The Karl L. King Municipal Band, conducted by Jerrold P. Jimmerson, will perform its annual Independence Day concert on Sunday. Concert time is 7:30 p.m. at the Karl L. King Band Shell in Oleson Park. There is no admission charge, courtesy of the City of Fort Dodge. The Good Shepherd Lutheran Church from Fort Dodge will again be selling homemade ice cream and cake before and during the concert.

Conductor Jimmerson says, “With July 4th being on Thursday this year, I think people will be enjoying a long weekend break. What a great way to wrap up the holiday weekend with a band concert of familiar patriotic music to celebrate our country’s independence.” Also assisting with this concert is Dan Cassady, assistant conductor, and Paul Bloomquist, announcer.

Marches on the evening program include Henry Fillmore’s “Americans We,” along with former conductor W.B. Green’s march, “Flying With the Colors,” and Karl L. King’s 1909 march, “T.M.B. (Thayer Military Band).” King’s exciting circus galop, “Majestic,” is also on the program.

This concert will represent many familiar and well-known traditional American songs to celebrate the holiday, including Ohio composer Kenny Bierschenk’s medley, “Let Freedom Ring!,” which traces the musical history of the United States, along with Morton Gould’s exciting “American Salute,” based on “When Johnny Comes Marching Home Again.”

Trumpet soloist Tim Miller from Humboldt will delight those in attendance with Leroy Anderson’s “A Trumpeter’s Lullaby,” and then be joined in an audience favorite with Anderson’s “Bugler’s Holiday,” featuring a trumpet trio of Miller, David Swaroff from Belmond, and Amaia Walsh-Levi from Fort Dodge. “It just wouldn’t be a summer concert without hearing this band standard!” says Jimmerson.

On the lighter side will be Vincent Youmans’ “Hallelujah!” from his hit musical “Hit the Deck,” along with an Irving Berlin’s classic, “God Bless America.” This concert also includes “American Riversongs,” a medley of favorites from an earlier time in our history, when the rivers and waterways were the lifelines of our growing nation.

Members of our Armed Forces will be recognized with a medley of songs representing five branches of military service in the “Armed Forces Salute.” These brave men and women, past and present, insure that all Americans enjoy the rights and freedoms that our forefathers fought for and established centuries ago.

Closing this concert of patriotic music will be our national march, “The Stars and Stripes Forever” by John Philip Sousa, along with our national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” which should give each audience member a renewed sense of patriotism.

Persons attending this Sunday’s concert are encouraged to bring small American flags to wave at appropriate times during the concert. Persons are reminded to bring their own lawn chairs, blankets, etc., since there is no public seating available.

In case of inclement weather, the concert may be canceled at the starting time. Any announcements will be made on the band’s Facebook page for the Karl L. King Municipal Band at https://www.facebook.com/karlkingband/.