Portland Mayor To Present Guster With Key To The City Kicking Off On The Ocean Weekend

Portland, Maine Mayor Ethan Strimling will present Guster with the Key to the City this Friday, August 9th on the patio of 94.3 WCYY at One City Center. The band is being honored for making Portland their "Second Hometown." Guster has been playing sold-out concerts in Portland for the past twenty years and chose the city to be the home of their On The Ocean Festival when it launched in 2017.

Guster has a storied history with WCYY and One City Center including an iconic 2002 concert which was attended by more than 4000 fans. Guster joins Barenaked Ladies, Smashing Pumpkins and Godsmack as other bands who have been awarded the Key to the City.

Guster guitarist, Adam Gardner, has been a Mainer since 2005 and Portland is home to his non-profit Reverb.

The band will have their instruments with them for the ceremony-so you never know what may happen! The ceremony will begin at noon and is free to everyone - just look up.

Guster fans have traveled to Portland for the annual On The Ocean weekend from over 40 states and all across Canada. The 2019 On The Ocean weekend starts Friday, August 9th with a sold out acoustic concert by Guster at Portland's First Parish. The party moves to Thompson's Point Saturday for a full day of music and activities with two sets of Guster (including a full Lost and Gone Forever album set), and performances by Rubblebucket, Kat Wright, Tall Heights and Portland's own Weakened Friends. Joe Pisapia will be hosting an intimate "Joe's Place" stage which will include music from Joe and friends, a Q&A with Guster, and a hot sauce eating contest in partnership with Burlington's Butterfly Bakery.

On The Ocean Weekend concludes on Sunday with a series of fan events around Portland hosted by members of the band including a pair of service projects along 70+ miles of trails with Adam Gardner, a Moth-style storytelling event at Longfellow Square with Brian Rosenworcel, and a bike ride on Pike's Island with Luke Reynolds.

For tickets and more information about Guster On The Ocean, visit www.ontheoceanfest.com