The Grand Lake Stream Folk Art Festival is held annually on the last full weekend in July.

     Set in one of the most spectacular and pristine wilderness areas of New England, the small Washington County village of Grand Lake Stream will again come alive for this unique gathering of talented folk artists, craftsmen, canoe and boat builders, quilters and musicians. Over the years the Grand Lake Stream Folk Art Festival has established its reputation as one of the premier gatherings in New England. The festival was selected by the Governors Conference on Tourism Award as the recipient of the 2006 Excellence in Tourism Award in the category of Attractions.

     Assembled are over fifty folk artists and craftsmen from the northeastern United States and New Brunswick, Canada. Collectable folk art and functional hand crafts will be presented in a wide variety of mediums. Many artists will be demonstrating their talents. Items offered for sale include hand made musical instruments, twig furniture, quilts, folk painting, turned wooden bowls, dried flowers and herbs, pottery, photography, stained glass, spinning, weaving, felting, clothing, baskets, iron work, dolls, wood carvings, jewelry bird houses, and much more.

     Live music will be ongoing throughout the day. The festival will be opened this year by Mark Tipton and the Tip Tops playing lively Dixieland Jazz. Mark is a festival regular and played with the Black Socks String Band for several years. Jim Gallant will, as always, dazzle everyone with his legendary guitar picking and folk tunes. The Mueller's will return with with the family string band playing Old Time and Bluegrass tunes. The kids are all a year older, but some are still  very young and incredibly talented. Bill and Nancy Thibideau, formerly of Bluegrass Supply and Union River,  will be on stage with the Adrians playing Bluegrass and Country tunes. ...and, the festival wouldn't be the same without the Black Socks String Band playing Old Time and Celtic tunes. On Sunday morning from 10:00 to 11:30 anyone with an instrument or song is invited to our open jam session. Musicians from 8 to 80 will be sharing tunes and songs.

     A display of antique and heirloom quilts will be presented by committee members assisted by members of the St. Croix International Quilters Guild. A dazzling collection of quilts will be on display, and skilled and knowledgeable quilters will be there throughout the day to demonstrate and answer questions. A commemorative “Patriotic Quilt” made especially for the festival will be raffled.

     The University of Maine Folklife Center  in conjunction with the Festival Committee will again  assist in presenting a retrospective display and panel discussions about canoe development in Grand Lake Stream.  Builders and guides will be on hand with their canoes demonstrating their talent as they explain the evolution of the canoe canvas covered canoe. Canoes of many types including everything from the birch bark canoe to the Grand Laker will be represented.  Builders will also be on hand selling canoes, and building demonstrations will be ongoing.

Great food will be available throughout the day.

Festival hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. Admission is $5.00 for one day or $8.00 for both. All displays and activities are under large tents, so a rainy day isn’t a problem. For more information contact the Grand Lake Stream Folk Art Festival Committee at (207) 796-8199 or email us.