VAN BUREN, Maine – The governor’s office recently awarded Van Buren a $5,000 grant to help kickstart a new “Music on Main” series next year featuring live performances from regional musicians.
The grant is part of a Community Connections initiative, which comes from the Governor’s Cabinet on Aging. The program focuses on helping the state’s age-friendly communities become more livable through actions including events that encourage social connection or improve access to services.
Forty projects were funded throughout the state, but Van Buren is one of only two to receive funding in Aroostook County. The other Aroostook project will benefit the Caribou-based non-profit, the Center for the Advancement of Rural Living, by helping eligible residents with transportation and to pre-qualify for MaineCare Long-Term Care.
Van Buren Town Manager Luke Dyer said the “Music on Main” series will feature eight bi-weekly performances from musicians in Maine and, if available, New Brunswick. It will run from June 6, 2025 to Sept. 2025.
“The series will feature diverse genres that reflect the town’s strong Acadian and French Canadian heritage,” Dyer said. “The project will hire regional performers, fostering cross-border cultural exchange while supporting local musicians.”
Dyer said the music will be family friendly and appeal to guests of all ages.
The town has committed up to $4,000 to help cover performer fees and promotional materials. Dyer said the municipality has also set up a temporary bandstand for musicians to perform, but that they eventually hope to create a permanent “Star Stage” amphitheater in the center of town.
He said the $5,000 grant will go toward hiring musicians to perform in Van Buren.
The town has a “Music on Main” committee, that is working with the Gayety Theater, to help with event planning, coordination and community outreach.
The Gayety Theater building is over a century old and located on Main Street. Two local brothers, Jason and Dayton Grandmaison, have recently started an effort to renovate the building and have created a nonprofit organization for donations and grant funding.
Once renovated, the iconic theater building will be a rain date location during the music series.
“This initiative will provide a lively cultural experience for the community,” Dyer said, “connecting them through music and creating an inclusive, vibrant atmosphere in Van Buren throughout the summer.”
