8-K

                                UNITED STATES
                     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                          Washington, D.C.  20549

                                  FORM 8-K

                               CURRENT REPORT
Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934



Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported) October 21, 2004
                                                 ___________________________

                          Banknorth Group, Inc.
____________________________________________________________________________
            (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


Maine                                 001-31251               01-0437984
____________________________________________________________________________
(State or other jurisdiction   (Commission File Number)     (IRS Employer
of incorporation)                                        Identification No.)


P.O. Box 9540, Two Portland Square, Portland, Maine             04112-9540
____________________________________________________________________________
(Address of principal executive offices)                        (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code (207) 761-8500
                                                   _________________________

                             Not Applicable
____________________________________________________________________________
       (Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed
                            since last report)


Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of
the following provisions (see General Instruction A.2 below):

[ ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act
    (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
[ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act
    (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
    Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
    Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))


Item 8.01 Other Events
          ------------

     On October 21, 2004, Banknorth Group, Inc. issued the press release
included as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K, which is
incorporated herein by reference.


Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits
          ---------------------------------

     (a)  Not applicable.

     (b)  Not applicable.

     (c)  The following exhibits are included with this Report:


     Exhibit No.         Description
     ----------          -----------

     99.1                Press Release, dated October 21, 2004


















                                    2

                                SIGNATURES


     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                         BANKNORTH GROUP, INC.


                         By:  /s/ Peter J. Verrill
                              -----------------------------------
                              Name:  Peter J. Verrill
                              Title: Senior Executive Vice President and
                                          Chief Operating Officer

Date:  October 21, 2004

EX-99.1

                                                               Exhibit 99.1



            Banknorth Group to Present at Ryan Beck & Co.
             Financial Institutions Investor Conference


PORTLAND, Maine-October 21, 2004--Banknorth Group, Inc. (NYSE: BNK) announced
today that William J. Ryan, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer,
will take part in a luncheon panel at the Ryan Beck & Co. 2004 Financial
Institutions Investor Conference at the Intercontinental Barclay in New York
City from 11:55 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 27, 2004.

During the luncheon panel, a conference call-in number of 800-236-9788 will be
available for people to listen in.

At September 30, 2004, Banknorth Group, Inc. headquartered in Portland, Maine
had $29.0 billion in assets. Banknorth's banking subsidiary, Banknorth, N.A.,
operates banking divisions in Connecticut (Banknorth Connecticut); Maine
(Peoples Heritage Bank); Massachusetts (Banknorth Massachusetts); New
Hampshire (Bank of New Hampshire); New York (Evergreen Bank); and Vermont
(Banknorth Vermont). The Company and Banknorth, N.A. also operate subsidiaries
and divisions in insurance, money management, merchant services, mortgage
banking, government banking and other financial services and offer investment
products in association with PrimeVest Financial Services, Inc. The Company's
website is at www.banknorth.com.

CONTACT:  Banknorth Group, Inc.
          Jeffrey Nathanson, (207) 761-8517