The Oak Ridge Community Band in a previous July 4 concert. (Submitted photo)
The Oak Ridge Community Band will have its annual July 4 Independence Day concert on Tuesday, July 4, at Alvin K. Bissell Park. The concert is free.
Large crowds are expected for both the concert and the city fireworks show that follows, so the public is encouraged to come early, a press release said.
“Bring chairs or blankets for outdoor seating, and enjoy a very entertaining summer evening,” the press release said.
The concert begins at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, and there is no admission fee. However, donations are welcomed to help offset band expenses. Razzleberry’s Ice Cream Lab will also be in the park to provide refreshments, the press release said.
Featured guest vocal soloists will be Deidre Ford singing the lovely strains of Hoagy Carmichael’s “Stardust” and soloist Lettie Andrade De La Torre singing Jerry Lackey’s arrangement of “Caledonia” from “Celtic Women.” Also on Tuesday evening’s program will be quartet singers Ed Calfee, Deidre Ford, Lettie Andrade De La Torre, and Roscoe Shipley who will be singing Jerry Brubaker’s “The Ultimate Patriotic Sing-Along,” Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever,” and John Stafford Smith’s “The Star-Spangled Banner—A Symphonic Portrait.”
Making a return appearance for this concert will be the band’s own Dixieland Ensemble with trombonist Don Batchelor, Lowell Crow on tuba, clarinetist Sandy Hirshman, Kim Kasten on trumpet, and percussionist Joe Mone. They will be playing Ted Rickett’s arrangement of “Satchmo” featuring a medley of Louis Armstrong tunes, including “St. Louis Blues,” “Hello Dolly,” “What a Wonderful World,” and “When the Saints Go Marching In.”
Other selections on the July 4 program will include a variety of swing, Broadway, jazz, and patriotic numbers and will conclude with a stirring performance of John Philip Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever” inspiring the audience for the fireworks show, which will follow the concert program.
The Oak Ridge Community Band is directed by Dale Pendley. Rehearsals for the band’s next concert in August will begin on July 6 at 7:30 p.m. at the First Baptist Church. Any interested area musicians including high school and college students are welcome to join the band and can find more information at www.orcb.org or by calling (865) 483-3044.
Here is the information that we previously published about the July 4 fireworks show in Oak Ridge:
Annual July 4th Fireworks Display in A.K. Bissell Park
The City of Oak Ridge is once again sponsoring a fireworks show to celebrate Independence Day. The display will be held in A.K. Bissell Park on July 4 and is scheduled to begin at dark, around 9:45 p.m.
The Oak Ridge Community Band, now in its 73rd year, will perform prior to the fireworks. The concert is free, but donations are accepted by the band to help cover the cost of equipment and other expenses. The music is expected to begin at 7:30 p.m.
Anyone planning to attend is advised to bring a lawn chair or blanket for outdoor seating. A safety zone will be established by the Oak Ridge Fire Department. Please sit only in the designated areas.
WHAT:Â Independence Day Concert and Fireworks Display
WHEN: Tuesday, July 4—Music at 7:30 p.m. and fireworks at 9:45 p.m.
WHERE: A.K. Bissell Park, 1403 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge
Parking will not be allowed along the Oak Ridge Turnpike right of way. Drivers should also not park on private property, unless they have obtained permission from the owner.
As a reminder, the discharge of fireworks within Oak Ridge city limits is prohibited without a permit.
For more information on this event, visit the City of Oak Ridge page on Facebook or the city’s website at oakridgetn.gov. You can also call the Oak Ridge Fire Department for additional information at (865) 425-3520.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
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