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"An Old Fashion Fourth of July" July 4 will see the return of popular holiday events to the Morgan-Manning House lawn in Brockport: music by the Brockport High School Band and The Sweden Singers, refreshments, a cake walk, and a clown and games for children. Throughout the event, Dr. Tom Bowdler will display his "Gage 1" live steam trains, replicas of trains that ran in the late 1800s and early 1920s. Featured this year will be The Excelsior Cornet Band, Central New York's only authentic Civil War Brass Band. Founded in 2001, the band consists of seven Syracuse-area professional musicians who are dedicated to the performance of original Civil War era music using actual instruments of the period. All of the music in the group's repertoire has been arranged for seven musicians from original Civil War era scores, including "When John Gets Home From the War," "Battle Hymn of the Republic," and, "Listen to the Mocking Bird." The musicians wear authentic reproductions of Civil War militia uniforms. Leading the band is one of Central New York's premier brass players, Jeff Stockham, a Brockport native and a 1976 graduate of Brockport High School. He is also a graduate of the Eastman School of Music. The celebration is sponsored by the Western Monroe Historical Society and is free and open to the public. The Morgan-Manning House is a Victorian Era home located at 161 Main Street, Brockport. The schedule of events is: 11 a.m. - Brockport High School Band; 11 a.m. - Children's games until 2 p.m.; noon - Sweden Singers; noon - "Mr. Beau" the clown; 1 p.m. - The Excelsior Cornet Band; 2:30 p.m. - Cake Walk. |