Vintage Band Festival

Vintage Band Festival 2022 at Bridge Square

Vintage Band Festival News

  • 1st Brigade Band

    1st Brigade Band

    In 1864 eighteen men from the Brodhead Brass Band enlisted in the Union Army as the band of the 1st Brigade, 3d Division, 15th Army Corps. The “Tradition of Excellence” that these men established more than 130 years ago lives on today with the members of the 1st Brigade Band of Watertown, Wisconsin.

    The band MAKES HISTORY LIVE by presenting period brass band music, performed on antique instruments. Attired in uniforms and gowns, the Band’s musicians, color guard, and costumed ladies take you back to the 1860’s; to that turbulent era known as the Civil War.

    More than eighty volunteers, men and women, make up the 1st Brigade Band. Widely varied in age and occupation, they come from many communities, bringing with them a common interest in their musical heritage. During a typical year, they will meet their audience more than forty times, in concerts, parades, military balls, and worship services, presenting their educational and entertaining programs. Starting in 1964, band members began to locate and restore the dented and broken instruments that were once used on the battlefield and are now used in performances today.

    The 1st Brigade Band is an affiliate of the Wisconsin Historical Society and is supported and sponsored by Heritage Military Music Foundation, Inc.; a non-profit, educational, historical, and patriotic organization.

    The 1st Brigade Band will perform on the Bridge Square Stage at VBF 2026 on Saturday, August 1 at 3:00pm. Find their other performances that weekend at vintagebandfestival.org.

  • VBF Intern update #2: Mickaylie

    As mentioned in an earlier post, there were two Vintage Band Festival interns working alongside the VBF Board and volunteers in preparation and execution of each event between 2010 and 2019. In 2019 the two interns were Landry Forrest and Mickaylie Bade. Our intrepid secretary, Joy Riggs, recently caught up with Mickaylie, now Mickaylie Bade Boldenow and found out what she’s doing today and what she remembers about her VBF experiences.

    What year did you graduate from St. Olaf, and what was your major/degree?

    • Class of 2020 – English major with concentrations in Management Studies and Gender Studies

    What do you do now for work and for fun?

    • Work: I’m an Event Planner at St. Olaf College.
    • Fun: I love to try new things from new crafts to restaurants to outdoor activities and everything in between.

    What are your favorite memories from the VBF experience?

    • I loved the puzzle aspect of my VBF internship, trying to figure out how to coordinate all of the bands and musicians and working with local businesses. However, my absolute favorite memory is standing in the information booth, answering questions, listening to fantastic music, and seeing all of my hard work unfold. It was incredible to see it all finally come together and be able to enjoy the great music with a great crowd of people.

    Is there something you learned as a VBF intern that has been useful for later in your life?

    • I learned many technical skills from my internship, but primarily, I learned a lot about event planning and managing my workload. Many of skills I developed in this internship, I use daily in my current role as an event planner.

    Have you been back to a festival since you interned? If so, when? 

    • I’ve returned a couple times since my internship. I believe the years were 2022 and 2025.

    Are you coming back for this year’s 20th anniversary?

    • Yes! Looking forward to VBF 2026!

  • Music to honor The Doughboys

    Music to honor The Doughboys

    The Doughboy Foundation was formed to make the National World War I Memorial a reality in Washington, D.C. The memorial was dedicated in 2021. Along the way, the foundation created The American Expeditionary Forces Headquarters Band and made it the official musical ensemble of the National World War I Memorial.

    The AEF Headquarters Band recreates the music heard during 1918-1919 at the AEF HQ in Chaumont France with the familiar melodies like Over There, Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag, Keep The Home Fires Burning, K-K-K-Katy, Alexander’s Ragtime Band, It’s a Long Way To Tipperary and the always-popular marches by John Philip Sousa. The band also performs music written by African American composers James Reese Europe, W.C. Handy, and Eubie Blake. The band wears reproductions of the Doughboy uniforms worn by musicians of the time with the insignia of the AEF HQ on their left shoulder.

    The ensemble has become synonymous with honoring the legacy of the Great War, performing renditions of the national anthem and “God Bless America” at major sporting events and ceremonies of national significance. Their repertoire, which seamlessly blends reverence with musical brilliance, serves as a poignant reminder of the enduring legacy of those who served during World War One.

    Vintage Band Festival is excited to present the AEF Headquarters Band at VBF 2026. We are honored that they accepted our invitation to travel to Minnesota to help us celebrate our 20th anniversary year and honor the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States of America. The band will perform several times during the festival. Find the complete festival schedule at vintagebandfestival.org/VBF2026.

    Photo credits: The Doughboy Foundation

  • The Legacy Amendment and Vintage Band Festival

    There are several sources of funding available to Vintage Band Festival. One is individual gifts and donations. Another is corporate sponsorships and a third is grants from private and public institutions.

    In 2008, Minnesota’s voters passed the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment (Legacy Amendment) to the Minnesota State Constitution to: protect drinking water sources; to protect, enhance, and restore wetlands, prairies, forests, and fish, game, and wildlife habitat; to preserve arts and cultural heritage; to support parks and trails; and to protect, enhance, and restore lakes, rivers, streams, and groundwater. The funding is gathered through a very small percentage of Minnesota sales tax: 3/8 of 1%. 20% of these funds are distributed to the arts.

    Vintage Band Festival has benefited greatly from these funds as a grantee of the Minnesota State Arts Board and also the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council. Many other local arts organizations in Northfield and southern Minnesota have been recipients of grants provided by this funding as well.

    SEMAC logo

    In this funding cycle, VBF has received a $35,000 Arts Experiences grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board and a 2-year $10,000 grant for Operating Support from the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council. VBF will receive one-half of the funds in 2026 and the other half in 2027.

    VBF would not be possible if these funding opportunities did not exist. If this is important to you as a Minnesota resident, please thank your elected representatives and ask them to continue renewing this thoughtful and forward-looking legislation.

  • Vintage Band Festival Interns–Where are they now?

    In the early years of Vintage Band Festival, student interns from St. Olaf College provided operational and marketing assistance to the volunteers and the Board of Directors. Their internships began right after the end of spring semester and lasted for about 2/3 of the summers. Their responsibility ended with a analytical report about the festival and on-campus presentation during the early days of the fall semester. Their stipend was funded by a grant from the Collaborative Undergraduate Research and Inquiry (CURI) program and their efforts were invaluable to our early success as a young non-profit organization.

    Between 2006 and 2016 we got to know twelve students with varying musical backgrounds and we are still are in contact with some of them today. We thought it would be fun to reconnect with as many of them as we can and introduce them to readers of this newsletter during the next few weeks.

    The former VBF intern that we are highlighting this week is Mitch Evett. Mitch interned with VBF in the summer of 2013 and earned a Bachelor of Music in Instrumental Education in 2014. He currently lives in Sacramento, California.

    • What is your work-life like today?

    I teach band and orchestra and piano at Rio Americano High School in Sacramento, California.

    • What are your favorite memories from the VBF experience?

    We did so much work leading up to the VBF weekend! It got real when we finally moved our offices into the local printing company that was our home base that year. Once we were there every day and doing boots on the ground work, it got real! I also recall in 2013 we tried a kind of battle of the bands for the first time or one of the first times. So many musicians gathered on the bridge over the Cannon River was a sight and sound to behold!

    • Is there something you learned as a VBF intern that has been useful for later in your life?

    So many things! Proper prior planning prevents piss poor performance. The importance of communication and delegation. Working together as part of a multi-generational team.

    • Have you been back to a festival since you interned? If so, when? 

    After graduating from St. Olaf, I worked in Shakopee, Minnesota for 5 years. I attended a couple of the festivals in those years from 2014-2019. I moved to California in 2019 so it has been hard to attend since then. 

    • Are you coming back for this year’s 20th anniversary?

    My wife just gave birth to our first-born daughter, Freya! I will be nesting with my family this summer. 

    • Any other updates you’d like to share?

    I have fond memories of working for VBF and am thankful for all the opportunities the organization provided for me and my partner-in-crime, Ramsey Walker. Happy 20th Anniversary!

  • A Summer of Music in Northfield

    Northfield Community Band

    The Northfield Community Band presents a free concert series in downtown Northfield every June. The series consists of four Thursday evening concerts performed on Bridge Square. The band is comprised of high school and adult instrumentalists, willing to share their talents. The band has been in existence in various forms and using various names for over 100 years. It is currently under the auspices of the Northfield School District’s Community Education Division. The Lead Community Band member for 2026 is Jesse Streitz.

    Northfield Jazz Festival

    Now in its third season, the Northfield Jazz Festival will take place in Northfield July 10-12 at various locations. The headliner this season is grammy-nominated pianist, Christian Sands. The founder and director of Northfield Jazz Festival is J.C. Sanford. Follow them on Facebook @northfieldjazzfestival.

    Vintage Band Festival

    Vintage Band Festival 2026 will take place Thursday, July 30 – Sunday, August 2, 2026. This year’s festival will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the annual Northfield, Minnesota tradition.

    The roster of bands will include ensembles from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Washington D.C., Florida and Europe. Two European bands will be performing: Moritz & Co., a brass septet from Austria and Original Drachenfelser Musikanten, a brass quartet from Germany.

    There will be two stages at VBF 2026, the main stage in Bridge Square and a second stage in Central Park. Performances on Thursday and Friday will be in Bridge Square and performances on Saturday and Sunday will take place in both locations. The complete roster of bands and the schedule for both stages is now posted at www.vintagebandfestival.org.

    Bridge Chamber Music Festival

    Bridge Chamber Music Festival was founded in 2011 by cellist David Carter, a member of the St. Olaf College Faculty. Now in it’s 15th season, the festival will take place during the last week of August. Details regarding the ensemble roster and concert schedule have not been announced as of this writing. Check for updates on Facebook @Bridge ChamberMusicFestival.

  • Did you know? VBF musicians in the movies

    Don Johnson, the founder of the Kentucky Baroque Trumpets, attended a number of Vintage Band Festivals with his ensemble  before he passed away in 2016. Don organized and played in the U.S. Marine Band (President Lincoln’s Own), in the 2012 classic film, “Lincoln”, directed and produced by Steven Spielberg. During one scene, President Lincoln arrives at an unidentified building to give a speech for a flag-raising. While he’s walking to the flagpole, the U.S. Marine Band plays the march “We Are Coming Father Abra’am” in his honor.

    Jeff Stockham, a member of Newberry’s Victorian Cornet Band was also in the film. Both Jeff and Don were once members of another Civil War reenactor band, the Federal City Brass Band. A number of the authentic instruments in the U.S. Marine Band in the Lincoln film were from Jeff’s personal collection.

    In the above photo, Jeff is on the far left and Don is fourth from the right. Don said that he dogged the production company for quite some time after filming was done in order to buy the uniform he wore. After he successfully made the purchase, he admitted that he paid more than he intended for the privilege!

    Newberry’s Victorian Cornet Band is playing at VBF 2026 July 30 – August 2. Check out the complete roster of bands and the Bridge Square Stage Schedule at vintagebandfestival.org.

  • Vintage Band Festival 2026 preview

    Vintage Band Festival 2026 preview

    Vintage Band Festival 2026 will take place Thursday, July 30 – Sunday, August 2, 2026. This year’s festival will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the annual Northfield, Minnesota tradition.

    The roster of bands will include ensembles from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Washington D.C., Florida and Europe. Two European bands will be performing: Moritz & Co., a brass septet from Austria and Original Drachenfelser Musikanten, a brass quartet from Germany.

    There will be two stages at VBF 2026, the main stage in Bridge Square and a second stage in Central Park. Performances on Thursday and Friday will be in Bridge Square and performances on Saturday and Sunday will take place in both locations. The start times for the  concerts will be staggered by ½ hour so that folks can sample both bands during the same hour if they so choose!

    On Friday morning in Central Park the 250th anniversary of the United States of America will be celebrated with a Living History Pageant. The program begins with a recognition of the indigenous people that preceded the arrival of European colonists. Spoken word performances of several significant historical documents and speeches have been planned, beginning with the Declaration of Independence. Musical performances will include band music from the Civil War period and World War I, with a performance by the renowned Doughboy Foundation’s American Expeditionary Forces Band  from Washington D.C.  The Northfield Suffragette Chorus will sing several songs from the early 20th century period of women’s right-to-vote activism.

    Saturday at noon along the Downtown Northfield Riverwalk, a Battle of the Bands will occur. VBF 2026 bands will be placed on both sides of the Cannon River and perform period songs from the 19th century in a round robin sequence. Spectators may position themselves on either side of the river to enjoy this spectacular musical experience.

    Evenings in Bridge Square will be lively with salsa music from La Clave Orchestra and K-Libre 24, the  Brass Messengers, McNasty Brass Band, Too Darn Hot, and the swing band MN Jazz Orchestra. Fireworks will follow the conclusion of  music on Saturday evening. Look for additional performances at the VFW Hall, The Grand Event Center and downtown pubs. On Sunday morning a number of VBF 2026 bands will provide special music at local church services.

    Be sure to follow Vintage Band Festival on Facebook and www.vintagebandfestival.org for the complete band roster, schedule of events, and updates as they happen.

    Vintage Band Festival logo

  • Early Brass Festival call for proposals

    The Historic Brass Society will be hosting their Early Brass Festival, being held in conjunction with the 20th anniversary of the Vintage Band Festival from July 31-August 2, 2026, in Northfield MN.

    The HBS invites proposals for presentations related to any aspect of early brass or brass bands – including but not limited to band history, pedagogy, repertoire, performance practice, and biographical/historical information. Musical topics related to the 250th Anniversary of the United States of America, as it relates to early brass and wind band history, are also encouraged. 

    Proposals should include an abstract (250 words) and a biography (75 words) with email contact information. Presentations should be no more than 20 minutes; 5-7 minutes of Q&A will follow each presentation. Decisions regarding acceptance of presentations will be forthcoming no later than January 31, 2026. More information can be found at https://www.historicbrass.org/early-brass-festival-2026-call-for-proposals.

    Please send proposals as email attachments (PDF or Word docx preferred) to Sandy Coffin at scoffintpt@historicbrass.org.

    In addition to papers, the Early Brass Festival will include informal playing sessions, social events, and attendance at concerts of the Vintage Band Festival.

    Additional information and updates about housing and registration will be posted after January 1, 2026 on the Historic Brass Society website:  www.historicbrass.org   

  • Vintage Band Festival awarded a Minnesota State Arts Board grant

    Vintage Band Festival awarded a Minnesota State Arts Board grant

    It’s very satisfying to announce that Vintage Band Festival has received a 2026 Arts Experiences grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board! We received the entire $35,000 for which we applied.

    This grant and others we’ve received in the past are made possible by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund established in 2008 by an act of the Minnesota legislature and ratified and renewed by the Minnesota voters. This funding is the life blood of many arts organizations in the state of Minnesota.

    We will use the funds from this grant to partially underwrite Vintage Band Festival 2026 taking place July 30-August 2, 2026. Specifically, we will tell the story of military and ceremonial bands in the United States from the 19th century to the present day. There will be reenactor bands from the Civil War period, the late 19th century American town band period, World War I, and contemporary military and ceremonial bands represented.

    2026 will be the 20th anniversary of Vintage Band Festival as well as the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. We intend to focus the festival programming on each of these milestone dates.