Music and Dancing

NORTHVILLIANS,

Happy Post 4^th of July!  It was outstanding to see everyone out for Northville’s parade on Monday and watch the P51 WWII Mustangs flying over giving us the patriotic salute.  Life is starting to get back to some normality.  We’re in the full swing of summer now and in Northville, that’s traditionally meant dancing in the streets & musical concerts to embrace the warm nights (similar to what is occurring today in our social district downtown). 

Let’s take a look at the dancing in the street & musical festivities in town through the years…

• Dating back to 1877, there was an article in the Northville Record about “Grand” concerts as part of a fundraising effort for the Opera House in town. Northville has a long history of being a summer destination, starting off around the 4^th of July. 
• Many stories from the 1800’s spoke about the Northville Community Band and its summer concerts downtown in the crow’s nest at Main & Center. Sometimes concerts were right on the streets, which would include Center St. by the Dancing Eye Gallery or Rebecca’s, or on Main Street by Starbucks across from The Early Bird Diner. Occasionally, the lawn of the American Legion was also the venue for concerts.
• As mentioned last week, street dances on Center & Main occurred from the 4^th of July weekend to Labor Day for the past 150 years. Cornmeal would actually be spread on the pavement to assist in the shuffling around for the dancers.
• In the early 1900’s, the City Council supported the street dances, which led to the completion of a section of brand-new pavement downtown in 1919. Naturally, this was commemorated with a dance.
• The Northville Recreation Department even got into the act by sponsoring square dances, and today “Tunes on Tuesday” for our youth is still part of their curriculum. Bealtown down by Northville Downs sponsored their own community street dance on Yerkes St. between Johnson & Gardner. All this was to celebrate brand new streets in that section of the Village in 1948.
• Every area in town seemed to participate in the Dancing. In 1951, Orchards Heights (right in front of where we live) on Eaton Dr. & Grandview had a street dance to honor the new graduates of Northville High School.  All in the community were invited.
• Similar to what’s happening today, an article in 1950 featured the summer concerts in downtown Northville, sponsored by the Presbyterian Church.
• Northville at one time was blessed to have both a Northville community band and a strong high school band that at times combined for concerts in town.  This included guest performances at the State Fair & other events in the area. A 1951 article spoke about the 65-member-strong combined orchestra.  Music has always been important to Northvillians!
• A 1997 Record article wrote that Northville had the reputation as folk music capital of the metro area, in part due to the efforts of a local music store called the “Gitfiddler.” The owner, Tom Rice, sponsored an annual musical festival at Ford Field for more than twenty years.  
• As we take note of our past musical history and see where we are today with Friday & Saturday music events every weekend (through October), we ready for a great future. Imagine the potential of musical events at the Marquis, similar to “The Ark” in Ann Arbor, and street music throughout the year…even dances in the streets again, my friends!

Embrace the summer and dance to the rhythm of the warm evening breezes…and remember, it’s not the destination that is important, it’s truly the journey.  Live life to the fullest and enjoy the musical happenings in our downtown social district. Invite your friends and family to experience what we all appreciate in this special town of ours.

Keep that Northville Musical Faith!

Brian Turnbull
Mayor – Northville
BTurnbull@ci.northville.mi.us / 248.505.6849

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