The Townsend Military Band will open its 2024 Thursday evening concert series on the Townsend Common on June 6th.   Weather permitting, the band will play a concert on the Common each Thursday between 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. through at least August 8^th.   The Townsend Military Band is managed by Betty Mae Tenney of Townsend and conducted by Thomas Souza of Chelmsford.   Mr. Souza is the Brandeis University Wind Ensemble Director and the Band Director at the Fairgrounds Middle School in Nashua, New Hampshire.  Mr. Souza plans to feature well-known show tunes, marches, patriotic music, and children’s music in the Townsend Military Band’s Thursday evening concerts.
The concerts are funded by the Town of Townsend.  Lawn parties hosted by local organizations, which always feature food and often include activities for children and other assorted tables, are held in conjunction with these concerts.  Currently, there are two concerts in July and August without a lawn party sponsor.  Any local organization interested in sponsoring a lawn party should contact Band Concert Coordinator Betty Mae Tenney.
Area residents of all ages are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs or blankets to the Townsend Common on Thursday evening so they may sit and enjoy the good music and the company of friends and neighbors as well as the variety of food and beverages which will be offered for sale.
The Townsend Fire/EMS Relief Association will host the lawn party at the Townsend Military Band’s Thursday, June 6th, concert on the Townsend Common.  Townsend Fire/EMS personnel will be selling hot dogs, hamburgers, and sausages with peppers and onions to hungry concertgoers.  They will also offer home baked goods as well as cold soda and bottled water for sale.
The Townsend Military Band will open its concert at 7:30 p.m. by playing the “St. Julien March” by Hughes and “The Lion King Medley” arranged by Higgins.  Roszell’s arrangement of the  “Carrickfergus Irish Folksong”, Fucik's “Mississippi River March”, and “Wellerman”, a traditional New Zealand Folksong, arranged by Murtha will be performed.  “Fiddler On the Roof Highlights” arranged by Barker, Murtha’s arrangement of “Eighties Flashback”, and “Pasadena Day” by Vessella will be played during the first portion of the concert.
The “Florentiner March” by Fucik and the “Bacharach & David Medley No.1” will be played following intermission.  Hall's “New Colonial March”, King's “Princess of India Overture”, and King's “Peacemaker” will be performed before the Townsend Military Band concludes its concert at 9:30 by playing the “Star  Spangled Banner.”