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from Nassau County and the Village of Freeport.

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2011 marks our 90th year
Firemen's Band History FCB: our current history

Freeport Fire Department Band

The Freeport Concert Band traces its roots back to the early 1900´s as the Freeport Fire Department Band. Bill Dayton organized the original band and led it for 50 years. This historical photograph is from Vince Galiani with Bill front and center.

Bill Dayton and the Freeport Fire Department Band

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Parade and Tourney of Southern NY Firemen

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. October 5, 1911, page 6 --- (newspaper link)

Parade held in Farmingdale, NY. The Freeport Fire Department Band was in the Third Division of the parade.

First public concert at Hempstead Lake State Park

The Hempstead Sentinel. August 23, 1928 (newspaper link)

Through the kindness of W. J. Dayton, conductor of the Freeport Fire Department Band, a public band concert will be given at Hempstead Lake State Park on Sunday afternoon, August 26th at 3:30 o´clock. This will be the first public band concert held in any of the Long Island State Parks.

Conductor Dayton has arranged the following attractive program with Frederick Eckhoff and William Tietzsch as soloists.

  • Star Spangled Banner
  • DeMolay Commandery [march by Hall]
  • Pretziosa [an overture by Skaggs]
  • Songs of the Old Folks [a selection by Lake]
  • Curlier Folks [a baritone solo performed by Frederick Eckhoff]
  • Cupid's Charms [a serenade by Miller]
  • Under the Double Eagle [a march by Wagner]
  • =intermission=
  • National Emblem [a march by Bangle]
  • Poet and Peasant [an overture by von Supped]
  • Wedding of the Winds [a selection by Hall]
  • Sweetest Story Ever Told [by Suzy, William Tietzsch, coronet soloist]
  • "Foxtrot" , "Waltz" [popular airs]
  • Home Sweet Home, the World Over [a fantasia by Lampe]
  • Stars and Strips Forever[a march by Sousa]
  • America]

Weekly concerts

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. July 10, 1929 (newspaper link)

Starting tonight, the Freeport Fire Department band will inaugurate its summer Wednesday night concerts from the bandstand on Brooklyn Ave. They will continue until Labor Day. The concerts are free. William Dayton will direct the band.

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Opening of Jones Beach

test it The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. July 25, 1929 (newspaper link)

Jones Beach is set to open August 4, 1929. After speeches by Governor Roosevelt and others, there will be a concert by the Freeport Fire Department Band.

Hundreds at Concert

test it The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. July 25, 1929 (newspaper link)

A return of real summer heat drew hundreds of persons into the open air last night for the Wednesday night concert given by the Freeport Fire Department Band at the Brooklyn Ave park.

Jones Beach Opens Sunday

Sea Cliff News. August 3, 1929 (newspaper link)

At the opening ceremony of Jones Beach State Park, the Freeport Firemen's Band will play from 1 to 2 pm and 3 to 4 pm. It is a 40-piece band.

Marching in Parade

Year 1932 (library link)

A photograph from the Freeport Memorial Library.

Southern New York Volunteer Firemen's Association Parade in Roosevelt, NY

June 16, 1932 (library link)

A photograph from the Freeport Memorial Library.

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Malverne Holds a Band concert to aid the needy

Brooklyn Daily Eagle. August 28, 1932 (newspaper link)

Another series of band concerts [is] being sponsored by Post 44, American Legion…

William J. Dayton directed the Freeport Fire Department Band in the following program:

  • Star Spangled Banner
  • Royal Trumpeters [a march by Settzer]
  • Poet and Peasant [an overture by von Suppe]
  • Honeysuckle Polka [by Losey, cornet solo by Nicholas Farrell]
  • Largo Al Factotum [Cavatina from "Il Barbiere Di Siviglia" by Rossini]
  • Adelaide [a waltz by Carlton]
  • Canton Aero Club [a march by King]
  • Royal Pageant [an overture by Barnard]
  • Amapola [a Spanish song by Lacalle]
  • For You Alone [popular airs by Goehl]
  • Home Sweet Home, the World Over [a fantasia by Lampe]
  • Maria, Mari and O Sole Mio [Neapolitan Songs by Di Capua]
  • 18th Regiment [a march by Suetz]
  • America

In a collection taken during the concert, $35 was raised for the needy of the village.

Parade in Greenport, NY

Year 1933 (library link)

A photograph from the Freeport Memorial Library.

Opening of State Boat Channel

The Suffolk County News, Sayville, NY. June 8, 1934 (newspaper link)(newspaper link)

The new State Boat channel, opening a 17-mile waterway 15 feet deep from Reynolds Channel to Fire Island Inlet, was formally opened on Saturday by the Long Island State Park Commission… The Freeport Fire Department Band furnished music.

Freeport Has Concert

The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. Sunday, July 12, 1936 (newspaper link)(newspaper link)

Several hundred persons attended the first of a series of semi-monthly concerts last night given by the Freeport Fire Department Band from the bandstand on Brooklyn Ave. The band was directed by Nicholas Farrell, and the program consisted of ten numbers, mostly marches and overtures, as well as a number of encores.

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Freeport Fire Department Band to Give Concert Here

The Hempstead Sentinel. Thursday, August 5, 1937 (newspaper link)(newspaper link)

Hempstead Village Board has approved of a request of the Hempstead Fire Department Council to hold a concert in Fulton Park, on Friday night, August 13, by the Freeport Fire Department Band.

Band Concert in Fulton Park on Friday Evening

The Hempstead Sentinel. Thursday, August 19, 1937 (newspaper link)

The Freeport Fire Department Band, rated as one of the state's best fire department musical organizations, will give a public concert in Fulton Park this Friday Evening. The concert, which has been arranged by Hempstead Fire Department officials, will consist of a varied program of selections.

Fire Band Concert

The Long Island Daily Press. August 21, 1937 (newspaper link)

More than 800 attended a concert by the Freeport Fire Department Band last night in Fulton Park.

A program of light, classical and martial numbers was presented. The Freeport band, recognized as one the of peak vamp musical organizations on Long Island…

Summer Concerts

Newsday. June 1, 1951 (newspaper link)

A series of three summer concerts, sponsored by the Freeport Park Commission, will be offered local residents with the first set for Friday night (22nd) at 8:30 o'clock at Randall Park. Music will be played by the Freeport Fire Department Band which will provide a varied program. Guest artists will be a feature of the series.

At the Long Island Fair

Newsday. Oct 7, 1972 (newspaper link)

The Long Island fair was held at the Old Bethpage Village restoration. The Freeport Fire Department Band played at 11:30am.

If you find any more articles about the Freeport Firemen's Band or The Freeport Volunteer Firemen's Band, please write to us.

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