Beach Street Big Band Shines on a Rainy Day in Ocean Park’s Temple

Although Stormy Weather wasn’t on the music agenda, the rainfall that hit Ocean Park, ME on July 29 brought a wonderful audience inside for the Beach Street Big Band’s final public concert of the 2026 summer season.

Having their performance moved from Jordan Hall to The Temple in Ocean Park to accommodate a larger audience, the Beach Street Big Band entertained residents and vacationing beachgoers during their 75-minute performance Wednesday night.

The Temple is a historic octagon-shaped Baptist church building on Temple Avenue in the Ocean Park area of Old Orchard Beach, Maine. Built in 1881, the temple was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1975, and included in the Ocean Park Historic Buildings district in 1982. Its open interior provided wonderful acoustics for the band’s performance.

Under the direction of guest conductor Craig Ouellette – the band director at Camden Hills Regional High School of Rockport – the 19-member ensemble performed the following program:

Indiana

Ballad for Bennie

Feeling Good

The Queen Bee

Bye Bye Blackbird

Laura

Memories of You

Moonlight Serenade

When Lights are Low

How Long Has This Been Going On?

Cute

Whats Ya Got

With the last public summer concert complete, the Beach Street Big Band plans to take the rest of the summer off – although they are making a private appearance in early August. The time off will provide a restful break prior to resuming rehearsals in September in preparation for fall and holiday performances to close 2026.

The Beach Street Big Band is one of 10 small ensembles affiliated with the Maine Pops Concert Band based in Scarborough, ME. For more information about scheduling, joining, contributing, or sponsoring the Maine Pops Concert Band and its ensembles, please visit http://www.mainepops.org.

The Maine Pops is a 501(c)3 educational non-profit corporation. Contributions may be tax-deductible.