[act-ma] 2008 RFM Summer Guide for Maine

[Roger Leisner]

2008 RFM Summer Guide for  Maine suited to the tastes
of Lefties, Hippies, Radicals, Punks, Rock n' Rollers,
Reggae Dreadheads, Hip-Hoppers, Socialists,
Communists, Democratic Socialists, Libertarians and
Anarchists.

For the second year in a row, here is a guide from the
Maine Paparazzi for fun in the sun in Maine this
summer.  My number one suggestion is to stand up for
your rights in Maine.  You can do this throughout
numerous locations in Maine, but the best bet this
year will be Norway, where Aaron Fuda, and all the
FUDAfesters, after years of being harassed by town
officials, have been invited to be a part of the Art
Parade in downtown Norway.  Last year they appeared in
the parade for the first time carrying huge penis and
marijuana plant balloons.  This action was condemned
by the Maine Christian Civic League (check out their
web site) and endorsed by Norway town officials. 
Check it out below.

I also encourage Mainers and vacationers to attend one
of the five Hemp/Medical Marijuana festivals sponsored
by Maine Vocals, three of which will be held on Abijah
Hill on Harry Brown's organic farm in Starks.

Remember, we don’t call it grass or mary jane or weed
or ganja.
Mainers call it medical marijuana.  Bring your
prescriptions.

If you are traveling through Augusta, 
please stop and join the two weekly vigils

Women in Black vigil in Augusta every Friday
from 12:30 to 1:00 P.M.
Lithgow Library – Augusta
FMI, contact Annie Lunt at
all at gwi.net

Veterans for Peace vigil in Augusta
every Thursday from 5:00 to 6:00 P.M.
West Side Rotary – Augusta
FMI, contact Richard Clement at
randrclement at yahoo.com

Check out the Women's History Trail, created by fellow
Augusta radical historian, Phyllis VonHerrlich
FMI, go to http://dll.umaine.edu/historytrail

Local bands perform live outdoors on the downtown
waterfront in Augusta on Wednesday evenings and at the
downtown bandstand in Hallowell on Tuesday evenings.

Merrill's Bookshop upstairs at 134 Water Street in
Hallowell offers used and rare books with
lefty/libertarian themes in a Maine antique setting.
FMI, call (207) 623-2055.

If cruising through Waterville, please stop and join
the
Waterville-Winslow Bridges for Peace vigil
every Sunday beginning at 12:30 P.M.
FMI, contact Chris Rusnov at  hayrus at gwi.net

L.L. Bean of Freeport sponsors the 10th annual summer
concert series June 14 to August 31 every Saturday at
7:30 PM
FMI, go to  www.llbean.com

Reggae Cruises every Sunday night from 6 to 9 P.M.
beginning on June 15 and ending in early September
Live music by the Dani Tribesmen
Boothbay Harbor
This is too much fun.  The Harbor Princess leaves
Boothbay Harbor and travels up through the Five
Islands area to Bath.  The Dani Tribesmen play on the
upper deck with a bar and café on the lower deck. 
Wildlife, both on and off the boat, plus incredible
scenery make this a perfect cruise.  The best time of
year is late June and early July.  You definitely need
reservations for this cruise.
FMI and reservations, call (207) 633-3500 or email
info at whaleme.com

June 20-22
Freedom Fest
For two decades, Maine Vocals, who advocate
legalization of marijuana, have sponsored music
festivals on a beautiful, sloping hillside in the
western hills.  About every five to seven years, the
local cops harass festival goers with roadblocks and
searches.  Once, State Police, County Mounties and
other local gendarmes entered the festival grounds,
setting up a line across the top of the hill, but then
realized that they were heavily outnumbered and
strategically withdrew from Harry Brown’s Farm.  A
well built stage with an excellent sound system and a
flashy light show gives local bands the opportunity to
strut their stuff at night under the northern sky. 
And of course, there is medical marijuana.
Maine Vocals founder Don Christen has announced that
three festivals - Freedom Fest - Hempstock - Harvest
Fest - will held at Abijah Hill on Harry Brown’s
organic farm in Starks.  The other two festivals -
Somerset County Jam - Webejammin' - will be held at
locations to be announced.
Abijah Hill - Harry Brown’s Farm – Starks
Camping available
FMI, go to  www.mainevocals.net

July 4
34th Annual West Athens 4th of July Parade and Play
Starts around 10:30 a.m. and ends around 3:00 p.m.
West Athens (north of Skowhegan)
For more than three decades, liberty minded Mainers
have gathered in West Athens to celebrate freedom and
independence.  Lacking lockstep patriotism as well as
police and military, true Mainiacs march for over a
mile in lovely downtown West Athens in an anything
goes parade, culminating in an original anarchist
satire featuring local actors and local, state,
national and international themes.  Come dressed as
your favorite American hero or idol.  It’s a hoot.

July 4
Food AND Medicine/Eastern Maine Labor Council July 4th
Celebration
FAM and the EMLC have built a strong tradition of
taking back the 4th of July as a holiday for working
people.  This year they will have speakers, musical
guests Bill Morissey and David Mallet and a musical
produced by William Rice.
FMI, contact Food AND Medicine
207-989-5860
Toll-free worker rights hotline 1-866-933-WCEM
www.foodandmedicine.org

July 11-12
17th Annual FUDAfest  (Fully Unclothed Dancing
Activism)
"Clothing optional protest against unjust laws,
especially marijuana laws.  FUDAfest is full of live
local music, drum circles, puppet shows and activism. 
The 17th annual Fudafest will be held in Albany,
ocated about halfway between Bethel and Waterford on
RT 35 and RT5 (they are the same road for a short
while).  There will be a protest march in the town of
Norway on the July 12 from  12 noon to 3:00 pm
protesting the new laws in Norway against large
parties and
MARIJUANA laws as well as protesting George Bush and
the war.  
FMI, contact Aaron Fuda at  fudafest at yahoo.com

July 12
Portland Peace Festival
The goals are to unite Portland in a Celebration of
Peace, to raise awareness of local Peace and Justice
groups and social organizations that bring positive
change to the world and to create the world's largest
Human Peace Sign (at 2:30pm).  Four major areas at the
festival will be Peace Sign / Music and Stage /
Information Tables / Artwork.  Eastern Prom Park
(grassy hillside area - near Cleave’s Monument) from
1pm to 4pm.  Set up from 11am - 12:30pm.
Sponsored by Peace Action Maine
FMI, 772-0680  Peace Action Maine
www.portlandpeacefestival.com 
E-mail:  info at portlandpeacefestival.com 

July 11-20
11th Annual Maine International Film Festival
Radio Free Maine has submitted a DVD Slideshow with
music about the demonstrations in Kennebunkport in
2006 and 2007.
Hilary Lister says "Lots of local and international
independent film and filmmakers with forums, workshops
and performances, plus it's a free movie plus benefits
for each volunteer shift."
Railroad Square Cinema - Waterville
FMI, go to  www.miff.org

Suggestion from Harry, Saul, Jr. of Woodstock, VT
SolarFest 2008 - July 11-13 - Renewable Energy
Festival
On a beautiful July weekend in Vermont, several
thousand people come to SolarFest, a weekend
community, inspired by art and technology, by the
talent and ability of all the diverse individuals who
make the festival a place where learning and fun
thrive. Here are some of the reasons people come: Two
stages of diverse music, bonfire art. Woodland art.
The annual rain (and rainbow!). Dancing and singing
late into the night. Discovery through world class
workshops. Fabulous food. Meeting happy people.
Networking. Communicating. Energizing. Nature is an
incredible inspiration and teacher for balance and
beauty. 
FMI, go to  www.solarfest.org

July 12-13
North Atlantic Blues Festival
Performers this year include 
Harbor Park – Rockland
FMI, go to  www.northatlanticbluesfestival.com

July 18-20
Somerset County Jam Fest
There are now five festivals held throughout the
summer into the fall (see June 20-22).
FMI, go to  www.mainevocals.net

July 19
Old Hallowell Day
Great music, damn good arts and crafts, funky antique
stores and a real community parade make this one of
the best Saturdays in summertime Maine.  A few years
ago, the Winslow 4th of July parade committee refused
the Waterville-Winslow Bridges for Peace request for a
float.  The Augusta Women in Black, which had marched
in previous Hallowell parades, invited the
Waterville-Winslow group to join them in the parade,
and in turn, Hallowell parade officials extended the
invitation with a “Everyone marches in Hallowell”.  
One of the many reasons that Hallowell is the funkiest
city on the Kennebec river.
Hallowell
FMI, go to  www.hallowell.org

July 26-27
19th Annual WERU Full Circle Fair
Offering music, food, crafts, social and political
action groups and other vendors gather to support and
celebrate so-called Community Radio WERU.  In 2005, I
recorded Cindy Sheehan the first day and Jim Hightower
the second day, and in 2007, it was Dahr Jamail and
Helen Thomas. 
I always feel weird there.  Radio Free Maine
recordings were banned from broadcast back in 1994
during a civil war between the public (democracy)
versus the private, non-profits (bureaucrats).  
Will Neils lost his job as a volunteer DJ when he
decided to broadcast the highly popular Radio Free
Maine recordings.
They mean well, but they are Americans.
Blue Hill Fairgrounds, Blue Hill
Camping available
FMI, go to  fair at weru.org

August 2
4th annual Brunswick Peace Fair
Remembering the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and
Nagasaki in August of 1945, the Peace Fair is an
opportunity to gather, to learn and to create a vision
for a non-violent sustainable future.
Peace Fair will be on the Brunswick downtown mall from
10:00 am-4:00 pm.  Fun events will be music
participation for children, a musical extravaganza
from noon-1:30 pm with several popular bands, art
activity tables for adults and children and exhibitors
from thirty local non-profits whose work touches on
peace in our lives, our families, our communities and
in the world. 
Last year, Augusta Women in Black Jaclyn Bruntfield
and Cathryn Wilson "kicked ass" at a poetry slam
organized by Maine's radical poet laureate, Gary
Lawless.
FMI, call 207-729-0023 or email  frieden at gwi.net

August 19-26
Burdock 2008
7th Annual Gathering for a Free and Sustainable Future
Back in 2001, Maine's radical youth started a
week-long event to build solidarity, share skills and
educate to create a DIY environment so that Mainers
could become self-sustaining.  The most similar event 
to a Rainbow Family gathering in Maine.
A Yurt will be built in celebration of Patrikya (Pat
Proctor) who passed on this spring and a community
dinner and jam to honor her life on August 21 from
6pm-10pm.
Open Mic (less) night on August 22.
Barter Fair on August 23 from 1pm-4pm.  Bring crafts,
medicine, food, clothing, books or anything else you
want to trade.
Burdock Cabaret: Performance, Puppetry, Circus Shows
and Music on August 23.
Starks
Camping available
FMI, go to  www.burdockgathering.org

August 14-17
Hempstock
There are now five festivals held throughout the
summer into the fall (see June 20-22) and Hempstock is
the grand daddy of all six.  Warm sunny days and cool
star filled nights.
Usually, it’s a little dry this time of year.  No
homegrown, just crappy commercial.  But if 2006 and
2007 were an indication of the explosion of indoor
growing in Maine, then once again, there will be an
abundance of green homegrown.
Abijah Hill - Harry Brown’s Farm – Starks
Camping available
FMI, go to  www.mainevocals.net

August 22-24
The American Folk Festival on the Bangor Waterfront
>From 2002- 2004, Bangor was the host of the 64th, 65th
and 66th National Folk Festivals.  In 2005, the
American Folk Festival was introduced as a
continuation of the Festival tradition.  The American
Folk Festival on the Bangor waterfront is a free
celebration of multi-cultural traditional arts -
music, dance, crafts, food and storytelling.
Roxanne Munksgaard says "Lots of great free music from
all over the country, good local food and a fantastic
huge dance tent!  Don't miss this.  Each year, it gets
better and better." 
Harbor Park – Bangor
FMI, go to  www.americanfolkfestival.com

September 1
Labor Day
Sponsored by the Eastern Maine Labor Council
FMI, please contact Jack McKay at  jack at gbaclc.org

September 5-7
Webejammin (Reggae) Fest
There are now five festivals held throughout the
summer into the fall (see June 20-22) 
Camping available
FMI, go to  www.mainevocals.net

September 19-21
Common Ground Country Fair
Sponsored by Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners
Association
This three day event, attracting over 60,000 ticket
holders in 2007, is held during the fall equinox. 
Maine’s only real agricultural fair with great food,
informative talks, demonstrations and a peaceful
wooded entrance.  
Three circus tents are filled with Maine’s social and
political action groups.  Radio Free Maine is located
next to the Business Alliance to Cultivate Hemp, the
most visited booth at the fair.
MOFGA Fairgrounds – Unity
Camping available
FMI, go to  www.mofga.org/thefair

October 3-5
Harvest Fest
There are now five festivals held throughout the
summer through the fall (see June 20-22).  The view
from the top of the hill across the Lemon River valley
to the fall foliage on the other side, plus Harry
Brown’s ready to harvest garden makes this fest the
most eye appealing.  Home grown medical marijuana is
featured in the Size, Smell and Taste Contest, usually
held on Sunday.
Abijah Hill - Harry Brown’s Farm – Starks
Camping available
FMI, go to  www.mainevocals.net

Interested in helping to establish medical marijuana
dispensaries here in Maine?  Please contact the Maine
Marijuana Policy Initiative who are in the midst of
gathering enough signatures to put a ballot question
in front of voters for 2009.
FMI, 207-333-6985 or email  info at mainecommonsense.org

The World Fellowship Center in Conway, New Hampshire
is a radical place to stop at on your way to Maine.  
This 66 year old camp, featuring rooms and camp sites
in the White Mountains close to the Kankamagus highway
and located on 450 acres with a pond is an old labor,
socialist, communist, pacifist, Quaker, etc. gathering
place that features great food from their own garden
and nightly speakers of national prominence.  
Starting June 22 and ending September 26 
FMI, go to  www.worldfellowship.org

If you travel through Vermont, make sure you stop at
Harry Saul’s Bookstore in Woodstock, Vermont.  Rare
leftist/populist manuscripts and an ear for good music
make Harry Saul the perfect host.  
FMI, email  pleasantstbooks at adelphia.net



Roger Leisner
Radio Free Maine
P.O. Box 2705
Augusta, Maine 04338
http://www.radiofreemaine.com