On Sunday, Nov. 19, the Ringgold Band will present a concert at the historic Abraham Lincoln in celebration of the 275th Anniversary of the City of Reading. The band will play from 3-5 p.m. The concert is free and open to the community thanks to Schuman Development Group, Abraham Lincoln Events, and 275th Anniversary Sponsors.
The Ringgold Band based in Berks County is one of America’s oldest bands dating back to 1852. Their history is tied to the Abraham Lincoln through John Philip Sousa who was a composer and conductor in the late 19th Century and early 20th Century. In March 1932, John Philip Sousa was to be a guest conductor for the Ringgold Band’s 80th Anniversary Concert. The night before the concert he rehearsed “The Stars and Stripes Forever” with the band and attended a banquet. After the banquet, he retired to his room at the then-Abraham Lincoln Hotel, where he passed that night from a fatal heart attack. In tribute to the greatest march king of all time and his connection to Reading, the Ringgold Band will play many of Sousa’s pieces at the concert on Nov. 19.
Celebrations for the 275th Anniversary are made possible through the support of generous sponsors: Customers Bank, Penske, Carpenter Technology, Visions Federal Credit Union, The Stevens and Lee Companies, Alvernia University, Tompkins Bank, Berks History Center, and Greater Reading Chamber Alliance.
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