Editor:
Thanks to the Optimist's publicity, the Ladner Bandfest had bigger audiences than ever. Huge crowds brought their lawn chairs to Memorial Park to enjoy the music, and Sunday afternoon there were 500 smiling faces listening to the featured band, the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy.
A total of 19 bands, representing about 800 musicians, came from North Vancouver, Surrey, New Westminster, Vancouver, Abbotsford, Esquimalt, Richmond, Langley and Delta. These large groups provided "old fashioned concerts in the park" from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday, June 1 and 2.
My wife and I, and our extended family, are proud to live in Delta, a very musical community, as evidenced by the three large Delta bands that performed: the Delta Concert Band, the Delta Music Makers and Brass Wind & Wire.
Another feature of the 15th annual Ladner Bandfest was the performance of four military groups: the Vancouver Naval Veterans, the British Columbia Regiment Band, the Band of the Royal Westminster Regiment and the Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy from Esquimalt.
The festival was honoured to receive positive and insightful comments at the microphone from MP Carla Qualtrough, MLA Ian Paton and Mayor George Harvie. They all expressed their belief in the power of music and its direct benefits to the community.
The annual Delta Music Makers bursary was awarded to Erica Heard as the top Grade 12 music student in the Delta Secondary band program.
This event is organized by chair Hilary Otten and a hard-working committee from the Delta Music Makers, along with a small army of volunteers. A big shout out goes to the City of Delta for the excellent condition of Memorial Park, the gazebo and the showstage, and to our very supportive sponsors Long and McQuade Music, Matterhorn Music, Tapestry Music, Envision Financial, Delta Optimist, Eastlink, Dominion Macklem Mortgage, Remax Realty, Immediate Images, as well as DSS and Seaquam secondary schools which provided much-needed equipment.
Ladner Bandfest #16 is scheduled for June 6 and 7, 2020. Mark your calendars.
Curt Jantzen
Conductor
Delta Music Makers
