AUBURN — Handbell ringers from all over the state will gather on Saturday, April 7, at Auburn Middle School for the 2018 Maine Spring Ring. The day will conclude with a free concert that is open to the public.

All Maine handbell ringers are welcome to participate in the day-long event. The early bird registration deadline is Wednesday, Feb. 28, and the final registration deadline is Friday, March 23. The schedule includes a variety of educational workshops led by guest clinicians, as well as instructional rehearsals of the massed-rung pieces with Area 1 clinician and conductor, Larry Berdensey, director of the Hockanum Valley Ringers of Vernon, Connecticut. 

The concert will begin at 4:30 p.m. in the Auburn Middle School gym, 38 Falcon Drive. There will be seven massed-rung pieces, along with solo performances by several individual ensembles. A free will offering will be collected for those who wish to help with expenses.

For more information about the event and to register, contact Laura Begenwald, event registrar, at 207-480-1404 or lbegenwald@gmail.com, or visit http://area1.handbellmusicians.org/spring-rings.

The event is sponsored by Handbell Musicians of America Inc. (HMA) for the benefit of its members and member ringers. HMA is dedicated to uniting people through the musical art of handbell and handchime ringing. For more information about HMA, go to www.handbellmusicians.org.

Ringers from all over the state of Maine gathered at Winthrop High School for the 2016 Maine Spring Ring.