2008 Up North Festival

 

This was the official website for the 2008 Up North Music and Art Festival.
Content is from the site's 2008 archived pages.
Take a nostalgic trip back....

 


Up North Productions Inc. is proud to present Up North Music and Art Festival. Up North Music and Art Festival will be set in a beauteous and exquisite valley located in the heart of Hiram Maine, Oxford County. Ossipee Valley Fairgrounds, 291 S Hiram Rd. Hiram, ME 04041, offers not only delightful scenic surroundings but, also a very fitting atmosphere for the festivities at hand. The three day music and arts festival, held from August 8th through 10th, 2008, will entertain approximately five thousand festival goers.

Up North Productions is dedicated to raising social and environmental awareness through our production in this, "Green Event". We will be conveying this message in various creative fashions throughout the span of our festival. We look forward to working closely with the community, including but not limited to local musicians, artists, and businesses. Along with entertaining the community our goal is also to give back to those in need.

 

 

Looking back: As the organizer of the 2008 Up North Music and Art Festival, I can tell you that putting this event together was no small feat. It felt like the universe was conspiring against us at every turn, but somehow, we managed to pull off an incredible festival that I'm incredibly proud of.

From the get-go, we faced challenges that would have made lesser teams throw in the towel. Our first major hurdle came when we discovered fraudulent charges on the credit card we'd been using for our big purchases. Talk about a punch to the gut! We had to scramble to get a replacement card and sort out all the financial mess that came with it. It was a stark reminder of how vulnerable we can be in this digital age.

As if that wasn't enough, we then got word that the hosting company for our website had filed for bankruptcy. Just like that, our online presence - our primary means of communicating with attendees and vendors - was in jeopardy. We had to quickly find a new host and migrate everything over without losing any crucial information. It was a nail-biting few days, let me tell you.

Nature decided to throw its hat into the ring too. A forest fire broke out near the Ossipee Valley Fairgrounds, keeping our advance team from accessing the site until just a few days before the festival. We were on pins and needles, hoping the fire wouldn't spread and force us to cancel altogether. Thankfully, it was contained, but it left us with a drastically shortened prep time. Our team had to work around the clock to get everything ready.

On the technical side, we hit another snag when our data developer informed us that Filemaker, the software we relied on for data management, was no longer supported and had stopped working with our server-side tools. The poor guy told us we needed to find a modern Filemaker replacement or alternative fast, unless he could somehow rewrite our entire software infrastructure in time. It was a race against the clock, and we were feeling the pressure.

Even as we entered the final stretch, the challenges kept coming. During a rehearsal, we discovered that some of the stage monitors were defective. Our equipment vendor had to rush in replacements, and we all held our breath, hoping everything would work properly when it really counted.

But you know what? Despite all these obstacles - the financial hiccups, the website woes, the natural disasters, the software struggles, and the equipment issues - we did it. We pulled together as a team, worked through sleepless nights, and delivered an amazing event.

Seeing Bob Weir & Ratdog, Umphrey's McGee, The Wailers, and all the other incredible acts take the stage was surreal. The music filled the air, the art installations sparkled under the summer sun, and the smiles on the faces of the attendees made all the hardship worthwhile.

Looking back, I can hardly believe we managed to overcome so many hurdles. But we did, and the 2008 Up North Music and Art Festival was a smashing success. It just goes to show what you can accomplish with determination, teamwork, and a little bit of music festival magic. Despite feeling like the gods were against us from the start, we proved that nothing could stop us from bringing this incredible experience to life.

 



Event Info
3 Days of Music, Art and Camping. 2 Stages. 1 late night stage. Schedule and set times subject to change. This is a rain or shine event. NO REFUNDS OR EXCHANGES unless the event is canceled. In the event of cancellation, refunds and charge-backs will be honored by Up North Productions Inc. Gates will open on Friday, August 8, 2008 at 12pm. Gates will close on Sunday, August 10, 2008 at 4pm. All cars must be off of the grounds at 12pm on Monday, August 11. Box Office for single day passes opens Friday August 8th at 12pm will close at 8pm. Box Office for single day passes on Saturday August 9th opens at 10am and will close at 8pm. Sunday Day pass Box Office will be open at 10am and close at 4pm. 3 day camping passes will be available 24 hours on site until Saturday at 8pm.

The NO List (concert field)

  1. NO glass bottles
  2. NO fireworks
  3. NO glow sticks
  4. NO illegal substances
  5. NO professional cameras
  6. NO video (strictly enforced!)

The YES List (concert field)

  1. Factory sealed plastic water bottles
  2. Backpacks (subject to search)
  3. Strollers
  4. Audio recording (in designated area)
  5. Point and shoot cameras (non pro)
  6. Small lawn chairs and blankets

 


Camping Info
Camping is only allowed in designated camping areas. Anyone in a vehicle with three or more people will park your vehicle where you camp. To encourage car-pooling, those with two or less persons per vehicle may be asked to park outside the camping area and walk (a short distance) to the camping area. Most campers will be camping in the woods. DO NOT cut, bend, or break any trees or vegetation. Please respect the camping and festival grounds. We encourage you to keep your site clean and tidy. The CleanItSupply company has donated a generous amount of commercial cleaning supplies, so please make use of the trash bags and garbage containers. We also have mops, brooms, and other tools to help restore the area you used to it's original state. Those using the kitchen facilities will find dish soap and cleansers where the sinks are located. For emergencies, we also have a earth friendly, portable laundry with laundry detergent and water conscious scrubbers. When using the great outdoors, please be respectful and always restore or improve the area used. Thanks to CleanItSupply for their help in making this a successful effort

Camping will be on a first come first serve basis. If you plan to camp out with your buddies, please plan on arriving together.
If you are coming in an RV, you must purchase an RV pass and park in designated RV areas. RV camping comes with water and electrical hookups. Price is included in the RV pass (see tickets).
The NO List (camping)

  1. NO re-entry
  2. NO open fires
  3. NO kegs
  4. NO large grills
  5. NO pets
  6. NO weapons
  7. NO illegal substances
  8. NO fireworks
  9. NO unlicensed vending
  10. NO your band cannot play in the lots/camping areas.

 


Day Pass Info
Please note that if you buy a DAY PASS ticket, your vehicle will not be allowed on the festival grounds. There will be off site satellite parking provided a short distance from the front gates. You will not be allowed to bring in a tent, chair, cooler, food or beverage.
The What to Bring List

  1. Warm Clothes
  2. Rain Gear
  3. Bug Spray
  4. Sunscreen
  5. Trash bags
  6. Toilet paper
  7. Lantern (electric only), flashlights, extra batteries
  8. Camera (non professional)

Small grills and stoves will be allowed in the camping areas only.
The What Will Be Provided List

  1. Information and Security Tent (lost and found)
  2. Medical Tent
  3. General Store (ice, batteries, ponchos, sunscreen, bug spray, band aids, etc.)
  4. Plenty of reasonably priced food and beverage vendors
  5. ATMs

Vendor Info
Food and Beverage:
Food and Beverage vendors must abide by the following guidelines:

  • Permits (Vendors must acquire permits from State of Maine)
  • State of Maine Vending Permits, obtained by vendors
  • Cost of permits will be paid for by vendors
  • Contracts will be signed, legally binding vendors
  • Insurance - $1 million limited liability
  • Must list Up North Productions, Inc. as insured party

Vendors Must:

  • Abide by State of Maine Health Department Regulations
  • Forfeit a $100 clean up deposit
  • Take necessary steps in paying state taxes

Appropriate amount and diverse selection i.e.

  • Organic, Vegetarian/Vegan, Ethnic, ect..

Costs per footprint (10x20)

  • Main Concert Area - $400 (includes 2 weekend passes) plus $99 ticket per additional worker + 10% of sales over $3,500. 50% (or $200) must be paid up front as a deposit. Hours: Friday, August 8, 5:00pm - 12:00am; Saturday, August 9, 12:00pm - 12:00am; Sunday, August 10, 12:00pm - 12:00am.
  • Shakedown Area - $250 (includes 2 weekend passes) plus $99 ticket per additional worker + 10% of sales over $2,500. 50% (or $125) must be paid up front as a deposit. Hours: 24 Hours if desired.

All vendors must fill out a vending application. Please do not send deposits with application. Once we select vendors, we will contact you and send you our contract. Deposits should be paid once contract is returned. All vendors must submit a list of items they want to sell to ensure fair sales among vendors. If you are caught selling an item that you did not submit, you will be subject of eviction from the Up North Festival. There is a zero tolerance policy on unauthorized and roaming vendors.

 


  

Crafts

  • Permit (Vendors must acquire permits from State)
  • State of Maine Vending Permits, obtained by vendors
  • Cost of permits will be paid for by vendors
  • Contracts will be signed, legally binding vendors
  • Insurance - $1 million limited liability
  • Must list Up North Productions, Inc. as insured party

Amount to charge per footprint

  • Main Concert Area: $250 for 10x10 footprint + 10% of all sales.50% (or $125) must be paid up front as a deposit. Hours: Friday, August 8, 5:00pm - 12:00am; Saturday, August 9, 12:00pm - 12:00am; Sunday, August 10, 12:00pm - 12:00am. Camping in designated vendor camping
  • Shakedown Area: $150 for 10x10 footprint + 10% of all sales. 50% (or $75) must be paid up front as a deposit.Hours: 24 Hours if desired. You may camp with your booth

Vendors Must:

  • Take necessary steps in paying state taxes
  • NO T-shirt sales, unless hand made, tye dye etc. Absolutely no band or festival shirts. All shirts must first be approved in advance by Up North Productions. No festival or band posters.

 


Travel/Lodging

While we strongly encourage our festival attendees to take transit, or bike or walk to festival activities, if you are traveling by car, the Up North Festival wants to introduce you to the idea of "Doubling up and cutting down" by using PickupPal to Rideshare to and from Up North Festival.
The Festival has made a strong commitment to being zero footprint and we are excited by the opportunity to do something great for the environment, while making it easier and more economical to travel back and forth to the region and to festival activities. Up North Festival and PickupPal are committed to making this an overwhelming success. Click the logo to log in and arrange your ride!

Physical address:
291 S Hiram Rd. 
Hiram, ME 04041

Closest airports:

  • Portland, ME - 37 miles
  • Manchester, NH - 94 miles
  • Boston, MA - 129 miles
  • Bangor, ME - 154 miles

Directions from South and West (NY, Philadelphia)
I-90 East to I-87 North. Merge onto NY-7 East. Slight LEFT onto Bennington BYP. Bennington BYP turns into VT-279 East. Merge onto US-7 South. Turn left onto VT-9. Merge onto I-91 North. Take Exit 3 (US-5). Merge to Chesterfield Rd. Take second exit onto VT-9 (into New Hampshire). Left onto NH-10. Merge onto I-89 South. Merge onto I-93 North. Merge onto US-202 East to NH-28 North. Turn Right onto NH-109. Slight Left onto NH-16. Take RT-25 East ramp toward CTR OSSIPEE. Turn Left onto School St (ME- 160). Turn Right onto Main St (ME-160). Stay Straight onto S. HIRAM RD.



Directions from South and East (Boston, CT)
I-95 North to RT-16 North (Spaulding Turnpike). Take RT-25 ramp toward CTR OSSIPEE. Turn Left onto School St (ME- 160). Turn Right onto Main St (ME-160). Stay Straight onto S. HIRAM RD.


Directions from North and East (Northern Maine)
I-95 South to US-202 (exit 63). Right onto ME-115. ME-115 becomes ME-35. Turn Right onto Ossipee Trail (ME-25). Turn Right onto School St (ME- 160). Turn Right onto Main St (ME-160). Stay Straight onto S. HIRAM RD. (NO CONCERT ACCESS from Rt25W to S. Hiram Rd in Cornish!)
Lodging:

  • Holiday Inn Express, North Conway, NH
  • Comfort Inn & Suites, North Conway, NH
  • Midway Country Lodging, Cornish, ME
  • Oxford House Inn, Freyburg, ME
  • The Cornish Inn, Cornish, ME

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Up North Music and Art Festival is proud to announce:

  • BOB WEIR & RATDOG
  • Umphrey's McGee
  • The Wailers
  • The Everyone Orchestra conducted by Matt Butler featuring Jon Fishman
  • Soulive
  • rjd2
  • Assembly of Dust
  • Railroad Earth
  • Ryan Montbleau Band
  • Lettuce
  • John Brown's Body
  • American Babies
  • Future Rock
  • Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad
  • The Breakfast
  • Spiritual Rez
  • The Indobox
  • Sam Kininger Band
  • Peter Prince and the Johnny Trama Unit
  • The Brew
  • Eddy Dyer and the Walking Shoe Revival
  • Incus
  • Jimkata
  • DJ Robot Rock

 

 

More Background on UpNorthFestival.com

The Up North Music and Art Festival, represented online by UpNorthFestival.com, was a unique event that took place in August 2008 at the Ossipee Valley Fairgrounds in Hiram, Maine. Though it was a one-time festival, its ambitious scope, community focus, and environmental ethos left a distinct mark on Maine’s summer cultural landscape. This article provides a detailed and informative look at the festival and its website, covering ownership, history, location, programming, audience, cultural significance, reviews, and more—without referencing or linking to the original website or attached files.

Ownership and Organization

Up North Festival was produced by Up North Productions Inc., a company formed specifically to organize and manage the event. The production team was dedicated to raising social and environmental awareness, aiming to create a “green event” that would foster community, creativity, and sustainability. Up North Productions Inc. handled all aspects of the festival, including artist bookings, vendor management, logistics, and public outreach.

Location and Accessibility

The festival was held at the Ossipee Valley Fairgrounds, located at 291 S Hiram Rd, Hiram, Maine. This venue is well-known in the region for hosting large-scale events and is prized for its picturesque setting in Oxford County. The fairgrounds are within an hour’s drive of Portland, Maine, and North Conway, New Hampshire, making the festival accessible for both local residents and visitors from surrounding states. Proximity to major airports in Portland, Manchester, Boston, and Bangor further enhanced accessibility for out-of-state festivalgoers.

Festival Goals and Philosophy

The Up North Music and Art Festival was conceived with a strong commitment to environmental responsibility and community engagement. The organizers sought to minimize the festival’s ecological footprint through a variety of initiatives:

  • Encouraging carpooling and ridesharing to reduce emissions and traffic

  • Implementing responsible waste management practices and providing eco-friendly cleaning supplies

  • Partnering with local organizations and businesses to support sustainability efforts

The festival also aimed to give back to the community, not only by providing entertainment but by supporting local artists, musicians, and charitable causes.

Programming: Music, Art, and Activities

Music Lineup

Up North Festival featured an impressive and diverse lineup of national and regional acts, including:

  • Bob Weir & Ratdog

  • Umphrey’s McGee

  • The Wailers

  • The Everyone Orchestra (conducted by Matt Butler and featuring Jon Fishman)

  • Soulive

  • rjd2

  • Assembly of Dust

  • Railroad Earth

  • Ryan Montbleau Band

  • Lettuce

  • John Brown's Body

  • American Babies

  • Future Rock

  • Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad

  • The Breakfast

  • Spiritual Rez

  • The Indobox

  • Sam Kininger Band

  • Peter Prince and the Johnny Trama Unit

  • The Brew

  • Eddy Dyer and the Walking Shoe Revival

  • Incus

  • Jimkata

  • DJ Robot Rock

This eclectic mix of genres—from jam bands to reggae, funk, and electronic music—attracted a wide variety of music fans and contributed to the festival’s vibrant atmosphere.

Art Installations and Workshops

The festival also placed a strong emphasis on visual and interactive arts. Attendees could experience art installations, participate in workshops, and engage with artists from across the region. This multidisciplinary approach fostered a creative and communal environment, making the festival more than just a music event.

Camping and Festival Experience

The festival offered multi-day camping in designated areas, with efforts to encourage carpooling and minimize environmental impact. Facilities included a general store, medical tent, information and security tent, and ATMs. The organizers provided clear guidelines for both concert and camping areas, emphasizing safety, respect for the grounds, and sustainability.

Menus and Vendors

Up North Festival featured a diverse selection of food and beverage vendors, with an emphasis on organic, vegetarian/vegan, and ethnic cuisine. Vendors were required to obtain permits, carry insurance, and adhere to strict health and safety regulations. The festival also hosted craft vendors, prioritizing handmade goods and local artisans. All vendors were expected to participate in the festival’s sustainability efforts, including waste management and clean-up.

Audience and Community

The festival attracted a diverse audience, including music enthusiasts, families, artists, and young adults from Maine, New England, and beyond. Its inclusive programming and community-oriented philosophy made it especially appealing to those interested in live music, festival culture, and outdoor experiences.

Cultural and Social Significance

Though the Up North Music and Art Festival was a one-time event, it contributed to Maine’s reputation as a destination for summer festivals. Maine’s festival season is known for its variety, from the Maine Lobster Festival and Fryeburg Fair to niche gatherings like Reggaefest and the North Atlantic Blues Festival. Up North Festival distinguished itself with its environmental focus, eclectic lineup, and integration of music and visual arts, reflecting broader trends in contemporary festival culture.

Press and Media Coverage

While the festival did not receive the same level of national media attention as some larger events, it was covered by regional publications and music blogs. Reviews and previews highlighted the festival’s ambitious programming, unique location, and commitment to sustainability. Music fans and local press praised the event for its organization, artist selection, and community spirit.

Known For and Awards

Up North Festival became known for:

  • Its “green event” philosophy and environmental initiatives

  • A strong, diverse music lineup featuring both national acts and local talent

  • Integration of music, art, and community engagement

  • A scenic and accessible location in southern Maine

While there are no records of major industry awards, the festival was recognized by attendees and local media for its successful execution and positive impact.

Challenges and Legacy

Organizing the Up North Music and Art Festival was not without its challenges. The production team faced logistical hurdles, including financial issues, technical difficulties, and even natural obstacles such as a nearby forest fire that threatened to disrupt the event. Despite these setbacks, the festival was successfully staged, leaving attendees with lasting memories of a vibrant, collaborative, and environmentally conscious gathering.

The festival’s legacy lives on through its influence on Maine’s festival scene and its demonstration of what can be achieved with determination, teamwork, and a commitment to community values.

Details and Insights

  • Duration: The festival ran for three days, from August 8 to August 10, 2008.

  • Attendance: The event was designed to accommodate approximately 5,000 attendees.

  • Stages: There were two main music stages and a late-night stage, providing continuous entertainment.

  • Policies: The festival maintained strict guidelines to ensure safety, environmental responsibility, and a positive experience for all participants.

  • Camping: Camping was first-come, first-served, with special provisions for RVs and group campers.

  • Accessibility: The location was chosen for its beauty and convenience, with detailed travel and lodging information provided for out-of-town guests.

 

UpNorthFestival.com served as the digital hub for the Up North Music and Art Festival, a standout event in Maine’s cultural calendar of 2008. The festival’s blend of music, art, community, and environmental stewardship set it apart from other regional events. While it was held only once, its impact was felt by those who attended and participated, and it remains a memorable chapter in Maine’s festival history.

 

 

UpNorthFestival.com