Pine Tree Flyers - FRIDAY July 11, 4pm Four of the finest voices in New England's traditional music scene shine a renewed light on the tunes of the Northeast with excitement and respect.All residents of the great state of Maine, Katie McNally (fiddle), Emily Troll (accordion), Benjamin Foss (guitar), and Neil Pearlman (piano) cut their teeth playing for contra dances and learning from the greats. Individually, they've toured the world playing Irish, Scottish, and Quebecois music and they bring this wellspring of knowledge and technical prowess to the American music that was born from these traditions.pinetreeflyers.com
Annual Book & Bake Sale with Special Musical Guests - Saturday July 19, 9am This year will be the 35th Annual STL Book & Bake Sale! All proceeds go towards the library and funding library programs like this one! Mystery musical guest/s.
Maine Middle Eastern Ensemble - Saturday August 2, 4pm Maine Middle Eastern Ensemble performs folk, classical, and art music from the Turkish, Arabic, Armenian and Greek traditions. Led by oud player, EricLaPerna, the group also features 12 string guitarist, Jeremey Zela; percussionist, Dorothy Barker, clarinetist, nay player, and saxophonist, Steve Gruverman; and upright bass player, Duane Edwards. Mr. LaPerna is a multi-instrumentalist specializing in Middle Eastern hand drums and stringed instruments, and has been a performing musician for over 30 years. He has performed with many of Maine's most celebrated artists and ensembles, including the DaPonte String Quartet and the late Udi Alan Shavarsh Bardezbanian, as well as world renowned musicians, Ross Daly and Mal Barsamian. If you've never experienced these musical traditions, you'll find them full of grooves and hypnotic rhythms. ericlaperna.org
Novel Jazz Septet - Saturday August 23, 4pm 2025 marks the 21st anniversary of this Maine-based and swinging group dedicated to the music of Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. Combining steady research about arrangements at the Smithsonian and Library of Congress archives in D.C. with a commitment to both musical education and performance, Novel Jazz appeals to jazz lovers (and dancers!) of all ages. Featuring Barney Balch (trombones), Mike Mitchell (trumpet, cornet and flugelhorn), Nathaniel Johengen (reeds), Mickey Felder (piano), David Clarke (guitar), Herb Maine (bass), and Bill Manning (drums). mainejazz.net
Halcyon String Quartet presents Ghost Apples - Saturday September 6, 4pm Halcyon String Quartet returns to Searsmont this year with a very special new work by composer Nathan Davis and Maine poet laureate (and librarian!) Julie Bouwsma. Ghost Apples is a 30-minute chamber opera that reflects on Maine’s agrarian histories and present agricultural narratives to re-imagine a collective future in the face of climate change. Structured in part as a series of letters to future generations, the work is inspired by Virgil’s Georgics and will combine song, with Halcyon's music and projected film. With the libretto inspired by the land’s agrarian histories, the opera embraces the uncertainty inherent in an imagined future while inspiring audiences to actively create the communities and ecosystems that will remain strong and resilient for generations to come. halcyonstringquartet.org
Belfast Flying Shoes Community Dance & Potluck - Saturday September 27, 4pm Wrap up the Searsmont Town Library's 2025 concert season and celebrate the harvest with a Community Dance and Potluck! Old school group folk dances will be taught on the spot by the caller, Chrissy Fowler, with traditional fiddle tunes by John Pranio, Toki Oshima & the All-Comers Band (which could include...YOU!). Bring a cold dish and share a meal after the dance. Presented in partnership with Belfast Flying Shoes.
