In lieu of 5 things to do this weekend, I figure I'll devote RockBlogster this week to one of my absolute favorite times of the year in Bangor, and in Maine in general: the American Folk Festival on the Bangor waterfront. Unless you only like, say, death metal, or maybe Insane Clown Posse (and if it's the latter, please leave my blog immediately), there's going to be something you'll enjoy. Whether it's shakin' some tailfeather in the dance tent, chilling out on the lawn and watching the music at the Railroad Stage, or just wandering around, enjoying the crowd, the food and the good vibes, there's literally something for everybody. I've gone every year since it started as the National Folk Festival back in 2002, both as a spectator and as a reporter, so I've had the priviledge of experiencing the festival from multiple perspectives. I love everything about it - not least that it's in my beautiful city of Bangor, which fills me with civic pride. Here's my take on what's good and what's even better at the Folk Fest. Remember to click "read more" at the bottom of the entry to see the full post!

1. Music. As you may have surmised, I kinda like music. Just a smidge. What should you definitely check out this year? Well, my guess is that the hit of the festival this year is going to be Frank London's Klezmer Brass All-Stars. Klezmer rules. It's so much fun to dance to. And I don't believe there's been a klezmer band at the fest yet, so I highly recommend checking them out. I also think that Nadeem Dlaikan is another one worth seeing, as Arabic music has not been well-represented, and Dlaikan is one of it's foremost practitioners in America. Big Chief Monk Boudreaux is probably going to be a riot. And the Tibetan Monks from the Dreprung Loseling Monastery will be a great way to relax and experience a beautiful spiritual tradition right here in Bangor. I also totally heart the throat singers, so I'm looking forward to the Inuit duo of Nukariik. Really though, you can't go wrong.

2. Food. Ah yes, the food. There's so much good stuff to be had at the festival that it can be a little overwhelming. Tiny cinnamon donuts? Blueberry smoothie? Lamb kebabs? Oh god, I don't know what I should get! I've only got $20 and I want everything! I'll tell you one thing: don't bother with the alligator nuggets. Sure, you're curious. It's enticing, with the huge sign at the Hammerhead's Seafood booth, by the Railroad Stage. You've probably never had alligator. But trust me. Don't do it. It's nine dollars worth of fried batter, with a few dime-sized hunk of greasy, gross alligator meat inside. It's totally nasty. Not worth it. In fact, everything at that booth is a case of food poisoning waiting to happen. If you want seafood, get a lobster roll from River Driver's or a crabmeat roll from Fair Catch. Yeah, you've had those before. Doesn't make them any less delicious, does it?

If you're budget-conscious, the best deals at the festival are as follows.
- The fried plantains from the Siri Grill - they're cheap, there's a crap ton of them, and wow, are they good. Slather 'em with hot sauce or sweet chili sauce and you'll be good to go.
- Samosas from Taste of India. Two of them for like $5. They're huge, and just hot enough to satisfy heat-fiends, but not so spicy as to scare away wimps like myself.
- Thanksgiving sandwiches from Governor's. You laugh, but they're awesome, and also cheap.

However, my personal favorites are the blueberry smoothies (United Cerebral Palsy has a good thing going with those suckers), the little cinnamon donuts from the Camden Doughnut Company, John's Ice Cream, and again, all that Indian food. Hopefully, you'll do enough walking and dancing to burn off all those calories.

3. Important considerations, like bathrooms, beer, water, places to sit down and chill, and the rest of downtown Bangor. First off: don't worry about the porta-potties. I know some people are all like "Ewww", but trust me, they're clean and a heck of a lot faster than going to a regular toilet. Secondly: the beer is cheap for a festival. You may think 4 or 5 bucks is too much to pay for a Shipyard, but go to a comparable festival or large concert and expect to pay at least $8. Third: bring water. Don't buy it there. Four: unless you intend to camp out at one spot or at one tent and watch all the acts that are there, don't bother bringing chairs or blankets. You'll be lugging them around all afternoon or evening, and that sucks. You can sit on a bench, at a table or duck into the Penobscot Tent and relax. Five: if you plan to be there all day, why not take a swing up to Main or Central Street and visit some local businesses? They'd love to see you.

4. Parking and money. Just park at Bass Park. The shuttles to and from the parking to the Fest move fast, and it's kinda fun to ride on a school bus. Also, make sure you hit up the ATM, since almost nothing there takes card. You should also set aside at least a few bucks to give to the bucket brigade, because without your contributions, we don't get to have a festival. And that would really make me, and the 250,000 plus people that go, very unhappy.