Kingsbridge Silver Band was founded over 100 years ago in 1921 and has been playing ever since. This makes it one of the longest continuously-playing bands in the country since many bands had to stop during the wars. We weren’t (quite) stopped by Covid-19 in our Centenary year as the band still managed to play its traditional carols and Christmas music in the open air. There are lots of pictures of the band on Facebook and the band now has its own facebook page.
We are always looking for new members of any age or ability to keep this fine tradition going. We meet on Tuesday evenings in the band hut immediately to the left of Tesco in Kingsbridge. Please contact Neil Taylor if you would like to know more and/or are interested in joining the band. Kingsbridge Silver Band needs you!
As well as carol engagements at Christmas, indoors as well as outdoors, the Silver Band customarily plays for the glove hanging and floral dance during Kingsbridge Fair week in July; a summer open-air service at in the square outside Hope Cove Methodist Church; occasionally for Kingsbridge British Legion; in the bandstand at Kingsbridge (click to see some video); and at Kingsbridge’s Remembrance Sunday ceremony in November.
The band’s 2024 programme includes:
- Sunday 2 June: 1100-1200: Kingsbridge Music Festival near the bandstand on Kingsbridge quay
- Thursday 6 June: 2000-2045: Marches for D Day procession, Salcombe
- Sunday 21 July: 1415-1500: Concert on the bandstand, Kingsbridge
- Wednesday 24 July: 1830-1900: Glove hanging ceremony and floral dance, Kingsbridge Fore Street
- Sunday 11 August: 1200-1230 and 1330-1400: Love your Park, Kingsbridge, opposite cenotaph
- Sunday 14 July: Sea Service, outside Hope Cove Methodist church: 1745 (for 1800)
- Sunday 10 November: Remembrance Day ceremony, Kingsbridge.
The band’s traditional Christmas carol engagements for 2024 are:
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- Saturday 30 November 2024: 1100-1300; Peacocks and Fore Street*
- Saturday 7 December 2024: Kingsbridge celebrates Christmas: 0950 Ferry steps to greet Santa; 1030-1030hrs outside Peacocks; 1100-1130hrs outside car park entrance in Fore Street
- Tuesday 10 December 2024: 1345-1420 outside Quay Court and 1430-1515 outside Kahala Court old people’s homes
- Thursday 12 December 2024: 1930-2100; British Legion Mill Club, Kingsbridge
- Saturday 14 December 2024: 1100-1300; Peacocks and Fore Street*
- Wednesday 18 December 2024: 1830hrs: South Pool Nativity Play, Millbrook Inn
- Friday 20 December 2024: 1800-1900hrs: Kingsbridge: Carols on the Quay
- Saturday 21 December 2024: 1100-1300; Peacocks and Fore Street*
- Sunday 22 December 2024: 1800-1930hrs: Sloop Inn, Bantham
- Tuesday 24 December 2024:1100-1300hrs: Carols in Kingsbridge: Fore Street*
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- *When the band plays in Kingsbridge Fore Street, it starts at Peacocks at 1100hrs and moves up Fore Street, finishing near Tesco at around 1300hrs.
Here is the band playing in the rain for the floral dance at Kingsbridge in July 2017 – as you can also see from this link to the Kingsbridge Gazette. And there’s another (exclusive!) video here.