Wayside Grange & Theatre starts out the concert season with The Katahdin Valley Boys

DEXTER — Wayside Grange & Theatre is pleased to open the first concert of the 2024 season with the Bluegrass sensation The Katahdin Valley Boys at Wayside Theatre in North Dexter on Saturday, June 1.

The Katahdin Valley Boys, one of Maine’s most popular and respected Bluegrass bands, has been entertaining appreciative audiences throughout New England since 1998. The Maine  Academy of Country Music, and The Maine Country Music Association have both recognized The Katahdin Valley Boys with the respective “Bluegrass Band of the Year” awards on numerous  occasions! The Katahdin Valley Boys take pride in presenting a top quality show featuring traditional, and contemporary Bluegrass and Bluegrass Gospel music.  

Each band member brings with them many years of experience and a mastery of their instruments. Their repertoire features vocal versatility in tight harmonies, smooth solos as well as flashy, fiery instrumentals.  

Jeff Folger, a native of Sidney, is the towering high lead and tenor harmony vocalist,  plays the 5-string banjo in a traditional, hard driving style. He began performing in 1993, and since 1998 has been a KVB founding member. 

Dan Simons makes his home in Vienna. A talented,“Super Picker”, Dan sings lead and harmony as well as playing mandolin, guitar, and fiddle! Dan draws from a deep well of experience and joined KVB in 2016. 

Ken Brooks calls Athens home and has been performing for over 50 years and was honored by being inducted into The Maine Country Music Hall of Fame in 2012! His lead, rhythm guitar, and vocals are a hallmark of The Katahdin Valley Boys sound. 

Steve Bixby of Round Pond keeps the beat and does much of the MC work plus adds his vocals and enjoys telling a good tale or two during the show. An accomplished Bluegrass bass player and recording artist, Steve has played with several well known acts at numerous Bluegrass festivals in the Northeast. 

From now through October Wayside Grange & Theatre will be entertaining the area  with a wide variety of music. Many of the musical groups stemming from the area and others traveling  a great distance. McKusick Petroleum again is fostering great music in the Penquis Region with their  generous donation to help continue the Wayside Grange & Theatre music mission.

The 2024 lineup is as follows: 

 June 1 – Katahdin Valley Boys  

 June 29 – Sagittarius Rising  

 July 20 – Variety Show w/Timberdoodle 

 August 24 – Bear Tracks 

 September 21 – Denny Breau  

 October 26 – Half Moon Jug Band 

The Wayside Grange & Theater in Dexter presents programs of theater and music in an historic and acoustically-perfect setting. The building has served the Dexter community for decades and continues in 2024. 

The concert doors open at Wayside Grange, 851 North Dexter Road (Route 23) at 6:30 p.m. The Katahdin  Valley Boys take the stage at 7 p.m. and there is no need for reservations. Desserts and “pretty good” coffee will be available in our downstairs dining area at intermission. 

If you would like to join Wayside Grange & Theatre and/or volunteer, call Tim Breen at 207-355-5507 and please check out the Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/waysidestage.

The Grange volunteers have improved the comfort level at the Grange Hall with air conditioning. They also have access at the ground level entrance and a chair lift. 

Keep watching the Facebook page for more family fun events.