Leading up to Whitefield’s three-day Bicentennial celebration this weekend, artist Genevieve Keller put the finishing touches on an acrylic painting to be displayed in the “Sense of Place” art show on Sat., Aug. 8.
“Grand Army Hill Morning” will be one of two works the elementary school art teacher will be exhibiting. There will also be 30-some entries from local artists Roger Majorowicz, Natasha Mayers, Julian Sacks, Barbara Vanderbilt, Toki Oshima, Leane Morin, Tony Marple, Doug Wright, and others.
Just as the town enters its third century, Keller said she is trying a new direction, departing from watercolor botanicals and “paintings of bugs and butterflies” to explore landscapes and portraits. She recently finished a portrait of her two sons, Ross and Carl, that will also be in the show.
Paintings, photographs, sculpture and other works, including a variety of media by local students, will be exhibited in the school gym, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. A separate photographic exhibit organized by Chris Stultz, the Bicentennial quilt, and the community mural painted mostly by 7th graders last spring will also be on display.
In the parking lot an antique auto show will include two Crooker and Sons vintage dump trucks, recently on view at the Owls Head Transportation Museum.
Most Bicentennial events will take place in a large tent set up behind the school.
The revelry begins Friday evening with the opening of the 1959 time capsule at the school (4-4:30 p.m.).
A supper sponsored by members of Kings Mills Hall Association will be held in the gym, from 4:30-6:30 p.m., with Irish tunes and mixed vocals supplied by Judi Ekholm and other players of the group informally known as Not-Our-Regular-Day-Job Musicians.
At 7 p.m., playing classical string music, teens Alex and Sarah Smith will coax listeners to a lecture under the tent. Historian Alan Taylor will speak about Whitefield’s early days when rebellious settlers struggled, often violently, against the “great proprietors” who held legal title to the land.
The Bicentennial Committee’s Bill McKeen will then lead a re-enactment, at dusk, of an uprising by the “Liberty Men” disguised as Indians. During a confrontation with proprietors’ agents and surveyors, a “barn” (actually an outhouse built by local carpenters) will be set afire.
Art, music and more
Saturday kicks off with an 8:30 a.m. mile-run for kids, and the 5K Grand Army Hill Road Race at 9. Both races begin at the Townhouse.
Crafts, a farmers market, food vendors, dunk tank, firefighter displays, and children’s games take place under or near the tent starting about 10. Hourly musical performances begin at 11 a.m. with guitarists Judi Ekholm and Lucy Martin singing children’s and folk songs.
At noon, John Pranio and Toki Oshima play traditional fiddle and folk music, followed at 1 by fiddler Milo Stanley. “Dreamweavers,” a female barbershop quartet (Lisa Lee, Martha Tait, Carolyn Gray and Sheryl Whitmore) command the stage 2-3 p.m., with Emma Cifrino performing Indie folk from 3-4 p.m.
During the pig roast/barbecue hosted by Calvary Bible Baptist Church, 4:30-6:30 p.m., the Narrow Gauge String Band will play old time country, folk and fiddle music.
Musician John Robbins and his band The Returnables take over at 7, with fireworks scheduled for 9 p.m.
On Sun., Aug. 9, the Whitefield Lions Club will host a brunch/lunch between 11:30 and 12:30. Musicians Dan Townsend and Judi Ekholm will entertain.
Wrapping up the festivities from 1-2 p.m. will be the Bath Municipal Concert Band. Listeners can count on some patriotic medleys and Sousa marches, among other selections.
For more information, click on Whitefield Bicentennial events at www.mainething.com.