If you are at Guv’s Place in Houlton, you are essentially at a crossroads where you can see promo flyers for the two most happening things in the area. A mile away, across the St. Croix River in downtown Stillwater, is a fall-themed music and arts festival on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 5 and 6. And a few miles to the south of Houlton, at the Village Inn in North Hudson, was Saturday’s well-attended cancer benefit for Abby Doonan.
The Stillwater festival has two diverse bands on Sunday for a wide listening experience, Gypsy Mania Hot Club from noon until 2 p.m., and the veritable Mick Sterling from 2-4 p.m. The event in North Lowell Park has more than 60 artisans and goes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is sponsored by the Greater Stillwater Chamber of Commerce and for more information, see stillwaterfallartfair.com.
Despite some pesky sprinkling rain, the benefit for Doonan, 22, who does not have medical insurance, was such a big hit that dozens of people needed to park across the highway from the Village Inn. They were attracted by a dinner, silent auction and raffle. For more information or to make a donation for Doonan, who has stage 4b Hodgkin’s lymphoma, contact Mac Spohn at (715) 222-0862, abbydoonanbenefit@gmail.com,, her Caring Bridge site, or drop off a donation at Westconsin Credit Union.
— For a diverse musical experience, take in Loose Cannon at the Willow River Saloon in Burkhardt on Saturday night, Oct. 5. Their song list has a whopping 75 entries, with new songs added monthly, and there are multiple titles from the likes of Green Day, Guns ‘N Roses, Bon Jovi and Katy Perry. Although Loose Cannon plays many musical styles, the song list also has some adventurous and very recent picks in the hard rock realm.