Bilodeau Family Concert

The Bilodeau Family: Back to Maine

Saturday, July 23, 2022

6:30pm

Mousam Lake Pavilion

25 Back Road

Shapleigh, Maine

Acton-Shapleigh Historical Society presents the Bilodeau Family for a benefit concert at the Mousam Lake Pavilion (formerly Mousam Lake Grange) on Saturday, July 23, at 6:30pm. Mousam Lake Pavilion is at 25 Back Road in Shapleigh, Maine, across from Shapleigh Town Hall. Tickets are $20 each and can be reserved by calling 207-636-1764.

Parking is available in the lot across the street and along Back Road. The Pavilion is handicap accessible.

The Bilodeau Family Music presents "Back to Maine", a celebration of Maine in old, new, and original music played on piano, fiddles, mountain dulcimer, flute, mandolin, and other instruments. You'll hear traditional tunes and historic works interwoven with interesting and inspiring stories collected from all over the state.

The seven-member Bilodeau family has been performing publicly for about three years, but have played music together for much longer. Mom and Dad have played music since before they met and all the children have inherited that artistic/musical bent as well. When they aren't writing or playing music, you can usually find them busily making musical instruments, fine cabinetry, artwork, digital media, delicious food and spun, knitted, and sewn creations.

The Bilodeau family seeks to not only provide an entertaining program, but they also hope to educate and inspire their audience through stories and tales.

Proceeds from this exclusive concert go toward the conservation of Mousam Lake Pavilion’s historic stage curtain. Historic and scenic stage curtains were popular additions to town halls and grange halls of New England in the early 20^th century when people gathered at these venues for political and social events. Later, when gathering at movie theaters and “civic centers” replaced going to town halls and grange halls, many stage curtains were taken down or repurposed. Many have not survived. Fortunately, Mousam Lake Pavilion’s curtain is in good shape. Acton-Shapleigh Historical Society has contracted with Curtains Without Borders of Vermont, who specialize in documenting and preserving these historic stage curtains. They will travel to the Pavilion and work onsite to stabilize the fabric, improve the rolling mechanism and do in-painting where necessary. To learn about Curtains Without Borders and the amazing stage curtains of New England that they’ve worked on visit curtainswithoutborders.org.