Welcome to the Bar Harbor Music Festival
“A glorious summer of music!”
Allison Kiger, Artistic Director
Francis Fortier, Founder
“2026 Gala Concert Tickets and Wreath Sale”
60th Anniversary Gala Concert
At Carnegie Weill Hall and the Russian Tea Room
Featuring the Festival Chamber Orchestra With Audrey Goodner, Violin, and David Alexander Rahbee, Conductor
5:45 pm Cocktail and hors d’oeuvres At Russian Tea Room 150 W 57th St
7:00 pm Chamber Orchestra Concert Carnegie Weill Hall 154 W 57th St
Thank you for joining us this season.
We create this Festival to inspire and delight our audience. Your feedback helps us plan future seasons. We really appreciate your time and perspective!
Francis James Fortier, III Obituary
Violinist, conductor, artistic director, fly fisherman, brother, and husband, father, grandfather, Francis J. Fortier, III passed away early Saturday morning at the age of 86. His wife of 40 years, Deborah, and his dear friend Allison were by his side.
2026 Season
“…one of New England’s great music festivals”
— Nan Lincoln, The Bar Harbor Times
Our Promise to the Arts
Acclaimed by Phi Beta Baton as “…one of the nation’s proving grounds for gifted young artists,” the Bar Harbor Music Festival, founded by violinist Francis Fortier in 1967, has gained national recognition for its unique and pioneering work.
The Festival has made a major contribution to the music world by advancing the careers of over 2,300 aspiring instrumentalists, singers, and composers. Coupled with our “Arts and Tourism” initiatives, it has provided a vital cultural and economic service for the community and visitors from all over the world.
The Festival’s outreach programs, such as the admission-free outdoor concerts in Acadia National Park, artist-in-residence programs in American schools, colleges, and universities, as well as its Young Audience Concerts have won new audiences for classical music and fostered music education.
Its annual Summer Festival and Touring Program have reached out to audiences totaling over one million, as music lovers gravitate to this musical gem in the spectacular setting of Bar Harbor, Maine.
