The Wayne County Historical Society’s summer Community Band concert will take place on Thursday, July 20, at 7 p.m., in downtown Wooster. Presented by Main Street Wooster, the concert is sponsored by the Wayne County Historical Society and Sprenger Health Care Systems.
The band, with more than 60 current members, will be performing in the northeast quadrant of the square on North Market St., under the baton of Randy Claes. Spectators will need to bring their own lawn chairs. In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be held in the St. Mary’s Church school gymnasium.
“We will be playing ‘fun’ songs – marches, show tunes, patriotic songs,” said band co-manager Jerry Payne. “The band is an effort to remind us of the bands which many communities had a century or so ago, such as the Wooster Board of Trade Band with their concerts in the old bandstand in front of Annats department store, now E&H Hardware.”
“We greatly appreciate the wonderful cooperation of the College of Wooster for practice facilities in Scheide Hall and St. Mary’s for the use of their school gymnasium if needed,” Payne continued, “as well as McIntire,Bradham and Sleek Funeral Home for loaning the chairs for the band and Jim’s Auto for the vehicle to haul the chairs. We also greatly appreciate our sponsors, including the anonymous donor for the Wayne County Historical Society, who has supported us for 13 years running.”
A second concert is planned for Tuesday, July 25, at 7 p.m. at Sonnenberg Village near Kidron, sponsored by Sonnenberg Village.
The band is open to anyone who plays a band instrument (including percussion), young or not so young, experienced or not so experienced. Members range in age from 13 to 84 years. Several have college degrees in music and several more played in a band while in college.
For more information, contact band co-manager Jerry Payne at 330-345-5547.
