HARWICH MA

HARWICH MA

Brook Park

Built - 1935

The Cape Cod town of Harwich is composed of 7 villages all rich with their own specific charm be it beautiful windswept white sand beaches, shopping centers, galleries or scenic harbors with the Winchmere Harbor in Harwich considered to be one of the most beautiful in the world. Harwich is one of the earliest European settlements on North American soil with the town still celebrating this heritage annually during the Harwich Cranberry Festival.

Many other special ceremonial events take place in or about Harwich and especially at Brook Park where their magnificent bandstand still stands after over 60 years of service to the community as of this writing. A number of Cape Cod towns have bandstands but none are as proud of their structure as the residents of Harwich. Their bandstand was built by the Kiwanis Club in 1935 when the town felt the need to showcase its own band along with others.

Their bandstand is octagonal in shape and has 4 separate floor levels so that the entire band playing can be seen at one time and mirrors the one in Chatham Common. The bandstand is located in Brooks Park as stated which is near the center of town and is a convenient location for all. The bandstand is the town's first one and is maintained very nicely by public funds as solicited by the Harwich Kiwanis Club with this being their pet project.

Since 1975, Tuesday evenings during the warmer months have been set aside for their band concerts where various local bands play with the headliner band being their own Harwich Town Band. Usually their concerts draw large crowds onto the spacious park and people have a custom of marching around the bandstand at the conductor's invitation midway through the concert which has been a regular feature during each concert.

INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY:

Mrs. Cynthia B. McGalliard, Secretary

Harwich Youth Department & Town Band