Burlington Teen Tour Band is Celebrating 70 Years

Burlington | Halton | Ontario | Latest News |

Published July 3, 2017 at 2:57 pm

They’re an award-winning, globe-trotting group of young musicians and they’re the pride of Burlington’s music scene.

They’re an award-winning, globe-trotting group of young musicians and they’re the pride of Burlington’s music scene.

Now the Burlington Teen Tour Band (BTTB) is being honoured with a week of festivities as it marks its 70th anniversary.

“From its landmark first concert back in December 1947, the Burlington Teen Tour Band has gone on to become one of the finest bands in Canada,” said director of parks and recreation Chris Glenn.

A flag-raising ceremony is taking place on Thursday at City Hall at 11 a.m.

Mayor Rick Goldring will be joined by band members, alumni and their families to officially proclaim July 3 to 9, 2017, as Burlington Teen Tour Band Week.

In addition, Tournament of Roses president Lance M. Tibbet will be presenting the city with the official Tournament of Roses flag.

The band has been chosen as one of 20 marching bands — and the only one from Canada — to participate in the prestigious Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California on Jan. 1, 2018.

Then, of course, the band will be performing at the Central Park Bandshell on July 9 at 7:30 p.m. as part of the weekly Concerts in the Park series.

The pier will be lit with band colours all week to celebrate BTTB’s seven decades of success.

“It has been an honour to be part of Burlington Teen Tour Band for the past 40 years,” said managing director Rob Bennett.

“I speak for all members when I say we are proud to call Burlington our hometown. We’ve performed around the world but nothing compares to marching in Burlington, for our community.”

DID YOU KNOW? 

  • BTTB is Canada’s oldest and largest youth marching band, comprised of 200 members, ages 13 to 21.
  • They practice twice weekly and perform all year, worldwide.
  • The band’s first rehearsal was in spring 1947 and its first performance was on Dec. 15, 1947 (back then it was called Burlington Boys and Girls Band).
  • The band won its first trophy in 1949 at Waterloo Music Festival.
  • The City of Burlington has been overseeing the band’s operations since Feb. 1, 1968. Since then, BTTB has been representing the city all over the world with pride.
  • The band has marched in parades and events around the globe, including the Grey Cup, Calgary Stampede, Main Street USA Parade in Disneyland, Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl, D-Day in France, Pearl Harbour in Hawaii, Oktoberfest in Kitchener, Liberation of the Netherlands, and much more.
  • The band has also won many awards, trophies and competitions, including Best Youth Band and Best Band at St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin, seven awards at the Strawberry Festival in West Virginia, and first place marching band in the Myrtle Beach St. Patrick’s Day parade in South Carolina.

Photo courtesy of the City of Burlington

 

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