DAMARISCOTTA — Live music by local groups and musicians will perform at the 12th annual Damariscotta Mills Alewife Festival from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 25,  at the under the big tent in the Fish House parking lot.

Carolyn Cotter Photo courtesy of Carolyn Cotter

The event celebrates the arrival of the Damariscotta River’s little fishes and the restoration of the historical fish ladder that the alewives traverse each spring from the saltwater bay to the freshwater lake, at 10:15 a.m., Sylvia Tavares will perform the alewife song “Journey to the Lake” that she wrote about the fish ladder restoration project. The festival will begin with John Adams singing the “Star Spangled Banner.”

Schedule of events:
10:15-11 a.m., Rivers Edge, a creative blend of folk, pop classics, country and originals with Sylvia Tavares and Gary McCue;
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Ale House String Band, playing traditional tunes and covers of popular folk music their “chamber folk” style is a unique, melding the theory and techniques of classical music with Traditional Folk styles with Oren Robinson, April Reed-Cox and Brian Dunn;
12:45 -1:45 p.m., Jud Caswell, a little bit like a one-man folk band, with banjo picking, Irish drinking songs, a rack of acoustic instruments and a deep catalog of award winning original songs and tunes;
2:15-3:15 p.m., Well Seasoned, a group of MidCoast musicians dedicated to playing a broad range of American folk music on acoustic instruments. Their repertoire covers an eclectic spectrum of folk and the blues, with Pixie Lauer, a singer-songwriter and dedicated “folkie,” Dan Townsend, Del Merritt and Judy Nielsen; and
3:30-5 p.m., Caroline Cotter, with a soprano voice and award-winning songwriting, her songs take listeners all over the world and into the depths of the human heart.

On the Alewives Fabrics lawn from 3 to 4 p.m., “Mr. Tricks” Dana Perkins, professional ventriloquist, puppeteer, juggler and magician, will present a family friendly show filled with tricks and dialogs.

The Alewife Festival Planning Committee invites writers, local artists, crafters and community members to consider making a donation to the festival’s silent auction. In the past, auction items have included framed photos, handmade quilts, antique fish prints, collectables, pottery and other crafts — all with a focus on the local area or with an alewife, fish-related theme.

To donate, call Betty Lu Brydges at 832-1566. All silent auction donations are tax deductible.

For runners and walkers, a 5K run is planned on the morning of the May 25. To register, visit running4free.com. Discounts are offered for runners younger than 14 and for local school track teams.

For more information, email Bob Barkalow at bob.barkalow@gmail.com.