WESTPORT — Pianist Margaret Mills will kick off the Ballard Park Concert Series at Westport Heritage House at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 9.

Mills, winner of the prestigious Frances Walker Piano Prize, debuted in Carnegie Recital Hall in 1974, and since then has performed in Alice Tully Hall and Merkin Concert Hall in New York City, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and, among others, Wigmore Hall in London.

As an advocate of contemporary American music and the music of women composers, Mills often presents lecture-recitals in music schools and universities, a press release said.

The Thursday night Ballard Park performances — all others to be held in the park with a rain location of the Heritage House — will also feature the following programs: The Buskers (folk, jazz, blues), July 16; Spring on Jupiter (Klezmer, Latin and jazz), July 23; an evening of classical chamber music with Meadowmount Classical, July 30; Ann Whiting and The Fiddleheads, clogging, Aug. 6 (clogging workshop at 6 p.m. before the 7 performance); Hugh Pool and Hayden Cole (blues), Aug. 13; and the Lustre Kings (a '50s rock-a-billy group), Aug. 20.

The Arts Council for the Northern Adirondacks sponsors the series with the New York State Council for the Arts and local businesses. Also on the schedule from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, July 24, will be an event showcasing North Country Public Radio and an open house for the Heritage House with music by the Geo Electrics. Saturday, Aug. 8, from 2 to 4 p.m., Christopher Layer and Pete Sutherland will perform songs of Lake Champlain and piping, and, from 7 to 9 p.m. Aug. 8, the Westport Heritage Festival will celebrate 400 years of boating on Lake Champlain. The Shakespeare-in-the-Park Festival is at 5 p.m. Aug. 14 and 15, when the Depot Apprentice Program presents "A Midsummer Night's Dream. At 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 6, will be American Studio Theatre performing "Henry V."

Events, all at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted, are free but donations are requested. For more information, call 962-8778 or go to http://artsnorth.org.