On Saturday, Aug. 11 from 5:30 to 10 p.m., one of New York’s premier jazz trumpeter, Marcus Printup of Jazz at Lincoln Center, along with his wife Riza Printup on the jazz harp, Kevin Smith on bass, and Henry Conerway III on drums, will rock The Shipyard in Boothbay Harbor with a special evening of unique jazz music. The proceeds of the concert will go to benefit the Boothbay Sea and Science Center (BSSC) — a unique sea and science education center offering innovative, experiential and affordable education programs to youth ages 5 to 17.

Sprung from values of inclusiveness, experiential learning, personal growth and environmental stewardship, BSSC is in its sixth year of providing unique summer programs. Founded in 2012, BSSC opens doors of opportunity in STEM fields through boating and marine sciences, creating career pathways and instilling lifelong skills. BSSC is a true community collaboration with local schools, marine-based businesses, social service agencies, state marine agencies, museums, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, University of Maine, Maine Maritime Academy and many volunteers.For programs to be affordable for local families, BSSC created a financial assistance program. The Center is led by a 10-member Board and guided by a diverse Advisory Board that builds community awareness, seeks public input, and raises funds.

First-of-its-kind in Maine, BSSC began its integrated education with summer programs and since 2016 includes in-school activities developed with local school teachers and aquaculturalists (oyster and seaweed farmers). This school year, a grant from the Maine Community Foundation Lincoln County Fund supported BSSC’s Exploring the Science of Seaweed Farming in-classroom program at the Southport Central School, Boothbay Region Elementary School, and Edgecomb Eddy School. More than 50 middle school students raised and “planted” seaweed (sugar kelp) with a local seaweed farmer. The project culminated in May with a community presentation at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences.

The Boothbay Sea and Science Center’s Jazz Concert Committee is hard at work to make this a most unforgettable evening. The Committee includes: Deezie Flower, Penny Pollard, Kate Horgan, Joanna Breen, Michael Pollard, Hillary Friedman, Kristen Gray, and Pauline Dion.

For more information about the musicians and to purchase tickets online: www.boothbayseaandsciencecenter.org. Tickets can also be purchased by calling Pauline Dion at 633-2012.

This not to be missed evening of great jazz music will surely go down as one of the most spectacular concert events in the Boothbay Region this summer!