Bucksport’s ‘Wednesday on Main’ series returns for 10th season

Performances bring music, theater, and dance to downtown

Jane Donnell (left), who handles theatre, distribution and donor services at Northeast Historic Film, and Paula Kee (right), organizer of the Wednesday on Main series, hang the inaugural 2026 event banner on June 3. Photo by Emily Baer.

June 10, 2026

By Emily Baer

BUCKSPORT—A few things announce the beginning of the summer season in Bucksport: Long lines at Dairy Port, opening day at the marina, baseball at the field near Ian’s playground. Another sign—literally—is the ‘Wednesday on Main’ banner that is strung up on the first Wednesday in June.

Paula Kee, the driver behind the long-running music series, has been organizing musical events in town since 2015. She first got the idea after the mill shut down.

“It was like there had been a death,” she said of the collective mood in Bucksport at that time. “I wanted to do something that would bring people together and lift our spirits.”

A lifelong music fan, Kee thought that a series of diverse musical performances might do the trick.

She was right.

In the ten years since the launch of Wednesday on Main, Kee has welcomed performers across genres and from all corners of the world. She is curious by nature and loves exploring new cultures through music. Audiences have responded in kind and many residents plan their summer activities around upcoming concerts.

“I try to stick with what appeals to people,” Kee said. “We’re lucky to have been able to bring in extraordinary artists over the years. I always have a wishlist of who I want to come and it's wonderful when we can make it happen.”

This year, like most, the series opened with a free puppet show by Frogtown Mountain Puppeteers. The Alamo was filled with squeals of delight as the group performed a western play about an ordinary kid who travels through time and gets caught up in a classic cowboy showdown. There were villains, there were heroes, and there were flying bananas.

“Their [puppet] shows are so fun,” Kee said. “We open the series with them every year and it always draws a crowd. They really set the tone for everything else after that.”

Now it’s in its tenth season, this year’s Wednesday on Main series will bring a mix of live music, theater, dance and holiday events to downtown throughout the summer and into December. Upcoming events include concerts by The Newell Family Band, Trio Mundo and Darlin’ Corey, as well as a “high-energy” benefit show featuring Barcelona, a band from the Bucksport Animal Shelter. 

The series also features young chamber musicians from Kneisel Hall, and a mixed-media concert by Sultana in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. After a brief hiatus in the fall, the series will pick up again with three holiday performances in December. Frogtown Puppeteers will return to the stage for a performance of “The Grinch” and grammy award winning composer and pianist Paul Sullivan will perform holiday classics and original compositions alongside “his most talented friends.” Bagaduce Chorale will return for an encore of last year’s nearly sold out show.

Most events will be held at the Alamo Theatre and include free or donation-based admission. 

Despite the success of the series, Kee is facing increasing challenges in terms of fundraising and sponsorships. Local organizations have been supportive and the town has funded a portion of the series for years. That changed this spring.

Facing budget shortfalls, Bucksport’s town council declined funding for the 2027 season. Wednesday on Main was not the only organization to be affected by the decision—nearly a dozen nonprofit organizations, including Buck Memorial Library didn’t receive funding this year—but Kee is hopeful town support may return in the future.

“I don't know if the town's budget will change or not, but I hope so,” Kee said. “Rich Rotella [the town’s economic development director] has been really helpful. We couldn’t change the outcome, but overall the town has been very supportive. [The budget challenges] have been a heartbreak for everybody.”

Undeterred, Kee is organizing friends and supporters to help fundraise for next year’s events. “There’s good energy behind it,” she said, and she still believes in the power of the events. Plus, has fun organizing the series each year.

“I just love it,” she said. “And I time [each event] so that people who come can have dinner in town after, so we support local restaurants, and we try to help venues like the Alamo by bringing new people in. I think the series helps everybody.”

“It's become what I really wanted it to be,” Kee said. “I love to connect people and plan events that support our community.”

For more information about upcoming events and to support the series, please visit the Wednesday on Maine website.