“Old Fashion Fourth of July” celebration returns to Morgan-Manning House lawn for the 32nd year

This year’s July 4 patriotic celebration on Brockport’s Morgan Manning House lawn will feature the return of The Brockport Community Concert Band. The band premiered last year with over 80 members, including ages ranging from fifth grade to 70. Members included families, Brockport Central music staff, area music teachers, college students, and others. Last year was the revival of a 30-year tradition of the Brockport High School Band at the July 4 event, after the band’s absence in 2011. Now, the expanded band represents the entire community, with Shawn Halquist continuing many years as director. The concert begins at 11 a.m.

Also returning this year will be the Children’s Parade. The parade features families and kids of all ages in patriotic attire riding or pushing tricycles, bicycles, strollers, carriages, and wagons also suitably decorated. The parade will start in front of Morgan-Manning House, moving on Main Street, to Union Street, Park Avenue, and South Street, ending at the carriage house. Kids in the parade will receive gift bags. The Excelsior Brigade Fife and Drum Corps will not lead the parade as they did last year. The popular group was invited to the 150th Civil War anniversary at Gettysburg. The parade will be led by Brockport High School Band percussion members, beginning at 10:15 a.m., after the 10 a.m. opening ceremony.

The Brockport Big Band keeps a long tradition at the July 4 celebration, bringing sounds of composers like Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Stan Kenton from the 1940’s Big Band Jazz era. The group is scheduled to appear at just after 12 noon, following The Brockport Community Concert Band.

The Montage Real T’s are new entertainers this year. The quartet will sing patriotic songs to celebrate our American history. They begin around 1:15 p.m., after the Brockport Big Band.

Children’s Games take place from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Kids will get to play old fashioned games such as ring toss, clothespin-in-a-jar, and others. There will be face painting and chalk art on the parking lot.

The Cake Walk at 2 p.m. is a popular event, providing amusement and a free cake, if you win. A special guest at this event will be “Waldo” participating and announcing the “Where is Waldo” scavenger hunt sponsored by the Lift Bridge Book Shop.

Food and Refreshments will include hamburgers, veggie burgers, Italian sausage, and hot dogs. New this year are kiddie hots at a lower price. Ice cream novelties, cookies, and popcorn will also be sold.

Tours of the Morgan-Manning House will be available for free from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. The Morgan-Manning House was built in 1854. After a disastrous fire in 1964, it now stands fully restored and furnished much like it was in the 19th century. The tours cover the first floor only.

All are invited to the free July 4 event, opening with the sounds of The Brockport Community Concert Band playing patriotic tunes, show tunes, American selections and marches. Community musicians who would like to join the band, rehearsing July 1, 2 and 3, may contact Shawn Halquist at shawn.halquist@bcs1.org.

The entertainment, gifts for the parade children, and buntings on store fronts in the Village of Brockport are paid for from a Liberty Mutual “Restore the Fourth” grant won by the Village and The Western Monroe Historical Society three years ago.

The Western Monroe Historical Society sponsors the July 4 event. The WMHS offices are located in the Morgan-Manning House, 151 Main Street, Brockport. For more information, contact the office at 585-637-3645, or see the web site www.morganmanninghouse.org.