Square & Round Dancing with caller Grace Clements feat. Ruth and Ben String Band. 7:30-9:30pm.

THE DANCE Ben and Ruth (who run The Somerville Square Dance down in Bean Town) are bringing the good times to Kittery. They’ll be starting off with a beginner's lesson for about 20 minutes, after which anyone and everyone joins in. Grace Clements will call easier dances (mostly squares with some rounds and waltzes prinkled in) then morph into more difficult ones as the night goes along. None of the dances will be hard, this is meant for beginners and veterans alike! These dances are not gendered, you don’t need a partner, and you don’t need to have done this before!

THE BAND Led by guitarist Ruth Rappaport and her fiddler son, Ben Wetherbee, this intergenerational band's repertoire includes rousing, powerful old-time fiddle tunes and traditional, modern, and original songs that feature tight harmony singing. They are very spirited and people of all ages love their enthusiastic and innovative music.

Ruth Rappaport lays down the beat behind some of the best fiddlers, old-time string bands, and other traditional instrumentalists active today. For 15 years she traveled widely with the acclaimed eclectic string band The Poodles. Ruth shines as a vocalist with a repertoire that ranges from mountain ballads and gutsy blues to honky tonk hits and old folk songs.

Ben Wetherbee has made a mark for himself as a popular old-time, roots rock, Cajun, and alt music fiddler. His fiddling is inspired by traditional Appalachian music; Northeastern old-time music from Ithaca, Vermont, and Massachusetts; Bluegrass; Cajun/Creole music; New England contra dance music; experimental music; and more. He is also a singer/songwriter, guitar player, poet, and artist. His other musical combos include The Ben Wetherbee Honky Tonk Band, The Queens County Rat Club, Hell and Scissors, and I Want a Cat.

Ruth and Ben are joined byJoel Wennerstrom on clawhammer banjo. His playing is featured on various recordings, including Hammer & String’s “The Girl Who Broke My Heart” with Rhys Jones and Cleek Shrey, “Wooden Nickels” with Laura Feddersen and Owen Marshall, “The Pleasure of Your Company” with Harry Bolick, and “All in Good Time" with Alan Kaufman and Don Stratton.

$20 general | $15 student | Children 10 and under FREE
*fees not included (+$3 facility fee per ticket + cc processing fees)