Free, Rain or Shine
under the gazebo at Union River Harbor Park on the Ellsworth Watefront
Sponsored by The City of Ellsworth & Stanley Subaru
Presented by The Grand

The Fletchers Landing Philharmonic Orchestra, also known as FLAPO, started out as a no-name group of musicians regaling pancake eaters at the annual Ellsworth Rotary Club pancake breakfast around 1974. At that time, a heavy upright piano was yarded from the basement of the Ellsworth Congo Church, loaded onto the back of a truck, and unamplified music was played for the assembled diners. The initial members were Shirley and Michael Povich (alternating on piano), Vaughn Thibodeau (on banjo), Don Knowles (on bass) and Jerry Jordan (on drums). Harry Strong was the emcee. In those early days Harry would introduce the group as “Live from Fletchers Landing---the Rotary Trio or the Rotary Smelts.”

Not wanting to be labeled a “Rotary Smelt” forever, Michael Povich, out of sheer defensive desperation, created the name: “Fletcher’s Landing Philharmonic Orchestra” reasoning that an unpretentious group of amateur musicians should have a pretentious name. Thus FLAPO came into existence.

Because of limited (read “hardly ever”) rehearsal time, FLAPO’s mission statement was: “try to play simple music well.” Specializing in Ragtime and Dixieland (“happy music” according to Vaughn Thibodeau), and music composed primarily before 1920 FLAPO has been in great demand over the years primarily because we billed ourselves as the “Best Benefit Band in the County.” Over the years FLAPO has played for The Next Step Domestic Violence Project annual Chocolate fest, Relay for Life (American Cancer Society), Ellsworth Rotary Club pancake breakfast, Bar Harbor 4th of July Parade, Chowdah Fest during Autumn Gold Days, Franklin High School annual reunion, Aurora Volunteer Fire Department chicken feed, Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce Annual meeting, the dedication of the bridge over the Taunton River, at Tidal Falls to benefit the Frenchman’s Bay Conservancy and various and other musical engagements. FLAPO is dedicated to the proposition that playing music is fun.
(from )

grandonline.org

• This event has passed.
  July 6, 2012 from 6:00 to 7:30 pm

  July 6, 2012 06:00 to July 6, 2012 07:30
• Ellsworth Waterfront
  165 Main St.Ellsworth, ME 04605

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• Contact Kimberly for more information
  (207) 667-9500 or [email protected]
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