Air Force Band of Flight show coming to courthouse lawn
Not only do the nation’s armed forces serve and protect freedom, but also they have other talents. Those gifts will be on display during the upcoming United States Air Force Band of Flight performance in Millersburg on Aug. 17.
An evening of music will take place this August, one that will hopefully serve as an inspiring evening featuring plenty of talent from one of the nation’s armed forces.
The Millersburg Lions Club will host a free concert featuring the United States Air Force Band of Flight on Aug. 17 at 7 p.m. on the courthouse lawn.
The evening will begin at 5:30 p.m. with the Blue Moon Bistro food truck providing sandwiches and Twisted Cow Creamery providing dessert for all the ice cream lovers. The event is free to attend, and the Lions Club members are asking all who come to bring lawn chairs or blankets.
“In the past we sponsored the 122nd Army National Guard Band for two years, and the Air Force Ensemble performed a couple years ago,” member Sue Dye said. “This is a larger group of Air Force members playing various music and singing various songs.”
The United States Air Force Band of Flight, stationed at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, is a 17-member organization and features two musical component groups. Flight One is the popular-music group, and Spirit of Freedom is a brass ensemble with a percussionist and vocalist. Periodically, these groups combine to form the expanded Band of Flight.
The Air Force Band of Flight presents more than 250 performances annually, providing music for official military functions and ceremonies, civic events, and public concerts.
Under the command of Lt. Col. Amy Justus and the direction of Sgt. David McCormick, the band supports functions for the 88th Air Base Wing, Air Force Material Command and the state of Ohio.
As one of 10 active-duty Air Force and five Air National Guard bands, the Band of Flight is committed to supporting the mission and vision of the U.S. Air Force through its musical and military endeavors.
Dye said the Lions enjoy hosting this type of event in the downtown on the courthouse lawn because of the atmosphere it creates and because people enjoy hearing the music and walking down to see what’s going on.
She said several years ago, she approached her fellow members of the Lions Club and asked them what they thought about the idea of bringing in a patriotic band on an annual basis.
They agreed it would be great for the community.
“I try each year to get one of the military groups to come here to perform,” she said. “I think it is a great way to inspire people and get them to come downtown to enjoy our courthouse and grounds and enjoy great music and each other’s company.
“This is the first year for food trucks, and I am going to continue this each year that I get a band. The Lions Club and I thought it was a great way to show the love our community has for the military and what they do.”
She also said the Lions are grateful to the Holmes County Board of Commissioners and the courthouse grounds committee for allowing them to use the courthouse, as well as the Village of Millersburg for its help in allowing the Lions Club to use the alley behind the courthouse.