Featured Events
Read more about some of our featured events at the 2024 Fair!
Kelly Sandman, builder, carpenter, woodworker, roofer, and Jill-of-all-trades, will discuss the history of women in the trades, her experience building, why working in the trades is a great career choice for many folks, and how women can increase our numbers in the trades. Sandman continues to find meaningful work by following her heart and posing questions to herself like: “What are my values? What is important to me?” She has discovered there’s room in the trades for questions like this, as well as room for all of us.
Please join Sandman on Saturday, September 21 at 1 p.m. for“Women in the Trades” in the Energy and Shelter Speakers Tent.
Photo by Jean Bourg.
Sophia Nguyen Eng is the bestselling author of “The Nourishing Asian Kitchen,” and chronicles her adventures in food, farming, parenting, and beyond at sprinklewithsoil.com. She is the founder of the website Sprinkle With Soil and the Call To Farms podcast. With her husband, Tim the “Homesteading Realtor,” she raises grass-fed dairy cows, beef cattle, sheep, goats, and poultry and grows a variety of produce for her family and local community.
Please join Eng for her talks during the Fair. On Sunday, September 22 at 11:30 a.m, Eng will be teaching “Pho Masterclass: A Flavorful Journey Into the Heart of Vietnamese Cuisine” in the Country Kitchen Demo Tent. In this pho masterclass, Eng will dive into the art of Vietnamese cuisine and unravel the secrets of creating authentic pho, from crafting a traditional rich broth to mastering the perfect balance of flavors and garnishes.
At 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 22, Eng will be teaching a “Kimchi Masterclass” in the Country Kitchen Demo Tent. Join Eng on a gastronomic experience where you will learn how to make an easy kimchi and taste it for yourself!
Photo by Kelly Shotwell
Liz Baumhoff from Farm Hack is a farmer, engineer, and long-time DIY enthusiast. She will be presenting basic wood construction tools, techniques, jigs, and processes. There will be tools and materials available for participants to practice making and using tools and jigs for measuring, drilling holes, cutting slots and edges, and joining pieces.
Baumhoff’s presentation “Introduction to Tools and Construction” will be on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 3 p.m. in the DIY #HomeHacks Speakers Tent. Come by to ask questions and try something out!
Photo by Sarah Voiland.
Oshima Brothers, a Japanese-Italian alt-pop sibling duo from the coast of Maine, make open-hearted music with smooth blood harmonies and groovy guitar lines. On stage, Sean and Jamie offer keys, bass, drums, looping, dance moves, and magic. Offstage, the brothers enjoy sipping espresso, tinkering with guitar pedals, hosting dinner parties, and writing together in their spare bedroom studio. Embracing a DIY approach, they produce every inch of their songs and videos from scratch, including a 45-minute album film. Maine Public Radio says their “harmonies can’t be beat. They are uplifting and, let’s face it, we need uplifting these days.”
After years of touring the country, the brothers return to their roots at the Common Ground Country Fair, a cherished event they attended every year throughout childhood. Stop by the Amphitheater at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, as the Fair winds down, to dance and celebrate Maine-made music.
Photo credit Oshima Brothers
