The Bucksport Area Cultural Arts Society (BACAS) has been bringing the community together through the performing arts since 1999. After creating the Bucksport Performing Arts Center, this dedicated group of volunteers has brought a steady lineup of music and theater performances to Bucksport each year. This summer, BACAS will be adding something brand new: the Bucksport Arts Festival.

This new fine arts festival will take place on the Bucksport waterfront walkway on August 15 from 9:00am to 4:00pm. The Good Kettle, The Uproot Pie Co., and The Local Variety will have an assortment of delicious foods to feed the masses and Original Condition, a local bluegrass band, will perform from 10:00 to 11:00am.

Nearly 30 artists have already registered, including 3 Legged Dog Ink, Blueberry Bay Beads, Patchwork Clay, Sojourn Curiosities, Reclaimed Maine, Penobscot Pyrographics, Page Eastman Photography, Sewing a Notion, Left Field Graphics, Buzy Bz Studio, Charlie Widdis Photography, Art by Katy, Argyle Iron Works, The Moons Cache, Moss Keep Studio, Anne Buck Davis, Mary Banfield, Carolyn & Clyde Folsom, Sandy Dolan, Renee Lammers, Linda Stearns, Kay Carter, Teddi-Jann Covell, and Black Dog Ironworks.

A few spaces are still available, but only two weeks remain for artists to register! Those interested in participating can apply online www.bacasmaine.org or download an application to submit by mail. Registration is only $60 for a 10'x 10' booth space.

The event is just one of many offered in Bucksport this summer. Local residents have responded to last year's mill closure by creating new and exciting events to help build a new vision for Bucksport based on arts, culture, and tourism. Local businesses have joined the effort, and are doing some strategic planning of their own. MacLeod's Restaurant was the first to offer support of the festival, and Good Deals Antique Mall & Collectibles has recently joined in to partner as a premier sponsor alongside MacLeod's. The owners of both successful businesses are part of Bucksport Next, an effort of the Town planning board to create a new comprehensive plan that incorporates public input and consolidates information about each individual community group working on new programs to generate activity in the Town.