Quality live music is not hard to come by here on MDI, whether or not it’s during the busy summer season.

Year Round Options

At the Thirsty Whale Tavern on Cottage Street in Bar Harbor, you can also find live music on Friday and Saturday nights, typically “rhythm and blues, jazz, rock and roll, and some old-time fiddle.”

Another year-round spot for live-music is Little Anthony’s in Bar Harbor (at the other end of Cottage Street). Little A’s is a great spot to watch the game (whatever the season), plus they have Open Mic Night every Tuesday starting at 7 p.m. and Karaoke on Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. If you want to actually BE the live music, this is your best bet!

Side Street Cafe is also a popular spot for local live music. Sip on the “Margarita of the Moment” while listening to music from Trisha Mason, Blake Rosso, and many more!

In addition to feature length films and live performances, The Criterion Theatre in Bar Harbor also offers live music. Recently they hosted David Crosby, and have an upcoming schedule that includes both local artists and some big-names. Their schedule, of music and other events, can be found on their website.

Seasonal Options

If it’s “dinner and a show” you’re looking for, there are a few options in Bar Harbor. Finback Alehouse on Cottage Street offers live music during the summer season. While they haven’t released their summer lineup yet, you can head over to their Facebook page or website to stay updated.

Lompoc Cafe on Roddick Street in Bar Harbor also has live music from more “off the beaten path” bands from other areas of the state/New England. They also have a bocce setup outside so you can listen to music while enjoying the evening air (for those who aren’t familiar, summer nights in Maine tend to cool down a bit, especially near the ocean).

On Thursday nights, you can head over to Bar Harbor Beerworks on Thursday nights from 6-9 p.m. for Live Music from local artists such as Tim Lewis and the Crown Vics. Their month by month schedule throughout the summer season can be found on their Facebook page here.

Bar Harbor also hosts an annual music festival. July 2-30 marks the 51st year of this month long festival, which includes 16 performances including younger audiences and on July 26th there’s an outdoor concert at Acadia National Park on July 26th. The festival’s full calendar is available on their website here.

Mount Desert Summer Chorale has concerts the first Friday and Saturday in August. Choral masterworks are presented with full orchestra and professional soloists, and has been going strong since 1968.

On a nice Monday and Thursday night from July-August at 8 p.m., you can also enjoy live music outside on the Village Green courtesy of the Bar Harbor Town Band. The Village Green is a central in-town location and perfect for lounging and people-watching. Some nights you can also catch Bob Bowman playing guitar!

The Bar Harbor Jazz Festival happens every summer. More information is forthcoming, but this year on August 29th the Laszlo Gardony Trio Jazz Festival will take the stage. Their full lineup for live music can be found on their website here.

If you head over to Northeast Harbor, you can find concerts put on by the Mt. Desert Festival of Chamber Music. These concerts are every Tuesday evening from July 18-August 15, and feature a variety of Quartets. Performances take place at the Neighborhood House, a community center with great acoustics for the concerts (and has been open since 1905!).

In Southwest Harbor, you can have live music with dinner at Coda Restaurant, which intentionally blends music with the dining experience. Their featured musicians and groups are often posted about on Coda’s Facebook Page.

Give your ears a treat and support local talent by enjoying the local music scene of Mount Desert Island. We’ll meet you there.