Western Maine Trash Can Band members Linda Manning (front) and Helen Targett play at the Kingfield POPS last summer. (Heidi Murphy pho to) CARRABASSETT VALLEY — Over 12 steel drum bands from across New England will perform this year at Sugarloaf during the 20th annual PanNE Steel Band Festival.

During New England’s largest event of its kind, steel drummers of all ages will start the day-long festivities on May 2 at 10 a.m. on the lawn in front of the Sugarloaf Inn.

“Every year some volunteers raise their hands and this year we raised ours to see if (members) wanted to travel to Sugarloaf,” said Trash Can band member Linda Manning. “They agreed, so we are hosting it for the first time and are hoping for huge support.”

Also performing at some point will be the MSAD #58 bands which will perform as individual schools and will then all perform together. Stratton Elementary School has a steel drum band as well as Kingfield and Phillips.

The volunteer instructor for Kingfield and Phillips is Susan Sterling, and Paula Stevens is the Stratton school instructor. Both instructors are also members of the Trash Can Band.

“Part of the excitement for us is the beautiful venue we’re creating,” Manning said. The music will be surrounded by the landscape of mountain views in an outdoor concert which will be like no other. In the past, the festival has been held in Blue Hill, at Waynflete in Portland, at North Yarmouth Academy and last year at the Ham Ice Arena in Conway, N.H.

The New England-wide community of steel bands will once again conclude the event by all playing to- gether. Over 100 drummers will perform a special piece that usually lifts the crowd to excitement and dance.

On Saturday night, the local band will host a spaghetti supper for $6 per person before a stellar performance and dance party held by the Atlantic Clarion Steel Band who’ll perform between 6:30 and 9 p.m. at the inn.

“All money raised will benefit the school steel drum program,” said Manning. “For those coming from out of town, Sugarloaf is offering special lodging rates if you mention the festival.”

The local steel drum program is excited to have this year’s festival in its backyard.

“It’s a great program and I’m really glad that this year the kids can actually perform in the festival at home,” said Sterling. “We really look forward to sharing the spectacular beauty of our area.”

During the Sunday event, a lunch will be served by the Stratton Lions Club, snacks and drinks will be offered all day and raffle prizes will be announced.

“When I first joined the community band in ‘97 I was surprised to learn what a huge steel drum community there is in New England,” said Sterling. “It is so amazing to be playing together with hundreds of drums.”

This year’s group piece will be directed by Carl Chase who is a guiding force within the New England steel drum community. “You could write a book about Carl. He is a master Steel Drum maker, tuner, composer, arranger, director and performer. Carl made all the drums for our district and I would suspect he made many of those being played at the festival,” Sterling explained.

“You can play any kind of music on steel drums and there are always great surprises at the festival. The performers are such a vibrant and fun group of people; you never know what they’ll come up with.”

Bands on Sunday will be of every caliber from those just starting out to experts. “It’s just a great day for families, music lovers, the performers and anyone who has been involved in the steel drum program,” Sterling said.

Manning said she’d especially like to thank Sugarloaf and the Sugarloaf Inn for helping them bring steel drum music to the mountains.