Thursday, November 5 • 7–10 PM • One Longfellow Square
Get ready to tap your toes and settle in for a night of bluegrass. The Bluegrass Spectacular is back!
Join us at One Longfellow Square on Thursday, November 5, from 7–10 PM for an evening featuring three Southern Maine bands with their own takes on the traditions of bluegrass, folk, and old-time music: Cumberland Union String Band, The Maine Coon Cats, and White Mountain Ramblers.
Whether you love a hard-driving bluegrass standard, an old-time fiddle tune, or a song that takes an unexpected turn, there’s something here for you.
Cumberland Union String Band was formed in 2025 when a bunch of folks who liked playing bluegrass and old time music got together in Portland and realized they’d stumbled upon a good thing. Though they sometimes feature various local artists, the core members are: Tom Feeley on guitar and vocals, Emma Halas-O’Connor on upright bass, Bill Holden on dobro, Ben Jensen on banjo and vocals, Remington Pontes on mandolin and vocals, and Emily Wiederkehr on fiddle.. They play a lively mix of standards and some obscure foot tappers, and have been lucky enough to play regularly at places like Smalls, the East Ender, and Terlingua.
The Maine Coon Cats Band is an all women string band featuring Bluegrass, Old Tyme, Folk and Americana tunes.They are 4 women from Southern Maine, Ann Potter-Murray- Clawhammer Banjo, Jen Deraspe -Cello & Fiddle, Eileen Armstrong -Fiddle and Cheryl Begin – Guitar. This past Summer they were honored to be chosen to play at Ossippee Valley Music Fest. They were also asked to participate in the Bluegrass Music Association of Maine band contest at The Crooked River Music Fest.They didn’t win but had a great time. Bluegrass Spectacular Band Bios
White Mountain Ramblers are a Portland, Maine–based acoustic quartet blending traditional bluegrass with modern influences and improvisational energy. Formed in 2024, the band features Nathaniel Haas (upright bass/vocals), Ben Rossetter (mandolin/vocals), Luke Bartol (fiddle), and Robbie Neeb (guitar/vocals). Drawing from artists like Tony Rice, John Prine, and the Grateful Dead, their sound moves seamlessly between hard-driving standards, original songs, and exploratory jams. Known for their engaging live performances, the Ramblers have quickly built a following across New England, performing at breweries, festivals, and listening rooms while fostering a strong sense of community through music.