Fifth Annual Frets Halligan Ukulele Picnic
WAS held OUTDOORS June 13, 2026 - Searsport Shores Ocean Campground
WAS held OUTDOORS June 13, 2026 - Searsport Shores Ocean Campground
What: Ukulele Picnic, open to the public, to honor Frets Hallagan. Frets founded the first Belfast Ukulele Picnic and is now strumming on the west coast.
Donation: A donation of $10 per family, including visiting players, is strongly suggested. Volunteers are free to skip the donation. You may buy a wood-fired pizza cooked specifically for you ONLY IF YOU Click HERE to reserve a pizza.
Sponsors: Big thanks go to our host, Searsport Shores Ocean Campground in Searsport ME.
When: Saturday, June 13, 2026, 1:00 to 8:00. Rain or shine! Multiple indoor facilities are available if needed. Your $10 donation covers all activities and events.
Beginners' Ukulele Workshop led by Ando Anderson starts at 1:00. Workshops for more experience students will be led by John Elberfeld, Jeff Weinberger, Ando Anderson, and Dave Lewis at 1:00 or 2:00. Performances start at 3:00 followed by a picnic supper or pizza dinner, with a guided jam led by Ando Anderson starting at 7:00. You may buy a wood-fired pizza ONLY IF YOU Click HERE to reserve a pizza.
Where: Searsport Shores Ocean Campground in Searsport ME on Route 1 between Belfast and Searsport. Look for the big Mermaid sign.
The campground insurance policy requires that NO PETS be brought to the picnic.
Why: To bring together Ukulele players in the Midcoast Maine area for a fun musical experience.
Who: Ando Anderson is coordinating the picnic events. Midcoast Ukes, Stone Soup Ukes, and The Red Suspenders are among the groups performing. Everyone is welcome to come and listen and to join the guided jam session.
What the Bring: Ukulele or other instrument if playing. Picnic supper if staying. Pizza available for sale. Click HERE to reserve a pizza. Recommended: Music stand, comfortable chair, printed music booklets, cash for pizza, joyful attitude.
Publicity Help Needed: Please hand out or share the poster for the event available HERE (PDF) and HERE (jpg)
Donation: A donation of $10 per family, including visiting players, is strongly suggested. Volunteers are free to skip the donation. You may buy a wood-fired pizza cooked specifically for you ONLY IF YOU Click HERE to reserve a pizza.
Sponsors: Big thanks go to our host, Searsport Shores Ocean Campground in Searsport ME.
When: Saturday, June 13, 2026, 1:00 to 8:00. Rain or shine! Multiple indoor facilities are available if needed. Your $10 donation covers all activities and events.
Beginners' Ukulele Workshop led by Ando Anderson starts at 1:00. Workshops for more experience students will be led by John Elberfeld, Jeff Weinberger, Ando Anderson, and Dave Lewis at 1:00 or 2:00. Performances start at 3:00 followed by a picnic supper or pizza dinner, with a guided jam led by Ando Anderson starting at 7:00. You may buy a wood-fired pizza ONLY IF YOU Click HERE to reserve a pizza.
Where: Searsport Shores Ocean Campground in Searsport ME on Route 1 between Belfast and Searsport. Look for the big Mermaid sign.
The campground insurance policy requires that NO PETS be brought to the picnic.
Why: To bring together Ukulele players in the Midcoast Maine area for a fun musical experience.
Who: Ando Anderson is coordinating the picnic events. Midcoast Ukes, Stone Soup Ukes, and The Red Suspenders are among the groups performing. Everyone is welcome to come and listen and to join the guided jam session.
What the Bring: Ukulele or other instrument if playing. Picnic supper if staying. Pizza available for sale. Click HERE to reserve a pizza. Recommended: Music stand, comfortable chair, printed music booklets, cash for pizza, joyful attitude.
Publicity Help Needed: Please hand out or share the poster for the event available HERE (PDF) and HERE (jpg)
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DETAILS:
My friend Frets Halligan was a great ambassador for ukulele in Midcoast Maine years ago. He taught uke to group and adult ed classes, and at the Maine Fiddle Camp. He led workshops in local schools as well as throughout Maine, New England, and the entire East Coast. Frets' enthusiastic uke playing and singing was treasured in many venues; nursing homes, churches, parties, schools, and Belfast Summer Nights. He ultimately organized the first local ukulele picnic which evolved into the Belfast Uke Fest organized by Midcoast Ukes. The pandemic forced cancellation of the Uke Fest for the last two years, and Midcoast Ukes decided not to hold one in 2022. John Elberfeld and I decided a smaller, much simpler, picnic could bring local players together to share songs and good company. I decided to name it the First Annual Frets Halligan Ukulele Picnic to recognize his contribution to uke music around here and because of its success, we are holding a Fourth Annual Picnic. Admission to the picnic has a $10/family suggested donation for everyone. Family participation is encouraged.
LOCATION: The picnic is on the grounds of Searsport Shores Ocean Campground in Searsport Me. The Uke Picnic will be held rain or shine. Events will be outside if possible, so dress appropriately. The campground has a covered sound stage for performers, and several benches for the audience. Bringing a comfortable chair with you is recommended. There are short walks from the parking locations to the band stand and modern restrooms. You are encouraged to arrive early so you have time to tour the beautiful campground area and the waterfront. The campground insurance policy requires that NO PETS be brought to the picnic.
FOOD: Bring your own food and drink for the evening meal or buy fresh wood-fired pizza created and baked to your specific guidelines. You may buy a wood-fired pizza ONLY IF YOU Click HERE to reserve a pizza.
SCHEDULE:
1:00 Complete Beginner workshop and 12 Skills You Need to Enjoy Jams and Benefit from Music Camps workshop
2:00 More advanced workshops (see below) will run from 2:00 to 2:45. Concerts start at 3:00:
3:00 Midcoast Ukes
4:00 Stone Soup Ukes
5:00 The Red Suspenders Smaller groups and individuals
6:00 Supper will start when the performances end at approximately 6:00. Bring your own food or purchase a wood-fired pizza made fresh as you watch and direct. You may buy a wood-fired pizza ONLY IF YOU Click HERE to reserve a pizza.
7:00 A guided jam session will begin at 7:00 or when the majority of the players have finished eating and will end at 8:00.
WORKSHOPS: Locations depend on the weather.
Please print the handouts and bring them with you to the workshop
CONCERT LOCATION: 3:00 - Main Stage if warm and sunny - Rec Hall if not
GUIDED JAM: 7:00 - Dye Barn - Ando will lead the jam participants through 20 songs (or so, depending on the time) selected for different playing levels. Three of the songs have harder chords which can be reviewed prior to the day of the picnic. The song booklet may be downloaded HERE for those who want to prepare and become familiar with the tunes. If possible. print your copy of the song book and bring the copy with you because only a limited number of printed jam books will be available at the picnic. Many players view the song sheets on tablet computers.
CONTACTS: If you have specific questions please contact Ando Anderson. Volunteers are needed to help with the parking, assist beginners in the workshop, and guide visitors to campground facilities.
My friend Frets Halligan was a great ambassador for ukulele in Midcoast Maine years ago. He taught uke to group and adult ed classes, and at the Maine Fiddle Camp. He led workshops in local schools as well as throughout Maine, New England, and the entire East Coast. Frets' enthusiastic uke playing and singing was treasured in many venues; nursing homes, churches, parties, schools, and Belfast Summer Nights. He ultimately organized the first local ukulele picnic which evolved into the Belfast Uke Fest organized by Midcoast Ukes. The pandemic forced cancellation of the Uke Fest for the last two years, and Midcoast Ukes decided not to hold one in 2022. John Elberfeld and I decided a smaller, much simpler, picnic could bring local players together to share songs and good company. I decided to name it the First Annual Frets Halligan Ukulele Picnic to recognize his contribution to uke music around here and because of its success, we are holding a Fourth Annual Picnic. Admission to the picnic has a $10/family suggested donation for everyone. Family participation is encouraged.
LOCATION: The picnic is on the grounds of Searsport Shores Ocean Campground in Searsport Me. The Uke Picnic will be held rain or shine. Events will be outside if possible, so dress appropriately. The campground has a covered sound stage for performers, and several benches for the audience. Bringing a comfortable chair with you is recommended. There are short walks from the parking locations to the band stand and modern restrooms. You are encouraged to arrive early so you have time to tour the beautiful campground area and the waterfront. The campground insurance policy requires that NO PETS be brought to the picnic.
FOOD: Bring your own food and drink for the evening meal or buy fresh wood-fired pizza created and baked to your specific guidelines. You may buy a wood-fired pizza ONLY IF YOU Click HERE to reserve a pizza.
SCHEDULE:
1:00 Complete Beginner workshop and 12 Skills You Need to Enjoy Jams and Benefit from Music Camps workshop
2:00 More advanced workshops (see below) will run from 2:00 to 2:45. Concerts start at 3:00:
3:00 Midcoast Ukes
4:00 Stone Soup Ukes
5:00 The Red Suspenders Smaller groups and individuals
6:00 Supper will start when the performances end at approximately 6:00. Bring your own food or purchase a wood-fired pizza made fresh as you watch and direct. You may buy a wood-fired pizza ONLY IF YOU Click HERE to reserve a pizza.
7:00 A guided jam session will begin at 7:00 or when the majority of the players have finished eating and will end at 8:00.
WORKSHOPS: Locations depend on the weather.
Please print the handouts and bring them with you to the workshop
- 1:00 p.m. The Beginner's Workshop, which is for people of all ages who have never played a ukulele before, although beginners at all levels are welcome. It will run from 1:00 to 1:45. Ando Anderson will lead the workshop. Saturday afternoon. Participants should bring an instrument with them. If you arrive a few minutes early, volunteers will help you tune your uke. The workshop is based on Ando's new ukulele manual, Playing the Uke with Ando. You may download HERE the select pages that will be used in the workshop. Printed handouts will be available on a first come-first served basis. The complete book will be for sale at the picnic. Children from the age of six up through senior citizens will be able to play a song or two by the end of the workshop.
- 1:00 p.m. 12 Skills You Need to Enjoy Jams and Benefit from Music Camps - led by John Elberfeld. Jams and music camps expect specific skills that many new AND experienced musicians may lack. This workshop introduces 12 skills that will help you succeed at jams and camps no matter what instrument you play. You won't master the skills in one workshop, but you will know what you need to work on. Resources to help you make progress with these skills will be presented. Open to all levels and all instruments. Email John at [email protected] with questions.
- 2:00 p.m. Ukulele Strumming: Feels and Grooves - led by Jeff Weinberger. In this workshop, you'll learn how to grow your strumming technique beyond mechanical memorized patterns. Together, through hands-on song playing, you’ll learn to swing, feel the backbeat, and strengthen timing. For confident beginners and intermediates. If you know at least half a dozen chords and a few strums, come join us! Download HERE the handouts for this workshop.
- 2:00 p.m. - Ando Anderson - How to play "Tonight, You Belong to Me" and other melodic accompaniments
- 2:00 pm.- Dave Lewis - Learning and arranging songs for performing. #1: Please bring a song (or two) that you want to learn to arrange and perform - whether in public, or for your friends, or your kids, or whoever. I have one or two that I like to play, but since there are so many styles and genres, this will be very helpful. And bring questions! Then we’ll work on how to identify the best key for your voice: learn I, IV, V chords in that key, then expand to a fuller progression as needed. (Many songs use only the “big 3”). We’ll work in a “flatpicking” technique style, using either a pick or single finger to strum and play melodic figures – rather than a “fingerstyle” approach using multiple fingers to play melodic ideas. Scales and arpeggios will be explored both as practice techniques and as elements of song arrangements.
- 1:00 - ANDO - The Beginner's Workshop - Little Band Stand or Rec Hall if raining
- 1:00 - JOHN - 12 Skills for Jams and Music Camps - Art Studio
- 2:00 - JEFF - Ukulele Strumming: Feels and Grooves - Art Studio
- 2:00 - ANDO - How to play "Tonight, You Belong to Me" and other melodic accompaniments - Little Band Stand or Rec Hall if raining
- 2:00 - DAVE - Learning and arranging songs for performing. - Garden Kitchen
CONCERT LOCATION: 3:00 - Main Stage if warm and sunny - Rec Hall if not
GUIDED JAM: 7:00 - Dye Barn - Ando will lead the jam participants through 20 songs (or so, depending on the time) selected for different playing levels. Three of the songs have harder chords which can be reviewed prior to the day of the picnic. The song booklet may be downloaded HERE for those who want to prepare and become familiar with the tunes. If possible. print your copy of the song book and bring the copy with you because only a limited number of printed jam books will be available at the picnic. Many players view the song sheets on tablet computers.
CONTACTS: If you have specific questions please contact Ando Anderson. Volunteers are needed to help with the parking, assist beginners in the workshop, and guide visitors to campground facilities.
Important locations at the camp grounds.
Band Stand on left when entering the campground.
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Rec Hall is behind the Main Office on left further down the road. Rest Rooms in the building just beyond it.
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Art Studio on the right when entering the campground.
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Garden Kitchen well back from the road on the right.
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Dye Barn on right opposite the Band Stand.
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Photos and videos from previous years.
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Midcoast Ukes
Lookin' Out My Back Door |
Stone Soups Ukes
He's Fine |
Gaea Contino With
Stone Soup Ukes From the Start |
Ando's Beginner's Group
You Are My Sunshine |
2024 Photos
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Photos from the 2024 Picnic by John Elberfeld and Jon Gottsche. If you have photos, please email them to [email protected]. Thanks.