Chatham Band Concerts

"Chatham Band" Watercolor by Debbie Hearle 

Every Friday evening between July 4th and Labor Day you will find the town of Chatham, on Cape Cod, chockablock full of people, all ambling toward Kate Gould Park in the center of town for the 8:00p.m. start of the Band Concert. This truly is a page lifted from Norman Rockwell's America and is a much cherished tradition of locals and tourists alike. In the center of the park is a real band stand, like the kind you remember from The Music Man.

When I was growing up in Chatham, Whit Tileston was the band leader, in addition to being the middle school music teacher. Every 4th of July, the parade down Main Street was always started with Chatham's Marching Band. Mr. Tileston, dressed in white from head to toe and decorated with gold braid, led the band who were all decked out in neatly pressed bright red jackets with navy lapels, pockets and cuffs, navy trousers with a red stripe down the side, and navy, red and gold caps. We welled with pride when we saw the band crest the hill at the edge of town, with Mr. Tileston tilting his tall white hat to the crowds and moving his gold baton to lead the music. We all knew the summer had just begun.

Chatham Band Stand in Kate Gould Park

So on Friday nights, we would pack blankets and sweaters in a sailbag and head to the park. A big decision had to be made at the entrance to the park. We each had a quarter held tightly in our fist which we were told we could spend on anything we wanted. My decision always fell between a big cloud of pink cotton candy attached to a paper cone or a brightly colored helium balloon which would be tied off on my wrist for the rest of the night. Believe it or not, the balloon usually won.

Early in the summer the sun was just setting as we got to the park, so twilight lit the path we traversed behind the band stand to get to "our place" on the far hill. The anticipation in the air was palpable and the only relief for it was Mr. Tileston's enthusiastic and familiar "Hi-de-ho!". For the first hour, the band played lively music and folk dances for the kids. We all have lasting memories of doing the "Bunny Hop" and "Here We Go Loopty Loo" around the band stand on those warm summer nights. For the last hour, the band played dance music for grownups, and sentimental sing-alongs. When we were old enough to stay for the second half of the concert, we were thrilled when Dad joined us after closing the store. One by one he would ask us to dance, with the younger ones usually doing so standing on top of his feet. Exhilarated and exhausted, we'd leave just before the concert's end, stumbling over the roots on the path behind the band stand and dragging our blankets behind us. As we exited the park, we could hear in the distance the lilting melody and soft sounds of voices singing Old Cape Cod. (Note: Click on "Old Cape Cod", to be able to download/hear Patti Page sing that song.)

 

Comments

[cousin Frannie]

great memories of the band concerts and later on working at the Candy Manor on band concert nights (pretty crazy as the store was so close to the park!

[BAFA Studio]

Memories indeed. I've a few of them myself in upstate NY, having living there for so very long. Summer's festivities were the best ever.

ps - great work Debbie

[Valerie Jardin]

Lovely, I can hear the music!

[Sally]

Ah the wonderful memories!!!!!!!