TWIN FALLS, Idaho — The year is 1905, and the infant city of Twin Falls, Idaho, decides its new park needs a touch of culture. That's when the Twin Falls Municipal Band was formed.
Now, 120 years later, that very same band is still performing in the same park.
With roots stretching back 120 years, the Twin Falls Municipal Band claims to be the longest-running municipal band west of the Mississippi River, although this claim has never been definitively verified.
WATCH: Twin Falls Municipal Band is back for 120th summer concert series.
“We’ve heard rumors of another band in the Midwest, but we’ve never been able to contact them, so we don’t know for sure. Until then, we believe we are the longest-running municipal band west of the Mississippi,” said Sandy Hacking, president of the Twin Falls Municipal Band.
Sandy Hacking has been the president of the 52-member band since 1990 and emphasizes the importance of blending tradition with what the community wants.
“We like to consider ourselves a band of tradition. We don’t use much amplification; the only amplified voice is our emcee’s. We play a little bit of everything—popular music, classical music, and a bit of jazz, and this year, we’re featuring some of our musicians with solo pieces,” Hacking added.
William Cook is a regular at the park and tries to attend as many shows as possible.
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“I’ve been in town for 15 years, and I’ve been coming to the concerts for just as long. It's something to do that supports the community,” said William Cook, a Twin Falls resident.
It’s not just locals enjoying the music; even visitors passing through the area get the chance to experience the band first-hand.
When asked about the band’s 120th year, Paula Broussard, visiting from Lafayette, Louisiana, said, “I think that's awesome! What a wonderful community.”
Hacking attributes the band’s longevity to the strong support from the community.
“I’m very happy that we have such a dedicated audience. We have the support of our city council and many people here in Twin Falls,” Hacking added.
If you want to see the Twin Falls Municipal Band in action, they perform every Thursday at 7:30 PM in the Twin Falls City Park until August 7th.
And the best part? It is completely free!
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
