All Roads Music Festival is back in a huge way. The annual Belfast indie  music extravaganza kicks off on Friday night with opening performances held at the Steamboat Landing. Then on Saturday, it’s a full-throttle schedule of curated showcases, panel discussions and the Maine Songwriter’s Circle. Venues include the Belfast Free Library, the American Legion Hall, Waterfall Arts with more to be announced. This year’s lineup is stacked with Sarah Shook & The Disarmers, The Mallett Brothers Band, Sunny War, Love By Numb3rs, Drive By Todd, Crystal Canyon, Toby McCallister and a gazillion other bands who can’t wait to play for you.

The Mallett Brothers Band will be part of the All Roads Music Festival in Belfast and the Sandy River Music Festival in Farmington. Photo by Dennis Welsh

Sandy River Music Festival
May 28 & 29. Maine Narrow Gauge Cinema, 123 Narrow Gauge Square, Farmington, $30 for Saturday or Sunday, $50 for two-day pass. whistlestopconcertseries.com/sandy-river-music-festival
The Whistlestop Concert Series presents a sensational and musical way to spend part of your Memorial Day weekend. The two-day outdoor Sandy River Music Festival features performances by Maine acts Mallett Brothers Band, GoldenOak, Jason Spooner Band, Pete Kilpatrick Band, Love By Numb3rs, David Mallett Band, Eleanor Buckland, Juke Joint Devils, The Only Hope and Brent Laflin. You’ll hear a wide range of styles including Americana, roots, blues, folk and alternative rock. The music starts at 2 p.m. on both days, and for a more immersive experience, you can reserve a camping site that’s 100 yards away from where the music is and a five-minute walk to Sandy River and downtown Farmington. Bring your own gear or rent a tent. Sites are also available for recreational vehicles.

The Astrosphere at Funtown Splashtown USA. in Saco. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer

Opening weekend at Funtown Splashtown U.S.A.
11 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 28-30. Funtown Splashtown USA, 774 Portland Road, Saco, $25 to $50. funtownsplashtown.com
With the last day of school drawing close, here’s a chance to give your kids – or yourself – a proper sneak peak of summer, courtesy of Funtown Splashtown USA. They open for the season on Memorial Day weekend, then weekday hours kick in starting on June 22. From bumper boats, Dragon’s Descent, the Exalibur roller coaster and the quintessential Funtown ride, Astrosphere, there’s something for every fun- and thrill-seeker out there. Need something a little more chill? Try the antique cars or the classic carousel. The youngest in your crew will love Cactus Canyon, the Frog Hopper and Red Baron Planes, among other attractions. Unleash your inner child, but keep an eye on your actual one.


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