CHESTERTOWN — The band is getting back together.
Formed last year for what initially was publicized as a “one and done” performance to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the 1774 Chestertown Tea Party, the Delmarva United Marching Band has committed to four performances in 2025, according to drum major extraordinaire Mark Mumford.
The first rehearsal is 6 p.m. Sunday, March 23 in the Emmanuel Episcopal Church hall, 101 N. Cross St. in downtown Chestertown.
There will be three additional practices — all at 6 p.m. on Sundays in the church hall — leading up to the Tea Party Festival parade on May 24.
In a telephone interview Wednesday, Mumford talked about how the plan at first in the spring of 2024 was to gather together a group of baton twirlers and musicians for what he in jest was calling “the dumb band,” because of the DUMB acronym, to perform only at the Tea Party Festival.
“At the end of our four practices last spring I started getting calls and questions about why is this only a ‘one and done?'” Mumford told The Evening Enterprise in the phone interview.
“So after the parade as we were packing up, I asked for a show of hands from people who did not want to be ‘one and done.’ And 75% to 80% of the people raised their hands,” Mumford said.
The band went on to perform three more times in 2024, and will follow that schedule this year with performances at the Tea Party parade, the Rock Hall July 4 parade, Betterton Day parade in August and the Chestertown Lions Club Halloween parade that coincides with Sultana’s Downrigging Weekend on Nov. 1.
This has been made possible by the continued support of Kent Cultural Alliance, according to Mumford.
There have been a few upgrades, he said, including the acquisition of a marching bass drum and a pair of marching cymbals and the “permanent loan” of a sousaphone. Plus, the band has five complete scores of music, up from just two last year.
Some things have not changed.
Mark Crossley returns as director and the music will be “all traditional [John Philip] Sousa,” with “The Washington Post March” as the signature piece.
Anyone interested in being a part of the Delmarva United Marching Band — as a member of the color guard, banner carrier, majorette or musician — can email Mumford at drummajormark@aol.com, call Mumford at 410-778-0022 or just show up at the first practice. New members are welcome.
Emmanuel Church is located at the corner of Cross Street and Monument Plaza across from Fountain Park.
The remaining rehearsal dates are Sundays, April 6, April 27 and May 4.
