The Branford Town Band is a staple of holiday parades and a vital part of the fireworks celebration at Branford Point. But when did the band get started? Band member Steven Vacca challenged us to see how many Branford Patch readers could come up with the answer.
While I was poking around pulling research (with the help of the reference department at the ), I got this fantastic photo from Branford Patch blogger . Taken between 1915 and 1920, it shows members of the Branford Italian Band, including Raiola's grandfather Ferdinando, who had immigrated to the U.S. in 1907. (That's him with the piccolo in the second row.) That added to the question: was the Branford Town Band once the Branford Italian Band? Might they have been contemporaries? Or did this band of immigrants precede our town band as a parade troop?
While I track down some of these answers, I'd love your help! What do you know about the Branford Town Band?
