Larry Vaught Photo
There’s not a weekend I enjoy more than the Great American Brass Band weekend in Danville that ended Sunday.
I’ve been fortunate enough to volunteer at all 33 festivals we have had in Danville even though I readily admit I never thought this event would fly would when former Advocate-Messenger Mary Schurz — who I always remember every year how much she enjoyed this festival before her passing — told us about the event she was helping sponsor and start.
For me, it’s not about the music. Sure, there are some bands I like better than others. But for me, it’s about the people who come to the festival and I get to see them enjoying what we have to offer and interacting with many of them.
Bayou & Brass in downtown Danville on Friday night is kind of the “local night” when downtown Danville is shut down for food trucks and music.
Saturday starts with the parade and I have to admit seeing folks like state senator Amanda Mays Bledsoe, state auditor Mike Harmon, state representative Daniel Elliott, Boyle County judge executive Trille Bottoms and others in our parade is fun along with the bands, horses, miniature cars and other units..
We have about 11 straight hours of music on the main Centre College campus — with the same food trucks from Friday night — and the Soul Rebels, a New Orleans based brass ensemble that combines soul, jazz, funk, hip-hop, rock and pop music, had the crowd rocking.
What makes the festival possible in large part is volunteers. Admission is free. Parking is free. Sponsors help make that possible along with so many local volunteers who put in countless hours.
First-year festival director Michaelle Perris, a Danville native, did a fabulous job with incorporating a few new ideas while also sensing what has worked well before. She arrives early and stays late and volunteers appreciate that. Maybe she has her “crack the whip moments” but it never shows. She’s always smiling and making everyone feel special.
New volunteers are my favorite and my vote for “Festival Rookies of the Year” would be Deb and Ed McKinney. They were in charge of the Pepsi wagon and that’s a lot of hours on Friday night, all day Saturday and then again Sunday. Ed McKinney recently resigned as Danville boys basketball head coach and knows everyone and that personality is a huge plus. The volunteers they had working with them were great, too.
Few people would have seen maybe the “unsung” heroes. Five inmates from Northpoint Training Center spent most of Friday helping set up the stage and then worked two different shifts Sunday making sure the stage was taken down. Trust me, without them we would have been hurting.
I could go on and one with shuttle drivers, youth workers, merchandise tent volunteers and more.
Our new major sponsor was Wilderness Trail Distillery and for a “free” festival it takes a generous sponsor. Same with all the other sponsors, including many who have been supporting the festival for years.
This is probably the one weekend each year I “disconnect” from the sports world. I did do The Leach Report Sunday Morning Sports Talk on WLAP (630 AM) with Anthony White Sunday but other than those three hours knew very little about what was going on sports-wise.
Instead, I connected again with what makes living in Danville great and why having so many visitors from other parts of Kentucky, out of state or even Canada come to our festival makes volunteering a blessing in so many ways.
2 Responses
The Brass Band Festival is an extraordinary event for such a small town to host, but Danville always does a tremendous job. I think it is, as you mentioned, thanks to the volunteers who selflessly give of their time. Kudos to them all, but especially you Larry. They should make you the official AmBrassador.
I like your thinking. Feel free to reach out to Michaelle Perros on Facebook and tell her that ….