XPoNential Excitement
WXPN festival showcases a melange of musical styles
By Nicole Pensiero

Its name and location have changed several times in the past 13 years, but the invigorating spirit of WXPN's annual music festival is intact.

The newly-named XPoNential Music Festival held at Camden's Wiggins Park features more than 40 acts on two stages, as well as 10 kids performers at the four-acre Camden Children's Garden through Sunday.

There is also a new Crafts Village, with dozens of vendors, set up along the marina.

About 19,000 music fans are expected for this weekend's festivities. The music fest is - as bluegrass-Americana performer Adrienne Young puts it - "an absolutely great opportunity to be heard" for non-mainstream musicians like her.

"I feel honored to be part of this," Young said by phone from her Nashville home. "There's such a diverse group of musicians playing - so much exposure to so many types of music. It's quite an experience for both the musicians and the audience."

The banjo-playing Young, who performs at 4:30 Sunday, will focus on songs from her new album, Room to Grow, which uses traditional instruments to expand on themes related to nature and spirituality. An ardent supporter of sustainable agriculture, the album features bundled seed packets in the liner notes, and Young will donate a portion of her proceeds to a nonprofit fund that supports local farming efforts and community gardens.

On stage, Young and her four-member band "like to wing it," playing everything from original songs to traditional old-time favorites.

"There's a lot of joy when we're on stage," Young says. "There's nothing better than to play off the energy of the audience."