Dr. Glen Brumbach and the Temple Symphony Band will present Summer Concert, a selection of Americana music, at Temple College on June 22. David Stone photo
Temple Symphony Band to present patriotic concert
DAVID STONE | OUR TOWN TEMPLE
The Temple Symphonic Band will present its annual Summer Concert — an evening of patriotic music to kick off Freedom season in Central Texas — on June 22 at the Mary Alice Marshall Performing Arts Center.
The concert begins at 7:30 p.m., and admission is $5 for adults and free for students. Proceeds benefit the Temple College Scholarship Fund.
The band — under the direction of Dr. Glen Brumbach — is a collection of about 55 music students from Temple College and Texas A&M Central Texas, along with several high school performers, local band directors and community members.
Brumbach serves as an assistant professor of music at Texas A&M Central Texas, where he teaches applied trumpet, music history, conducting, music education and brass methods classes. He also serves as Temple College’s applied trumpet instructor.
“I also teach a conducting class, and some of my students and alumni from my class will be conducting some of the tunes at the Summer Concert,” Brumbach said. “They are excited to show what they can do.”
“The Temple Symphonic Band has been around since the 1990s, and it has been a collaboration of the two colleges since 2015,” he said.
With the Fourth of July right around the corner, the concert will feature a selection of Americana music.
“We’ll be playing El Capitan because we have to have a John Sousa march,” laughed Brumbach. “We’ll also play American Barndance, Shenandoah and Great Locomotive Chase since Temple has such a strong railroad history.”
The highlights of the concert likely will include The Tall Ships, a patriotic song written for the US Bicentennial Celebration in 1976, and music from Star Trek.
“Hey, what’s more American than that,” he said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
Grupo Pression, a popular Tejano band from the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, will return to the Belton Street Party stage on June 24 to help kick off the city’s Fourth of July celebration.
Dancin’ in the street
3 bands to kick off annual celebration with Belton Street Party on June 24
DAVID STONE | OUR TOWN TEMPLE
Three popular bands, food trucks, craft beer and wine and family-friendly activities will highlight this year’s Belton Street Party, the first event in the city’s annual Fourth of July celebration.
The party, now in its fourth year, will be held at Courthouse Square in downtown Belton on June 24. The music cranks up at 5:30 p.m.
“This is the big kickoff for our annual celebrations,” said Katherine Mutchler of the Belton Chamber of Commerce. “It’s a great time for the community to get together, celebrate our country and have some fun.”
Bringing a variety of danceable music to downtown Belton will be Grupo Pression, Kenny Orts & No Chance, and the Leon River Band. Bring those lawn chairs and dancing shoes.
Arlington-based Grupo Pression is a Tejano band that was nominated for the best Tejano Group of the Year at the All-Star Music Awards. Kenny Orts & No Chance is an in-demand country dance band that frequently performs at Bo’’s Barn and other dancehalls across Texas.
Formed in 2003, the Leon River Band keeps dance floors lively with classic rock and country by artists such as the Eagles, the Doobie Brothers, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Heart, Fleetwood Mac, George Strait, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings.
The Belton Street Party is the first of more than a week of festive, patriotic fun in the Bell County seat. The city also will host the PRCA Rodeo on July 1-3 and several events on July 4, including a morning service, a parade, the annual hot dog eating contests, fireworks and live music.
BELTON CELEBRATES
It’s the granddaddy of Central Texas Fourth of July celebrations and it starts June 24 with a Street Party near the Courthouse in downtown Belton. Music starts at 5:30 p.m., the event will feature performances by Grupo Pression, Kenny Orts & No Chance, and the Leon River Band.
The annual PRCA Rodeo will be July 1-3 at the Bell County Expo Center, featuring top cowboys and cowgirls. The action starts at 7 p.m. each night.
A full day of fun is planned for Independence Day, starting with a Patriotic Program at the Courthouse starting at 8 a.m.
The Fourth of July Parade begins at 9 a.m., following a route from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (10th Avenue & Main Street) to the Police Memorial on Birdwell Street.
The High 5 Hot Dog Eating Contest, aka The Chowdown at High Noon, will be one of the featured events at the Festival on Nolan Creek, which will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Yettie Polk Park.
The band Sprung will take to the outdoor stage at 7 p.m. at Schoepf’s BBQ Backyard Party. Gates open at 6 p.m. Fireworks will follow the show.
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Jehovah’s Witness event returning to Expo Center
DAVID STONE | OUR TOWN TEMPLE
The Bell County Expo Center will welcome back one of its largest convention customers on July 7 after a four-year pandemic pause
Prior to 2019, summers in Belton were marked by Jehovah’s Witnesses filling hotels and restaurants as they attended annual conventions at the Expo Center. In 2020, the pandemic interrupted that tradition and the church cancelled in-person events around the world and held programs virtually.
“We loved being able to have virtual conventions during the pandemic years in order to keep communities safe, but we also fest something vital was missing,” said Noe Moreno, spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “Gathering together in person at our large conventions has always been a distinctive part of our worship and we are so excited to be back enjoying our fellowship. It will be an unforgettable experience.”
Some 6,000 conventions will be held worldwide as part of the 2023 “Exercise Patience”! Convention series. In the United States alone, more than 700 conventions will be held in 144 host cities. From Friday through Sunday, six convention sessions will explore the quality of patience, highlighting its modern-day relevance through Scriptural examples.
A live baptism will be performed following the Saturday morning session and a prerecorded drama will be featured in two parts during the Saturday and Sunday afternoon sessions.
“Patience is an essential quality that all Christians desire to have. However, maintaining patience is a real challenge, especially in these difficult times we live in,” said Moreno. “Spending three days receiving spiritual education on how we can be more patient at home, at work and in our daily lives will be something very timely for all of us.”
Jehovah’s Witnesses have been holding public conventions in stadiums, arenas, convention centers, and theaters around the world for more than 100 years. After resuming smaller in-person meetings and their public ministry during 2022, the summer of 2023 marks the first time they will gather at much larger regional events around the world since the lifting of pandemic restrictions.
The Belton convention is open to the public, Moreno said.
Awkward Family Photos exhibit opens June 30
DAVID STONE | OUR TOWN TEMPLE
More than 200 cringe-worthy photos will be on display beginning June 30 as a new exhibit opens at Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum.
Awkward Family Photos will be the museum’s featured exhibit through Sept. 1.
“It’s going to be a fun and completely silly exhibit,” said Angela Martin, curator of the museum. “Why not? It’s almost summertime, and this is an exhibit we could bring to the community that people likely won’t see elsewhere.”
Get ready for leisure suits, beehive hairdoos and crazy photo juxtapositions that will leave you in stitches.
Each photo will be accompanied by behind-the-scenes stories behind the art. The exhibit features images from the popular Awkward Family Photos website and book series full of strange portraits, vacation snaps, inappropriate wedding pics and clumsy pet shots.
The Temple Railroad Museum is located inside the Santa Fe Depot, 315 W. Avenue B. Exhibits are open for viewing from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.