The 2026 Braintree Bluegrass Brunch season concludes on Sunday, August 30, with old-time fiddler and vocalist Ida Mae Specker and her band, with square dances called by Sarah Gibson. The free community event begins with a group bike ride led by the Ridgeline Outdoor Collective, departing from the meetinghouse at 10 a.m. Live music begins at Noon, followed by called dances at 1 p.m. Food will be available for purchase, with proceeds supporting the Snowsville Community Trust. An old-time fiddler, vocalist, songwriter and educator from southern Vermont, Specker is a rising star in the Vermont and New England music scene. Her music blends original compositions with traditional and contemporary material, bringing new energy and relevance to the living tradition of American folk music. She also performs with her father, legendary Vermont fiddler John Specker, in a distinctive collaboration rooted in generations of Vermont musical tradition. The late Vermont Public radio host Robert Resnik described the Specker family as "Vermont Folk Heroes." Specker has recently shared the stage with Yo-Yo Ma at Dartmouth's Hopkins Center. Earlier this month, her band performed on the lawn at Tanglewood for a historic community square dance called by Sarah Gibson at the invitation of the famous cellist. Gibson is a musician, dance caller and journalist from Shrewsbury. She grew up performing world folk music with the Vermont-based Village Harmony and Northern Harmony and has studied old-time music, banjo and dance traditions in Kentucky and North Carolina. She is currently a Vermont Traditional Arts Apprentice with the Vermont Folklife Center and specializes in accessible, family-friendly, gender-free dances. The August event also offers a preview of 'The Lonely Days Are Gone: Community Square Dance Tour,' which will bring the Ida Mae Specker Band—featuring her father, legendary fiddler John Specker—to town halls across Vermont for a five-stop tour. https://idamaespecker.com/square-dance-tour The Braintree Bluegrass Brunch is free and open to the public, with a suggested donation at the gate or online in advance. After event costs are covered, proceeds are shared among the organizing nonprofits.