One of the highlights of Mayfair Festival of the Arts, May 27-29, Cedar Crest College, Allentown, is the music.

The free festival which serves as the unofficial kickoff for summer is featuring more than 20 performers and bands at its two stages over the three-day event.

Opening the festival May 27 on the Main Stage are the Rogue Diplomats, with traditional Irish music infused with contemporary American folk, and headliner Philadelphia Funk Authority, a dance party band featuring funk, rhythm and blues and soul.

New this year, the Bandstand Stage will be tented to accommodate larger acts. In previous years the secondary stage hosted mainly solo performers and smaller acts.

Opening the Bandstand Stage May 27 is string band Golden Twine, which mixes folk and acoustic roots music with Grateful Dead influenced jam bluegrass. Also playing May 27 is Mark DeRose & The Dreadnoughts with a soulful roots rock sound.

A new band to Mayfair is country-rock band Reservoir Hill playing the Main Stage May 28. The band co-founded by Allentown friends Dylan Flaherty and Brad Kramer features original lyrically-driven songs influenced by The Zac Brown Band, The Allman Brothers and Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers.

Headlining the Main Stage May 28 is GoGo Gadjet, which combines traditional instruments with modern synthesizers and controllers for a modern show.

Also on May 28, the Erin Kelly Band headlines the Bandstand Stage with classic rock and country music.

May 29 is party day at the Main Stage with a lineup of the groovy 1960s sounds of The Large Flowerheads, Jimmy Buffet cover band Jimmy and the Parrots and dance band The Sofa Kings.

Billy Bauer Band will bring contemporary jams and DMC Duo will play acoustic pop, and country music to close out the Bandstand Stage May 29.

Schedule

May 27

Main Stage

4 p.m. - 6 p.m., Rogue Diplomats

7 p.m. - 10 p.m., Philadelphia Funk Authority

Bandstand Stage

4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Golden Twine

5:45 p.m. - 6:45 p.m., Tap Ties

7:30 p.m. - 9 p.m., Mark DeRose & The Dreadnoughts

May 28

Main Stage

Noon - 1 p.m., Supersonic Godfathers

1:30 p.m. - 3 p.m., BC Blue

4 p.m. - 6 p.m., Reservoir Hill

7 p.m. - 10 p.m., Go Go Gadjet

Bandstand Stage

Noon - 2 p.m., Alumnae Dance Studios

2:30 p.m. - 4 p.m., The Castaway Band

4:45 p.m. - 6:15 p.m., The Renewals

7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., Erin Kelly Band

May 29

Main Stage

Noon - 2 p.m., Large Flowerheads

3 p.m. - 6 p.m., Jimmy and the Parrots

7 p.m. - 10 p.m., Sofa Kings

Bandstand Stage

Noon - 1:30 p.m., B.U. Studios

2 p.m. - 4 p.m., Stephanie Johnson Band