With Labor Day around the corner, music options include the isles of the St. Croix River and just off that river into Hastings:
— They don’t call it Beer Can Island for nothing. The presence of nightlife there will be elevated when local singers (with acoustic guitar) Amanda and Kyle set up on “the island” and give a middle of the St. Croix River concert as soon as nightfall comes on this Saturday of Labor Day weekend.
— And this from another local singer, Garret: An end of summer hootinany like none other, with some of the best musical talent the immediate region has to offer, will go on this weekend in Hastings, although word of it up toward Hudson is understandably slim.
— And to start the weekend, Shiner’s in Lakeland will close out its entire summer of Thursday night music with Dan Rumsey. Every weekend, a group called the Soiled Doves has hosted a singer-songwriter stage — with nary a repeat in the lineup that has included, in order all summer, Justin Bell, Teague Alexy, Tony Cuchetti, Tommy Bentz, Tony Ortiz, Ben Tomandl, Fizz Kizer, Jay Arnold, Joel Kachel, Jeff Arundel and Mary Cutrufello. Lauren Hay has stepping in twice as guest host. The music goes from 7-10 p.m.
— The antique span leading to Houlton may be coming close to falling down of late, much like London Bridge, but the Lift Bridge Brewing Co. is still in the mix. The Stillwater company is keeping the stream swirling with the promotion at several local bars of its mango blonde ale, the fruit presence of which is topical for this season, with summer coming to a close.