Former Canton resident Nikki Cole shakes hands with Gary Dolloff, director of Greater Rumford Community Center, in what is planned to be the music room at the Congress Street center. Cole is heading Boonstock 2024 on July 27, one of several fundraisers to benefit building a music program at the community center. Bruce Farrin/Rumford Falls Times

CANTON — A backwoods affair on July 27 will feature two solo musicians and three local bands that are donating their time to provide live entertainment to raise funds for new music programs and services in the River Valley.

Former Canton resident Nikki Cole of Sabattus is heading Boonstock 2024, a family event to be held from 2-7 p.m. at the Boondocks Farm, 1 Shelakis Dr.

Cole said the idea began to come together after her daughter, Daisy, who also lives in Sabattus, graduated from the University of Southern Maine. She majored in recreational and leisure activities and got her bachelor’s to be a certified recreational therapist.

Cole said her daughter is also a musician. “She wanted to be able to incorporate music into her rec therapy.”

Before the graduation, Cole placed a phone call to Gary Dolloff, director of the Greater Rumford Community Center.

“Nikki called me up and we talked about her daughter going to college and graduating, and wanting to get back to music, asking if we had a music program,” Dolloff said. “I said I was very interested. We’ve had a couple that had gotten going. We had a great bunch of kids, but then it petered off. Then we had a lady come in and she was doing lessons, but that ended.

“I think if we had the right person down there, it would be a great asset to us and the community,” he said.

Cole grew up in the area and took gymnastics at the community center, and remembered that her dad had talked about dance parties that were held there.

“I knew they had had (music) programs here before,” she said. “I had heard that they didn’t have them here anymore, so it was a good place for the funding to come. … One of my best friends that I grew up with, Mary Wainwright of Boondocks Farm, gave Daisy the option of using her farm for the event if she wanted it.”

Cole said that besides her daughter, there are several candidates ready to sign up to give lessons. “We have people who are ready, definitely.”

Dolloff said, “I think it’s a great thing. A lot of the kids that come in here don’t have the money to buy the guitars, or the money for a drum set, or whatever. I think this is going to be successful because every time we started a music program, it’s been just flooded with kids.”

Cole said money from fundraising will also go toward providing music services for some of the kids that can’t otherwise get them.

Other fundraisers will follow, Cole said, and Boonstock will be held in Canton next year as well.

Asked if the music lessons would include adults as well, Cole said that would be a consideration.

“It would be nice to incorporate anyone, to be honest,” she said. “There are people, even adults, who don’t have access.”

“I’m always getting calls from people asking ‘Hey, who teaches guitar lessons” or who teaches vocal lessons,” Dolloff said.

Cole said they would like to get the Hope Association involved in this as well. Hope Association has a long history of providing a wide range of services for people with developmental disabilities. “That’s what she’s (Daisy) going for — inclusiveness.”

Dolloff said he is hopeful the program will begin sometime between September and November.

Admission to Boonstock will be $10 for adults, $5 for kids, and free for children under 5.

Performing will be Brian Plato, Robin Cottle, Fat & Jack’d, J.A.R.D., and Killer Tofu.

In addition to music, there will be activities and concessions, including corn hole, a food truck, vendors, kids games, raffles, a bar and show merchandise at Boonstock 2024.

For more information, visit BoonStock on Facebook.