Wayside Grange and Theatre

07/05/2025

Wayside Grange & Theatre continues the 2025 Concert Season with Averill Lovely Band

DEXTER - Wayside Grange & Theatre is pleased to continue their 2025 Concert Series on Saturday, July 19th with the Averill Lovely Band.

Averill Lovely and his father Ralph have been playing together since Averill was old enough to hold a mandolin. Averill sings and plays guitar, harmonica, mandolin and the heart strings. Ralph plays a four string banjo a la yesteryear.

Somewhere around the year of the big onions they teamed up with long time friend and fellow musician, "Martini" Tony Brown, AKA The Bard of Barnard. Tony has played extensively from the East Coast to Albuquerque and back. His most recent project in Central Maine prior to joining Ralph and Averill was called Tony's Martini Club.

Together their set represents the type of music that gets played around kitchen tables, on back porches, and in smoky lounges. They call it Hillbilly Swing. It's a mix of Americana, traditional jazz, blues and some originals. If that strange brew sounds like something you just have to see to believe, it is. So, come join us at the Wayside Theater on July 19th...

From now through October 2025, Wayside Grange & Theatre will be entertaining the Penquis 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 2025 lineup continues:
July 19 – Averill Lovely Band
August 02 – Honest Mechanik
August 10 - Carl McPhee North Woods Rail Perseid Meteor Show
August 23 – Bear Tracks
September 11 – House of Hamill
October 11 – Variety Show

The Wayside Grange & Theater in Dexter, Maine presents programs of theater and music in an historic and acoustically perfect setting. The building has served the Dexter community for decades and continue in 2025.

The Wayside Grange Kitchen is open where Amazing Delicious Homemade Desserts and “pretty good” Coffee & Cold Drinks will be available in our downstairs dining area at intermission.

At 6:30 pm the doors open for the Concert and Averill Lovely Band will take stage at 7 pm. There is no need for reservations and tickets are only $15 per person.

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

The Grange Volunteers have improved the comfort level at the Grange Hall with AIR CONDITIONING!!! We also have access at ground level entrance, and can be found at 851 North Dexter Rd (Rt 23) in North Dexter, Maine. Keep watching our page for more family fun events!

07/05/2025

We call it Hillbilly Swing!!!
It's a mix of Americana, traditional jazz, blues and some originals. If that strange brew sounds like something you just have to see to believe, it is.
So, come join us at the Wayside Theater on July 19th...

06/11/2025

Wayside Grange & Theatre continues the 2025 Concert Season with Back Woods Road Band

DEXTER - Wayside Grange & Theatre is pleased to continue their 2025 Concert Series on Saturday, June 28th with Back Woods Road, founded in 2011, this band is a highly energized Bluegrass Band known for its tight harmonies, Instrument solos, and hard driving bluegrass. “From the sounds of the classic bluegrass music to the newest of Bluegrass, we play it all.” Members are Rich Bernier (dobro, guitar & vocals); Jane Bernier (guitar, mandolin & vocals), John Krainis (banjo & Vocals), Mike Conant, (fiddle & vocals), Jason Wescott, (guitar, Mandolin & Vocals), and Dimitri Eleftherakis (bass & vocals).

Back Woods Road will please any audience young and old. The band has entertained thousands of people through the years at venues such as, The Blistered Fingers Bluegrass Festival, The Thomas Point Bluegrass Festival, The Brunswick Arts Festival, The Pemi Bluegrass Festival, the Whites Beach Bluegrass Festival, The East Benton Fiddlers Convention, The Fairfield Concert in the Parks series, Sunday River Resort as well as many, many others.

With close-knit harmonies, sizzling guitar, banjo, dobro, fiddle licks and melodic bass lines, Back Woods Road is establishing itself as a must-see acoustic band. You can find examples of their work on Facebook, YouTube and their website at BackwoodsRoadBand.com.

From now through October 2025, Wayside Grange & Theatre will be entertaining the Penquis 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 2025 lineup continues:
June 28 – Back Woods Road Band
July 19 – Averill Lovely Band
August 02 – Honest Mechanik
August 10 - Carl McPhee North Woods Rail Perseid Meteor Show
August 23 – Bear Tracks
September 11 – House of Hamill
October 11 – Variety Show

The Wayside Grange & Theater in Dexter, Maine presents programs of theater and music in an historic and acoustically perfect setting. The building has served the Dexter community for decades and continue in 2025.

The Wayside Grange Kitchen is open where Desserts and “pretty good” Coffee will be available in our downstairs dining area at intermission. At 6:30 pm the doors open for the Concert and Backwoods Road will take stage at 7 pm. There is no need for reservations and tickets are only $15 per person.

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

The Grange Volunteers have improved the comfort level at the Grange Hall with AIR CONDITIONING!!! We also have access at ground level entrance, and can be found at 851 North Dexter Rd (Rt 23) in North Dexter, Maine. Keep watching our page for more family fun events!

06/04/2025

2025 Wayside Schedule

May 31 – Joe & Nellie Kennedy & the Tuesday Knights w/Elm City Strugglers
June 28 – Backwoods Road
July 19 – Averill Lovely Band
August 02 – Honest Mechanik
August 10 - Carl McPhee North Woods Rail Perseid Meteor Show
August 23 – Bear Tracks
September 11 – House of Hamill
October 11 – Variety Show

All shows $15
Doors open at 6:30 P.M. Shows start at 7 P.M.
Light refreshments & pretty good coffee
No reservations. Questions? Call 924-5035

05/08/2025

Coming soon!!! This will be a great show. Mark your calendars now, and we will see you there.

05/07/2025

Here’s a peek at this year’s schedule. Please share far and wide! We are looking forward to a great summer of music, and hope to see you there.

10/31/2024

Final concert of the 2024 season...

ATTENTION:
The Denny Breau Concert is TONIGHT, Saturday NOVEMBER 02nd....

DEXTER - Wayside Grange & Theatre is excited to once again host the ever popular Denny Breau, entertaining you with with a night filled with a variety of audience pleasing music.

A Musician’s Musician, Denny Breau’s rhythmically flawless and dazzlingly clear style allows him to do amazing and stunning things with a six-string guitar. He first draws in an audience with a finely arranged melody and then slides effortlessly into scorching fingerwork that sets ears aflame. The lighting fast guitar lines that seem almost humanly impossible to accomplish are balanced with those that have a quiet intimacy and wrap tenderly around his carefully crafted songs. He mixes genres with ease — Folk, Delta Blues, Country and Jazz — “creating a totally accessible musical mélange that captivates as it entertains,” according to Lucky Clark writing for the Kennebec (Maine) Journal.

Guitarists in the audience often suspect that they have been left in the dust and regularly tell Denny that they might as well hang up their guitars! As Denny greets concert-goers and shakes hands following his performances, guitar players invariably ask how he performs certain techniques and Denny, who has a passion for teaching, is happy to show them. This is especially true when demonstrating the guitar style of Chet Atkins, who was a family friend and major influence. Shows usually include a “smartly executed Chet Atkins medley by Breau who truly does the late Atkins proud,” according to a review in Dirty Linen magazine.

The Wayside Grange & Theater in Dexter Maine, presents their programs of theater and music in an historic and acoustically perfect setting. The building has served the Dexter community for decades and continue in 2024 and hopefully many more years.

The Wayside Grange Kitchen is open at 5:30 pm for a homecooked "By Donation” Light Potluck Supper. At 6:30 pm the doors open for the Concert and Denny Breau takes stage at 7 pm. There is no need for reservations and tickets are only $15 per person. 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, a call Tim Breen at 355-5507 and please check out our page at Wayside Grange and Theatre.

The Grange Volunteers have improved the comfort level at the Grange Hall with AIR CONDITIONING!!! We also have access at ground level entrance, and can be found at 851 North Dexter Rd (Rt 23) in North Dexter, Maine.

Keep watching our page for more family fun events!

10/06/2024

Fall is cooling down BUT this Band will get your Warmed Back UP!!!

09/19/2024

ATTENTION:
The Denny Breau Concert is TONIGHT, Saturday NOVEMBER 02nd....

DEXTER - Wayside Grange & Theatre is excited to once again host the ever popular Denny Breau, entertaining you with with a night filled with a variety of audience pleasing music.

A Musician’s Musician, Denny Breau’s rhythmically flawless and dazzlingly clear style allows him to do amazing and stunning things with a six-string guitar. He first draws in an audience with a finely arranged melody and then slides effortlessly into scorching fingerwork that sets ears aflame. The lighting fast guitar lines that seem almost humanly impossible to accomplish are balanced with those that have a quiet intimacy and wrap tenderly around his carefully crafted songs. He mixes genres with ease — Folk, Delta Blues, Country and Jazz — “creating a totally accessible musical mélange that captivates as it entertains,” according to Lucky Clark writing for the Kennebec (Maine) Journal.

Guitarists in the audience often suspect that they have been left in the dust and regularly tell Denny that they might as well hang up their guitars! As Denny greets concert-goers and shakes hands following his performances, guitar players invariably ask how he performs certain techniques and Denny, who has a passion for teaching, is happy to show them. This is especially true when demonstrating the guitar style of Chet Atkins, who was a family friend and major influence. Shows usually include a “smartly executed Chet Atkins medley by Breau who truly does the late Atkins proud,” according to a review in Dirty Linen magazine.

The Wayside Grange & Theater in Dexter Maine, presents their programs of theater and music in an historic and acoustically perfect setting. The building has served the Dexter community for decades and continue in 2024 and hopefully many more years.

The Wayside Grange Kitchen is open at 5:30 pm for a homecooked "By Donation” Light Potluck Supper. At 6:30 pm the doors open for the Concert and Denny Breau takes stage at 7 pm. There is no need for reservations and tickets are only $15 per person. 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, a call Tim Breen at 355-5507 and please check out our page at Wayside Grange and Theatre.

The Grange Volunteers have improved the comfort level at the Grange Hall with AIR CONDITIONING!!! We also have access at ground level entrance, and can be found at 851 North Dexter Rd (Rt 23) in North Dexter, Maine.

Keep watching our page for more family fun events!

08/13/2024

Back by Popular Demand, Saturday August 24th!!!

“Bluegrass” BearTracks Band & friends are storming the Wayside stage August 24th

DEXTER - Wayside Grange & Theatre is excited to host Beartracks, featuring siblings Tommy and
Julie & friends, bringing you a great night of Bluegrass Standards, Originals & Songs with a Twist.

They began as a trio in 2004 with Legendary Dobro player Junior Barber who convinced his cousins,
Tom and Julie, to make the switch from playing traditional country music in clubs to playing bluegrass
oriented material at festivals around the Northeast. The main focus of the group was the sibling vocal
harmony of Tom and Julie and Junior’s unique stylist approach to playing resonator guitar. Although
not a traditionally structured bluegrass group, the trio gained acceptance and a solid fan base at
festivals throughout the Eastern US and in Canada from Calgary to PEI.

When illness forced Junior to retire in June of 2013, Beartracks added a banjo and fiddle to give a
more traditional sound. Beartracks has been fortunate to have some very skilled musicians working
with them over the years and have found, that as long as Julie and Tom are together, the backbone of
Beartracks remains the same.

Since their inception in 2004, Beartracks has recorded six albums, available on CD Baby, I-Tunes,
Rhapsody and Spotify which includes traditional bluegrass songs, classic country with a bluegrass twist
and originals.

Tom Foote, from KAOS-FM, Olympia, WA commented, “Smooth vocals from Tom and his sister Julie
in the old-time duet tradition...

From now through October 2024, Wayside Grange & Theatre will be entertaining the Penquis 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 continues:
August 24 - Bear Tracks
September 21 - Denny Breau
October 26 - Half Moon Jug Band

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

The Wayside Grange Kitchen is open at 5:30 pm for a homecooked “By Donation” Crock Pot Supper. At 6:30 pm the doors open for the Concert and Beartracks takes stage at 7 pm. There is no need for reservations and tickets are only $15 per person. 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, a call Tim Breen at
355-5507 and please check out our page at www.Facebook.com/waysidestage.

The Grange Volunteers have improved the comfort level at the Grange Hall with AIR CONDITIONING!!! We also have access at ground level entrance, and can be found at 851 North Dexter Rd (Rt 23) in North Dexter, Maine.

Keep watching our page for more family fun events!

08/07/2024

Schedule for this Sunday. It’s going to be a good time. Drop in and say hi, listen to some music and have a fun time!

08/06/2024

Coming up this Sunday, August 11th