Spring is here and the 2025 concert season is upon us! There's a wide range of music to enjoy, all performed by excellent artists who are excited to play for us. Right here in Searsmont!
There are a few Fridays thrown into the mix this year - still starting at 4pm. We'll have as many concerts outdoors as is possible given the weather circumstances.
As always, library events are free to all, but if you want to contribute, consider getting on the mailing list of the Friends of Searsmont Library at one of our events.
This program would not be possible without funding from the Friends of Searsmont Library, fundraising by the library's Board of Trustees, and (we hope! find out in May!) generous support from the Onion Foundation.
Sara Trunzo with her band - Saturday June 6, 4pm Sara returns to Searsmont where she last performed in the library in 2019. She is an independent singer-songwriter, community organizer (co-founder of Veggies For All and Waldo County Bounty), and creator and host of “Country & Northeastern” on WERU. She has been a Joseph A. Fiore fellow, a Music to Life juried artist, and has received honors from Maine Songwriters Association, International Acoustic Music Awards, New England Songwriting Competition, and Tennessee Songwriters Week Competition. Her new album will be released later on in June and will be available for pre-sale at this show. saratrunzo.com
Jud Caswell and friends - Saturday June 28, 4pm One of the finest songwriters to come from the Midcoast area (Jud hails from Morrill), Jud is a folk workhorse; writing, performing, mentoring, and running a successful recording studio in Brunswick. His lyricism lies close to the land and is augmented by traditional music forms and acoustic instrumentation. He’s had his songs taught at Berklee, recorded by Judy Collins, and named “#4 Song of the Decade” by New York’s WFUV. His record “Live at the Seagull Shop” was the number 1 album on the Folk Alliance International radio charts in March of 2020. judcaswell.com
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 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 and accompanied by 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.
Update: by popular demand, this program will continue in January, after taking a break for December.
Who: Anyone. Any age.
What: Chess. Learn. Teach. Practice. Play.
Where: Searsmont Town Library & Community Building.
When: Saturdays 9-10am beginning in October.
Why? Chess is a great tool for:
concentration
thinking ahead
considering variables
mental flexibility
insight
and learning how to lose with grace
This community program is offered for free.
The library currently owns 4 chess sets. If you bring your own, that is great too!
Games will not be timed, unless individuals wish to bring their own clock and agree upon its use.
An effort will be made to match players against opponents of similar experience, but it will be helpful for beginners to start playing against more experienced opponents to help facilitate learning the game.
Spring is right around the corner! Seed catalogs arrive every day! As you're going through your stock, please consider donating your extra seeds to the Seed Library.
Borrow from our seed collection or donate your extra seed. Lots of heirloom varieties (especially beans) and shared seed from Fedco, Johnny's, Baker Creek, and more. Grow your own food: increase the region's food security.
By saving seeds as a community we help create local seed stocks that are better acclimated to our unique climate and which support an abundant and genetically diverse landscape.
Our perennial children's reading challenge. Pick up a form at the library, read 15 titles, return your completed form to the library and choose a book from the display to add to your own personal library!
Searsmont Town Library is teaming up with Maine Job Link Career Center to offer free consultations for job seekers. See the flyer above. Make an appointment with Marie and meet at the library to make use of our space and resources.
The Searsmont Town Library Board of Trustees is responsible for adopting policies governing the operation of the library, securing library funding and assisting in budget preparation, hiring and supervising the Librarian, and reporting to town officials and the community.
