Belfast Flying Shoes

Belfast Flying Shoes (BFS) is a robust participatory arts nonprofit with many diverse music & dance programs. The mission of BFS is to build community and cultivate well-being through the joy of traditional music and dance for people of all backgrounds and identities in Midcoast Maine. The nonprofit purpose of BFS is to promote participatory dance and music programs which are inclusive, cultivate prosocial behaviors, serve an intergenerational constituency, inspire active engagement, and provide positive human connection for people in Midcoast Maine and beyond.

BFS was founded in 2005 as a volunteer-run organization producing a monthly series: a community dance with house caller & open band, followed by a contra dance with guest callers and musicians. BFS incorporated as a 501(c)3 in 2014; hired an ED as a contractor in 2021; hired an ED as staff in 2025; is continuing to grow its organizational capacity.