Fringe Fest
Fringe Fest is a performing arts-laced evening, produced by Engine: Propelling the Creative Community in partnership with the Heart of Biddeford… two downtown organizations coming together to build community via the arts! The River Jam Fringe Fest provides a canvas for the performing arts community to showcase their talents with interactive performances and demonstrations in Shevenell Park and on Main Street. Come experience diverse artistic offerings – an array of musical acts, a community weaving project, visual arts, spoken word, dance, and more.
FRIDAY AUGUST 20 5:00-8:00PM SCHEDULE
Music Performances by PFK Era, Chris Nucci, Alejandro and his Music Friends, Assasi & S6ef, and Angelikah Fahray.
Interactive Family Friendly Art Activities with Engine and Common Roots Studio
ArtWalk: Support local artists and businesses selling their wares and demonstrating their processes: Kristen Fitzpatrick at Banded Brewing, Kaleigh Brann Studio, Sarah Korman, Kyle Binette, Deli & Gelato, Adio, Deerborn Art, Alex Groblewski, The Melting Point Studio | Kerin OKeefe, Christopher Gauthier, Michael Sciaba, Kirste Simmons, Alice Gauvin Gallery, Biddeford Mills Museum with photographs by David Bishop’s, storefront installation of “Waiting Room” by Devon Kelley-Yurdin, Hills & Trails hosting Christina Pakus, Flourish – Arts as Sacred Healing, SUGER featuring an installation by Macrame Artist Deb Lombard, Gypsy Soil Boutique, Gloss Hair Parlor showing work by artist Robin Towle, The Art Certificate Program, Wooven, FDG Law hosting photographer David Bates and popcorn and cornhole at Trillium.
Plus, enjoy a beverage in the beer garden hosted by Cowbell and Sublime Taco, and some pie at our Pie Luck (a potluck of pies). (Want to bring a pie? Sign up here, the more the merrier!)
Fire performances by Malcolm Thurston, Chris Roland, and Olivia Ducharme
Special Guests Ashanti Dwight Williams, Biddeford Darlings, Maine Immersive
WHERE?
Fringe Fest will take place on Main Street and Shevenell Park; between Alfred and Washington Streets. Paid parking in all City lots but street parking is free and unrestricted after 4pm. See map for traffic access and detours.
WHAT IS FRINGE FEST?
Fringe Fest is focused on the performing arts. Fringe gives a spotlight to theater, dance, music, visual arts, spoken word, and more. Fringes don’t have a focus on one single discipline or genre.
Learn more about events happening on Saturday during River Jam Fest.
Biddeford Blooms Community Weaving Project
LED BY FESTIVAL ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE SARAH HASKELL
Biddeford Bloom: A Community Weaving Project, is an invitation to weave our aspirations for the future of our community together. Local artists and makers are building looms representing the built and natural environment of Biddeford – it’s mills, river, and community gardens. During Fringe Fest and River Jam 2021, you are invited to weave colorful recycled materials into this shared tapestry. This Community Loom project in historic downtown Biddeford celebrates Maine’s 200th birthday and illustrates how important textiles and craft have been to the state.
SPONSORS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Fringe Fest is proudly sponsored by Town & Country Federal Credit Union.
Thank you to the following local businesses for donating pies to our pieluck: Snell Family Farm.
Thank you to LaundryUP for laundering our pie luck linens.
This event would not be possible without the support of the City of Biddeford, the City Council, Recreation Department, and Public Works Department.
2021’s Fringe Fest Activities are supported in part by the funding and support of the Maine Arts Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts Challenge Grant Program, and the Maine Bicentennial.
Performer Biographies
PFK Era
Chris Nucci
Chris has been writing songs and playing music for nearly 20 years, beginning in CT in the early 2000s he stayed active in the acoustic music scene until moving to Colorado in 2007. In Colorado, surrounded by a folk scene along the front range that included musicians such as Gregory Alan Isakov and Nathaniel Rateliff in their early days, he refined his finger picking folk-blues style into what it has become today. His biggest influences are modern era folk giants like John Prine and early 1900’s country blues musicians such as Blind Lemon Jefferson.
Alejandro Graciano and his Music Friends
Alejandro Graciano was born in the South Pacific Coast of Mexico where the rhythms of Cumbia, Merengue, Boleros, and Corridos (Mexican ballads) filled the air. Trumpet, guitars, bass, drums, and accordions were part of everyday life. From weddings to birthdays and funerals, live music was a must. It is from these roots that Alejandro fell in love with music and musicianship.
At fifteen years old he immigrated with his family to the United States. Settling in the central coast of California in the 90’s, Alejandro faced the unfortunate adversities that came with being a non-English speaking dark-skinned Latino teenager. He quickly navigated his new culture by watching videos on MTV & VH1. He grew an appreciation for Western music, especially rock and rap. From R.E.M. to Dr. Dre and skateboarding, he started to find a connection to California living.
After high school, Alejandro made a decision to become a musician and bought his first guitar for twelve dollars at the local fleamarket. At this time, he also discovered Capoeira, a Brazilian Martial Art Dance. It was through Capoeira that Alejandro gained an appreciation for performance, syncopation, world music and self- awareness about being Afro-Mexican.
As a self-taught musician, Alejandro struggled to find his identity as a guitar player. He finally found the blues one day when he walked into a music store and saw a video of Ali Farka Touré playing his guitar. Touré’s music and guitar playing was unorthodox and raw, it felt like a revelation to him.
By bringing together all of his many musical influences, Alejandro has developed his own style of guitar playing. Mixing Latin and African blues music with original poetry, Alejandro shares a unique form of self-expression and storytelling with the world.
Assasi & S6ef: From Syria to Maine
Hailing from the historic city of Aleppo, Assasi fuses influences from Golden Age Arab music, American hip-hop, and diverse flavors from his world travels. He met Maine singer-songwriter S6ef in Beirut, and they became inseparable. Together, they will bring you on a musical journey through time, space, and ways of belonging.
Website: www.biladelshammusic.com
Follow Assasi on Instagram @assasimusic
Follow S6ef’s on Instagram: @s6efmusic
Angelikah Fahray
Angelikah Fahray is a singer and songwriter born and raised in Portland Maine. She is quickly earning a reputation in Portland’s music scene for her ability to quiet a room in a dart-to-the-heart style that is both stunning and serpentine.
She’s performing songs from her forthcoming E.P. with multi-instrumentalist and producer Billy Giordano (aka Eastern Puma).
