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 each November.
The band’s 2024 programme includes:
- Sunday 2 June: 1200-1300: Kingsbridge Music Festival on the bandstand by Kingsbridge quay
- Thursday 6 June: 2000-2045 (tbc): Marches for D Day procession, Salcombe
- Sunday 21 July: 1300-1400 (tbc): 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 10 November: Remembrance Day ceremony, Kingsbridge (tbc).
The band’s traditional Christmas carol engagements are likely to be similar to the band’s programme for 2023 which was:
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- Saturday 2 December 2023: Kingsbridge celebrates Christmas:
1030-1100hrs in the Town Square; 1115-1145hrs near the Anchor Centre - Saturday 9 December 2023: 1100-1300hrs: Carols in Kingsbridge: Fore Street*
- Sunday 10 Decembe 2023: 1800hrs: The Anchor Inn, Ugborough
- Wednesday 13 December 2023: 1900hrs: British Legion, Mill Club, Kingsbridge
- Friday 15 December 2023: 1800-1900hrs: Kingsbridge: Carols on the Quay
- Saturday 16 December 2023: 1100-1300hrs: Carols in Kingsbridge: Fore Street*
- Sunday 17 December 2023: 1900-2030hrs: Sloop Inn, Bantham
- Tuesday 19 December 2023: 1830-1930hrs: Carols for Rotary/RNLI, Whitestrand, Salcombe
- Wednesday 20 December 2023: 1830hrs: South Pool Nativity Play, Millbrook Inn (revised time)
- Saturday 23 December 2023: 1100-1300hrs: Carols in Kingsbridge: Fore Street*
- Sunday 24 December 2023:1100-1300hrs: Carols in Kingsbridge: Fore Street*
- Saturday 2 December 2023: Kingsbridge celebrates Christmas:
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- *When the band played in Kingsbridge Fore Street, it started at Peacocks at 1100hrs
and moved up Fore Street, finishing near Tesco at around 1300hrs.
- *When the band played in Kingsbridge Fore Street, it started at Peacocks at 1100hrs
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.