Cape Girardeau Municipal Band season opens Wednesday night at Capaha Park

The Cape Girardeau Municipal Band’s season opens Wednesday at the Dan Cotner Amphitheatre in Capaha Park, and band director Neil Casey said he’s excited to bring a bit of normalcy to Cape Girardeau’s summer nights.

“We have a long-standing place in the summertime of Cape Girardeau,” Casey said, noting the band has existed since the early 1900s, and has been under city sponsorship since the 1920s. At one time, the band practiced in the Common Pleas Courthouse, he said, and performed in the gazebo on the lawn.

As the band grew, so did audiences, and in the 1950s, the municipal band relocated to “way on the edge of town then,” to Capaha Park, where the band’s season will take place next month.

The 2020 season was delayed due to COVID-19, and will be held every Wednesday night in July, Casey said. The band will also perform at the July 4 celebration at Arena Park.

Normally, the season has 10 performances in June and July, and while the season will be shorter than that, Casey said he’s pleased to have the performances in July.

About 40 to 45 members are in the band this year, ranging in age from teenagers to those in their 80s.

“That’s one of my favorite things about the band: Many generations are in there, coming together for the common purposes of making music and having a good time,” Casey said.

“We would love to see whatever crowd we get,” Casey added. “People can socially distance as much as needed. We have plenty of room, and hopefully beautiful weather for a great night of music.”

Wednesday’s season opener concert’s theme is “America the Beautiful.”

The Cape Girardeau Municipal Band will play beginning at 7:30 p.m. every Wednesday night in July at the Dan Cotner Amphitheatre in Capaha Park, near the corner of Broadway and Perry Avenue in Cape Girardeau. Admission is free. Bring seating and refreshments. More information is at www.cityofcape.org/parks or by calling (573) 339-6340. Weather updates will be posted on the band’s Facebook page @CapeMunicipalBand.