Mud season is officially upon us. Mainers know this transitional time all too well. Winter’s chill is giving way, snow and ice are melting, and boots are still our best friends when navigating messy streets and sidewalks. Skiers are sad an epic season is over, gardeners are eager to put seed to soil, and all of us yearn to spot those first daffodils — but we must wait a bit longer.
What’s a Mainer to do? Classical Uprising has just the ticket. The Portland-based organization known for its boldly innovative, delightfully upbeat musical performances is delivering all that and more during the state’s famous “fifth season.”
Cleverly dubbed “Mudfest,” Classical Uprising’s 10-day musical celebration through March 29 is designed to bring joy, inclusivity, and community connection to an often bleak, isolating time of year.
The inaugural festival, which Classical Uprising playfully describes as “a mash-up of music, mud, and mischief,” kicks off Thursday in Portland with an all-inclusive, “no pressure, no perfection,” sing-along at Allagash Brewing.
Similarly inviting events follow: Musical Chairs for both kids and adults (“take a pause on adulting”) on March 29, a high-energy dance party culminating with a bonfire ritual, “A Passion for the Planet,” which “fuses science, poetry, and sacred text into a symphony of hope,” and more.
In keeping with Classical Uprising’s effort to broaden its reach and accessibility, the festival spills out beyond Greater Portland into Brunswick and Freeport.
“March is always a difficult month,” said Dr. Emily Isaacson, Classical Uprising’s founder and artistic director. “We all feel a little stir-crazy. Mudfest is designed to get people outdoors and bring them together in community. It’s about awakening our spirits, refilling our emotional buckets, and inspiring joy.”
She’s clearly on to something, says Sterling Speirn, a longtime supporter of Classical Uprising, former CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and former interim director of the Maine Community Foundation.
“The arts can be powerful forces for social connection and a sense of belonging,” he said, adding that Classical Uprising’s impact is always much bigger than just one concert. “The consistent theme in their offerings is musical experiences rooted in community that intend to enrich community life.”
While Classical Uprising is not a political group, Isaacson acknowledges that recent months have been especially dark and divisive, hence the need for events that bring people together and perhaps melt those divisions.
“At the heart of Mudfest,” she said, “is our belief in music’s capacity to bridge societal divides and reveal our commonalities.”
Isaacson, who is also a musician and conductor with multiple degrees, is modest about her impact. She speaks glowingly of her talented team of musicians and her savvy, supportive board: “I’m just the mouthpiece, they are the brains,” she said. “I often joke to my board that my job is to come up with ideas, but theirs is to edit out all the bad ones!”
Board member Anne Nelson met Isaacson during the early days of COVID. “It was an incredibly difficult time to run an arts organization, so her creativity and determination to keep bringing people together were especially impressive,” Nelson said.
Mela Jones, director of Desert of Maine in Freeport, calls Isaacson a “visionary who is showing us all how art changes the world, one person at a time.”
She’s excited to be collaborating with Classical Uprising on Mudfest, as Desert of Maine will be hosting the festival’s grand finale “Mudball” dance party on Sunday.
“My hope for Mudfest,” she said, “is that Classical Uprising will do its usual magic, inspiring people through art to love our world back into healthy connection.”
Jenny O’Connell, whose “Joyfire Project” will DJ that evening, then lead attendees through a dynamic release-and-renewal bonfire, is also thrilled to be involved in the inaugural Mudfest.
“I don’t know about you, but I need to dance right now,” she said. “It’s been an especially hard winter for many of us, and there’s never been a more important time to build community. Mudfest is a way to come together as neighbors, strangers, and connected, joyful humans.
Mudball is one of the events that Isaacson looks forward to.
“I always enjoy a good dance party. I miss them from my college days,” she said. “I love that we’re going to be turning negatives — mud, messiness, dirt, being outdoors when we’re not supposed to be — into a huge positive, awakening joy and community spirit. Mud season doesn’t get any better than that.”
Jennifer Wolcott has been writing freelance articles on the arts, home design, food, and travel for about 25 years. She lives in Portland with her husband, Bernard, who is French, and her dog, Coco.
IF YOU GO
“Mudfest” runs through March 29 at multiple sites in Portland, Brunswick and Freeport. For a full listing of Mudfest events and tickets, visit classicaluprising.org/mudfest.