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A note from the editor
Hey Neighbor,
Happy last Friday of August, Bangor. Summer isn't gone yet, and this weekend is doing its best to prove it. Concerts, comedy, a clothing swap, and a farmers market, all before Labor Day. Let's get into it.
Let's get into it.
Ken, the editor
THIS WEEKEND IN BANGOR
Saturday is a big one at the waterfront. Brad Paisley brings his Brad Paisley Live tour to Maine Savings Amphitheater tomorrow night, with Jake Worthington opening the show. Doors open in the afternoon, Paul B kicks off pre-game at 4 PM, and the main show starts at 5:30. If you've never done a waterfront concert evening in Bangor, this is a good one to start with. Grab your tickets at Ticketmaster if you haven't yet.
And then Monday happens. Pitbull. Yes, really. Mr. Worldwide lands at Maine Savings on August 31 at 6 PM. The summer concert season has been strong, and it's closing with a lot of energy.
Not a concert person? There's still plenty going on.
Start Saturday morning at Bangor's European Market (8:30 AM to 12:30 PM at Ingrid's German Gift Shop). It's a low-key, walkable Saturday morning moment, good coffee adjacent, very Bangor-in-a-good-way.
Friday night brings High Stakes House of Comedy to The House of Entertainment at 8 PM. Saturday night it's the Giggles and Wiggles Comedy Show at the same venue at 8 PM. Two nights, two lineups, one room that earns its name.
The Bangor Contra Dance is Friday at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 5:30 PM to 10 PM. All skill levels welcome. If you've never tried contra dancing, this community has been doing it for decades and they will absolutely teach you on the spot.
Sunday is a full day if you want it to be. The Bangor Farmers Market runs 11 AM to 1:30 PM at the corner of Franklin and Harlow. Right after, or alongside, the Community Clothing Swap at Red Rabbit Bazaar goes 11 AM to 3 PM. Bring what you don't wear. Take what you love. No money involved.
Cap Sunday off with the Community Jam at 2 Feet Brewing, 2 PM to 5 PM. Live music, good beer, no agenda.
The Zillman Art Museum's Summer 2026 Exhibitions are open all weekend, 10 AM to 5 PM. Free and worth an hour if you haven't been yet.
Queen City Weekly Event Listing
Friday, August 28 – Thursday, September 3, 2026
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 28
Bi-weekly Bird Walks at Fields Pond 🐦 Time: 8:00 AM–9:30 AM | Venue: Fields Pond Nature Center, Holden, ME Join a naturalist for a casual Friday morning walk through one of Maine Audubon's most beloved sanctuaries. Open to all experience and ability levels — just bring your curiosity.
Tech Tutoring Time: 10:00 AM–12:00 PM | Venue: Bangor Public Library, Computer Lab Got a computer question that's been nagging you? Hannah Cyrus, BPL's Digital Media Librarian, takes 60-minute one-on-one appointments — in person, by phone, or on Zoom. Registration required.
Pole Conditioning 💪 Time: 10:00 AM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B Build the strength and stamina that makes everything else click. $15.
Summer 2026 Exhibitions at the Zillman Art Museum 🎨 Time: 10:00 AM–5:00 PM | Venue: Zillman Art Museum, University of Maine Five new exhibitions running through September 5. A solid reason to head to campus before summer fully packs its bags.
Beginner Pole 💪 Time: 6:00 PM–7:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B New to pole? This is the place to start. $15.
Lyra Tips and Tricks 💫 Time: 7:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B Sharpen your aerial hoop technique with focused skill work. $15.
Bangor Contra Dance: Larry Unger & Tory Horner 🎤 Time: 5:30 PM–10:00 PM | Venue: Unitarian Universalist Society of Bangor, 120 Park St. Community band warm-up at 5:30, then the full contra dance kicks off at 6. All levels welcome, and the band is open to anyone who wants to sit in.
High Stakes House of Comedy: Running With Scissors 🎭 Time: 8:00 PM–10:00 PM | Venue: The House of Entertainment Maine's longest-running improv group takes suggestions from the audience and runs with them. Every show is different, and that's the whole point.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 29
Bangor's European Market Time: 8:30 AM–12:30 PM | Venue: Ingrid's German Gift Shop Local and worldwide meats, seafood, produce, artisan baked goods, and gifts. A Saturday morning worth showing up for.
Dysart’s Broadway Craft Fair 🎨 Time: 9:00 AM–3:00 PM | Venue: Dysart’s Restaurant, Broadway, Bangor The first-ever Broadway Dysart’s Craft Fair brings together 50+ local vendors and crafters for a full day of shopping. Worth swinging by on your way out of town — or making the whole morning of it.
Summer 2026 Exhibitions at the Zillman Art Museum 🎨 Time: 10:00 AM–5:00 PM | Venue: Zillman Art Museum, University of Maine Five exhibitions through September 5.
Pre-Game with Paul B 🎤 Time: 4:00 PM–7:00 PM | Venue: Maine Savings Amphitheater Live music on the lawn from Rob Copeland, plus food, drinks, and lawn games before the Brad Paisley show. Free parking included.
Brad Paisley at Maine Savings Amphitheater 🎤 Time: 5:30 PM–10:30 PM | Venue: Maine Savings Amphitheater Country superstar Brad Paisley rolls into Bangor with special guest Jake Worthington. Big night at the amp.
Giggles and Wiggles Comedy Variety Show 💫 Time: 8:00 PM–10:00 PM | Venue: The House of Entertainment Adults-only evening of stand-up comedy, comedic burlesque, and drag. Come ready to laugh.
DJ Case at Hollywood Casino Time: 8:00 PM–11:00 PM | Venue: Hollywood Casino Sound Stage Lounge High-energy sets spinning Top 40, EDM, throwbacks, and hip-hop. Free to attend.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 30
Fly Pole 💪 Time: 11:00 AM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B Take your pole work off the ground and into the air. $15.
Beginner Pole 💪 Time: 11:00 AM–12:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B The foundational class for anyone just starting out. $15–$18.
Theater 🎭 Time: 12:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B Performance, presence, and storytelling through movement. $15.
Intro to Pole 💪 Time: 12:00 PM–1:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B An introduction to the basics — moves, grip, and confidence. $15.
Lyra Hoop 💫 Time: 1:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B Aerial hoop work for all levels. Grace, strength, and a little bit of magic. $15..
Intro to Intermediate Pole 💪 Time: 2:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B Ready to move beyond the basics? This bridges the gap. $15.
Circus Troupe Training 💫 Time: 2:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B Troupe-level aerial and circus training. $15–$70.
Circus Fitness — Aerials, Tumbling & More 💫 Time: 3:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B A full-body circus-inspired workout that's as fun as it sounds. $15.
Bangor Farmers Market Time: 11:00 AM–1:30 PM | Venue: Franklin & Harlow Streets (across from BPL) Your weekly Sunday haul. Local vendors, fresh goods, outdoor vibes.
Community Clothing Swap @ Red Rabbit Bazaar Time: 11:00 AM–3:00 PM | Venue: Red Rabbit Bazaar Swap seasonal clothing at $2/lb, with proceeds supporting the Maine Trans Network. Clean out your closet and find something new.
Back to School Sale at Dream Time: 11:00 AM–3:00 PM | Venue: Dream Charm Bar, 98 Central St. Bring your back-to-school items in and they'll charm them on the spot. Fun, fast, and very downtown Bangor.
Sunday Community Jam 🎤 Time: 2:00 PM–5:00 PM | Venue: 2 Feet Brewing Grab an instrument and join in, or just pull up a stool and listen. Open-format community jam where every Sunday is its own thing.
MONDAY, AUGUST 31
Pole Conditioning 💪 Time: 10:00 AM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B Monday morning strength work on the pole. $15.
Summer 2026 Exhibitions at the Zillman Art Museum 🎨 Time: 10:00 AM–5:00 PM | Venue: Zillman Art Museum, University of Maine Five exhibitions through September 5.
Beginner Pole Dancing 💪 Time: 6:00 PM–7:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B Start here. Fundamentals, fun, and a great first step. $15.
Beginner Lyra and Aerial Silks 💫 Time: 6:00 PM–7:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B First time on the hoop or silks? This is your class. $15.
Intro to Pole Dancing 💪 Time: 7:00 PM–8:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B The next step up — essential moves, more confidence. $15.
Kickboxing & Martial Arts 🥋 Time: 7:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B High-energy fitness with a martial arts edge. $10–$35.
Pitbull – I'm Back (with Special Guest Lil Jon) 🎤 Time: 6:00 PM–11:00 PM | Venue: Maine Savings Amphitheater Mr. 305 brings the party to Bangor, and Lil Jon is coming along for the ride. The amphitheater is going to be loud.
Chimera Coffee Trivia 🍺 Time: 7:00 PM–8:30 PM | Venue: Chimera Coffee Sir_Quizzalot hosts Monday night trivia with beer, wine, espresso, and snacks on hand. Bring your sharpest friends.
Monday Karaoke at Paddy Murphy's 🎤 Time: 9:00 PM | Venue: Paddy Murphy's The classic late-night Monday mic. Step up or cheer someone else on.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
Pole Conditioning 💪 Time: 6:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B Conditioning-focused class to build the strength behind every move. $15.
Beginner Pole 💪 Time: 7:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B Tuesday's beginner session — another great entry point for new students. $15.
Lit Chicks Book Club Time: 2:00 PM–3:00 PM | Venue: Bangor Public Library, Laurence E. Crofutt Community Room Monthly gathering for fans of literary and contemporary fiction. Meets the first Tuesday of each month. Registration required.
Songwriters' Open Mic 🎤 Time: 5:00 PM–8:00 PM | Venue: 2 Feet Brewing Every songwriter gets 15 minutes. Originals, works in progress, or whatever's been sitting in the notebook — Tuesday nights are for getting it out.
Mount Hope Cemetery Walking Tour Time: 6:00 PM–7:30 PM | Venue: Mount Hope Cemetery A guided walk through one of Bangor's most storied spaces, with the stories of notable residents and the symbolism carved into the stones. Fascinating every time.
Tuesday Live Irish Sessions & Open Mic 🎤 Time: 6:00 PM | Venue: Paddy Murphy's Live Irish jam from 6–8pm, then open mic runs until close. A reliable Tuesday tradition.
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
Beginner Pole Dance 💪 Time: 4:00 PM–5:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B Wednesday afternoon beginner session — great for those who can't make evenings. $15.
Intermediate Pole Dance 💪 Time: 5:30 PM–6:30 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B Level up. New combinations, more complex moves. $15–$45.
Beginner Burlesque 💫 Time: 7:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B Learn the art, the attitude, and the fundamentals of burlesque performance. $15.
Kickboxing & Martial Arts Fitness 🥋 Time: 7:00 PM–8:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B High-intensity fitness through kickboxing and martial arts movement. $10–$35.
Lyra Tips and Tricks 💫 Time: 8:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B Wednesday's late-night aerial hoop skill session. $15.
STITCH 'N B*TCH Time: 4:00 PM–6:00 PM | Venue: Red Rabbit Bazaar Weekly community sewing and mending circle. Bring a project, bring nothing, or just come to chat. No skills required.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
Bangor Federal Credit Union's Ending Hunger Golf Tournament Time: 9:00 AM–4:00 PM | Venue: Rocky Knoll Golf Course, Orrington The 12th annual BFCU golf tournament benefits ending hunger in our community. Registration still open — head to bangorcu.org for details.
Beginner Pole Flow 💪 Time: 6:00 PM–7:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B Connect your moves into something that flows. A natural next step after beginner pole. $15.
Burlesque Basics and Conditioning 💫 Time: 6:30 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B Foundation work in burlesque technique and performance fitness. $15–$45.
Pole Clinic 💪 Time: 7:00 PM–8:00 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B Focused technique work — bring the move you've been working on. $15.
Pole and Lyra Conditioning 💪 Time: 7:30 PM | Venue: Eye Candy Dance & Fitness, 128 Main St. Suite B Strength and conditioning for both pole and aerial hoop. $15.
Next Chapter Book Club Time: 2:00 PM–3:00 PM | Venue: Bangor Public Library, Laurence E. Crofutt Community Room A welcoming book club for adolescents and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. All are encouraged to participate.
Fun with 4-H Time: 4:00 PM–5:00 PM | Venue: Bangor Public Library, Teen Lounge Grades 6–12 are getting scientific: this session, they're making mock fish stomachs and figuring out what the fish ate. Exactly as cool as it sounds.
Stitch & Sip Time: 5:30 PM–6:30 PM | Venue: Bangor Public Library, Laurence E. Crofutt Community Room Biweekly gathering for fiber artists — knitting, crocheting, coffee, and tea. Every other Thursday.
Mount Hope Cemetery Walking Tour Time: 6:00 PM–7:30 PM | Venue: Mount Hope Cemetery Second chance to catch this week's guided tour. Same great stories, fresh evening air.
Bangor Pub Run 🏃 Time: 6:30 PM–8:00 PM | Venue: Paddy Murphy's (start/finish) A 3–5 mile run through downtown followed by drinks with the group. No pace requirements, just show up.
Trivia Night at Nocturnem Draft Haus 🍺 Time: 7:00 PM–9:30 PM | Venue: Nocturnem Draft Haus Thursday trivia with prizes. One of the best setups in the city for this kind of night.
Parker McCollum at Maine Savings Amphitheater 🎤 Time: 7:00 PM–11:00 PM | Venue: Maine Savings Amphitheater Country artist Parker McCollum headlines with special guests Vincent Mason and Owen Riegling. Third concert at the amp this week.
Karaoke at Penobscot Pour House 🎤 Time: 8:00 PM–11:55 PM | Venue: Penobscot Pour House DJ Mad Kat hosts Thursday karaoke. Late-night energy, good crowd.
CITY HALL & PUBLIC MEETINGS
August 28–September 3 | All meetings open to the public
No City of Bangor public meetings are scheduled this week.
There's a particular feeling that settles over Bangor at the end of August. You can't quite name it. The light shifts a little earlier. The air at 7am has something in it that wasn't there in July. And somehow the city decides, collectively and without a memo, to do absolutely everything at once.
This week, Maine Savings Amphitheater hosts three nights of headliners: Brad Paisley on Saturday, Pitbull and Lil Jon on Monday, Parker McCollum closing it out Thursday. Throw in a brand-new craft fair on Broadway Saturday morning, a naturalist-led bird walk at Fields Pond to start the day Friday, and a charity golf tournament in Orrington to wrap up the week, and you've got a schedule that looks less like a community calendar and more like a greatest-hits compilation.
There's also the quieter stuff, the kind that makes a city feel like home. Songwriters working out new material on Tuesday nights at 2 Feet Brewing. A cemetery tour that draws a crowd every single time. The chess club in Brewer that's been waiting all week for Wednesday. Mount Hope in the evening, the farmers market in the morning, trivia somewhere in between.
September 5th is Labor Day. The schools go back next week. And yet Bangor this week looks less like a place winding down and more like a city that still has something to say.
Come out. It's worth it.
See you out there.
the editor
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Location - Bangor Waterfront
Ca C'est Bon Cajun Food Truck
Wild Cow Creamery
Salt & Cedar Kitchen
The Thai Lotus
Location - The Furniture Gallery
Friday, August 28 - Rizza’s Kitchen
Monday, August 31 - Rizza’s Kitchen, Del’s Lemonade
Tuesday, September 1 - Mainely Taco, Del’s Lemonade
Wednesday, September 2 - Brick & Embers, Del’s Lemonade
Thursday, September 3 - Mainely Taco, Del’s Lemonade
2 Feet Brewing | 80 Columbia St., Bangor
If you want a Sunday with somewhere to land, 2 Feet Brewing is it. The Community Jam runs every Sunday from 2 PM to 5 PM, and this week it lands perfectly at the tail end of a big concert weekend. Local musicians, casual crowd, good pints. No cover, no pressure, no reason to be anywhere else.
2 Feet has been one of the steadiest community spots downtown for years. Small, welcoming, and genuinely local in a way that doesn't need to announce itself. If you've driven past it a hundred times and never stopped in, Sunday afternoon is a good excuse.
Benjamin Johnson | Latin Teacher, Hampden Academy
Most Latin teachers have a classroom. Benjamin Johnson has a classroom and 125,000 subscribers.
Maine Department of Education
Johnson teaches Latin and classics at Hampden Academy in Hampden, just down the road from Bangor, and has been doing it for years. Along the way he built LatinTutorial, a YouTube channel that has become one of the go-to resources for Latin learners around the world. He also runs Latintutorial.com and Hexameter.co, leads student trips to Italy and Greece, oversees Maine's Junior Classical Leagues, and teaches classics courses at the University of Maine. Last spring, he was named a finalist for the 2026 Maine Teacher of the Year. He also serves on the board of the Penobscot Theatre Company.
He bikes around Bangor.
At a time when a lot of people are asking what education is supposed to look like, Johnson is a good answer. He took a subject most schools dropped and built something genuinely global with it, without leaving. That matters.
As school bells start ringing again this week across greater Bangor, he's the kind of educator worth knowing about.
The University of Maine welcomed students back to campus this week. UMaine's incoming and returning students arrived for fall semester, which means Bangor's fall energy is right around the corner. The foot traffic picks up, the coffee shops fill in the mornings, and the city gets a little busier in the best way. Summer is winding down, and it's handing off to something good.
Penquis Community Action Partners will continue providing non-emergency medical transportation for MaineCare members after Maine DHHS granted a six-month extension. Penquis has been running this service for over 40 years, connecting people across the region to healthcare when they have no other way to get there. That's the kind of work that holds a community together quietly and deserves a mention.
Bangor's concert season has been legitimately impressive this summer. Riley Green, Billy Idol, and now Brad Paisley and Pitbull, all at the same waterfront. That's not nothing for a city this size. Maine Savings Amphitheater continues to punch above its weight, and the whole region benefits.
The Community Clothing Swap at Red Rabbit Bazaar on Sunday is the kind of small, human thing that makes Bangor feel like a place people actually care about. No transactions. Just neighbors sharing what they have. Show up with a bag. Leave with a bag.
Presented by: Foam Rush Maine
Mount Hope Cemetery, one of Bangor's most beloved landmarks (and on this week's Noticeboard), holds which distinction?
Labor Day Road Race | Monday, Sept. 7 | 9 AM | Start circling that one.
ZZ Top | Saturday, Sept. 5 | 5:30 PM | Maine Savings Amphitheater | Yes, really. Get tickets now.
Parker McCollum | Thursday, Sept. 3 | 7 PM | Maine Savings Amphitheater | The concert season is not done.
First Friday Art Walk | Friday, Sept. 4 | All day | Downtown Bangor | Good excuse to wander.
Mount Hope Cemetery Walking Tour | Tuesday, Sept. 1 and Thursday, Sept. 3 | 6 PM - 7:30 PM | One of the better free things you can do in Bangor.
Songwriters' Open Mic | Tuesday, Sept. 1 | 5 PM - 8 PM | 2 Feet Brewing
Scripts in the Spotlight: Silent Sky | Friday, Sept. 4 | 7 PM | Penobscot Theatre Company | A staged reading. Worth your Friday night.
Bangor Pub Run | Thursday, Sept. 3 | 6:30 PM | A group run through the city. All paces welcome.
This week's photo by Ken D'Errico.
Nice Kitty!
Got a great shot of greater Bangor? Submit it for a chance to be featured in Queen City Weekly. Submit your photo here.
Food Resources
If you or someone you know needs a meal or groceries, here are some places operating in Bangor right now. Call ahead to confirm hours before you go.
Salvation Army Dorothy Day Soup Kitchen, 65 South Park St. Meals Monday through Friday, 11:30am to 1pm. Food pantry Wednesdays and Fridays, 9 to 11am (walk-in). 207-535-9572.
Manna Ministry, 95 Center St. Hot meals Monday through Friday, 4 to 5pm. Food pantry Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 3 to 4pm.
Brick Church, 126 Union St. Meals Monday through Friday, 4:30 to 5:30pm. Clothes and showers also available Tuesday and Thursday, 10am to 2pm.
Bangor Area Homeless Shelter, 263 Main St. Soup kitchen daily at 11:45am. Food pantry Sunday and Tuesday, 1 to 4pm (one visit per month).
Bangor Food Pantry, 28 High St. (at Hammond Street Congregational Church). Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30am to noon. Bangor residents only.
Bangor Region YMCA, 17 Second St. Food pantry Tuesdays 6 to 8am, Thursdays 6 to 7:30pm, Saturdays 12:30 to 2:30pm.
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Have an amazing week, and see you next Friday. — Ken, Editor
Queen City Weekly | Greater Bangor, Maine