HUTCHINSON MUNICIPAL BAND ANNOUNCES NEW PERFORMANCE LOCATION
Band to return to Carey Park with grant from Hutchinson Community Foundation
HUTCHINSON, KANSAS, June 8, 2021 – The Hutchinson Municipal Band is pleased to announce a new location for performances beginning on June 22, 2021. The new performance location was used last summer during the band’s season which was impacted by COVID-19. Performances begin at 8:00 pm in Carey Park between the Hutchinson Zoo
and the Homebuilders Shelter. A map of the new performance space is attached. Support for this new performance space was provided by a Changemakers at Work Grant from the Fund for Hutchinson of Hutchinson Community Foundation in partnership with the City of Hutchinson.
In addition, the Hutchinson Zoo will be making changes to its operations to welcome concert goers and the Hutchinson Municipal Band on June 22, 29 and July 6, 13 and 20. The Zoo will reopen for the special hours of 6:00 – 8:00 pm each on Tuesday prior to the concert by the Hutchinson Municipal Band. There is a suggested donation of $2 per person or $5 per family for admission. Guests are welcome regardless of their donation. For an additional cost, concert goers may enjoy food from a variety of food trucks which will be located between the Education and the Cargill Wildlife Center. Picnic tables and restrooms will be available for use in that area until the conclusion of the concert.
In 2020, the Hutchinson Municipal Band held an abbreviated season which saw the band in a new location to accommodate social distancing due to the pandemic. Details for the change in location expanded the Hutchinson Municipal Band’s collaborative reach into the for-profit, non-profit and city government segments. From this work in 2020 came expanded partnerships with the Hutchinson Zoo and the City of Hutchinson’s Parks Department. After hearing all positive reviews about the change in venue, the Hutchinson Municipal Band, in cooperation with the City of Hutchinson and HutchRec’s Hutchinson/Reno Arts and Humanities Council, submitted a grant application for a Changemakers at Work grant to the Hutchinson Community Foundation. The grant proposal, titled Making Space for the Arts in Carey Park, was accepted by the Hutchinson Community Foundation. The Hutchinson Municipal Band was awarded $2000.
Work began on the performance space during the end of May. The scope of the project includes the creation of a 30’ x 40’ concrete pad that will serve as the base for Municipal Band performances, electrical service to the pad and
landscaping to make the improvements fit naturally into the space at Carey Park. Project work continues but will be ready in time for the Salt City Jazz Band’s performance on June 22, 2021. The Reno County Farmer’s Market will continue to be used as a rain location should weather not permit use of the Carey Park performance space as, currently, there is no shelter available for either the ensembles performing or audience members. Use of the rain location will be announced at least two hours prior to the beginning of concerts with signage posted at both venues, on social media, our website and if possible on local news outlets.
The remaining concerts of the 2021 Summer Season are as follows:
The Hutchinson Municipal Band is a 501c3 non-profit corporation that is wholly funded by the City of Hutchinson and Reno County. As such, all concerts are free and open to the public.
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Support for Making Space for the Arts in Carey Park was provided by a Changemakers at Work Grant from the Fund for Hutchinson of Hutchinson Community Foundation. Hutchinson Community Foundation’s Changemakers at Work grants make a big difference in Reno County Communities. Funds for these grants come from the Fund for Hutchinson, and support projects that: Bring people together and provide opportunities for positive social interaction and benefit through volunteer work or community-building efforts; connect people to the environment around them in new ways to increase community pride and identity; and build on our communities’ assets and unique qualities through placemaking.
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The Hutchinson Municipal Band was founded in 1875. In 1915, the band became an official entity of the city of Hutchinson through a mill levy established by public vote to support the maintenance of a military style concert band. As has been the tradition since its founding, all of the musicians are local with most being non-professional musicians with varying backgrounds that represent a true cross section of the Hutchinson community. Since its inception, the Band has provided summer concerts every year on Tuesdays, presenting a combination of concert and jazz band performances. The Concert Band presents band classics, marches, show tunes, movie soundtracks and patriotic music while the Salt
City Jazz Band presents big band and jazz music. In addition, the Hutchinson Municipal Band also offers its service throughout the year with the Hutchinson Brass Quintet. Finally, the band makes regular appearances throughout the community as requested including annual participation in numerous community events, including the Patriot’s and Holiday Parades
