Photo courtesy of Sock Hop Soda Shop
Though community bands in Westerville have almost 150 years of history, and the current iteration has been in existence since 1989, one of its most popular traditions is relatively new.
The Westerville Community Concert Band’s Community Band Festival, known informally as “Westival,” is slated for noon-9 p.m. June 10 at Alum Creek Park. This is only the third year of the festival, but it has swiftly become a community favorite.
The event features a long line-up of band performances, as well as local art vendors and a wide variety of food.
Prior to 2015, band festivals had been held in Westerville sporadically. The notion of turning into a regular occurrence didn’t come up until 2014, when Music Director Larry Klabunde – who had just taken up the baton after the retirement of Richard Suddendorf – collaborated with band board member Larry Loeffert to organize an event with staying power.
Photo courtesy of Sock Hop Soda Shop
Ensembles that serve as their cities’ bands, the way Westerville’s does, fill out the bill for this third annual happening.
“Music enriches relationships in general, and to be able to appreciate what is going on in other communities and support one another, that’s really important,” says Klabunde. “We encourage folks to make to a day of it all.”
Nine bands are on the bill June 10, with some of the most faraway hailing from Lancaster and Circleville. The Westerville Concert Band is the final performer, planning songs from classic Disney movies, intricate solos and “The Stars and Stripes Forever.”
“Music bridges what may be perceived as barriers between the generations,” says Klabunde. “Music actually unites us.”
Smaller ensembles will play throughout the park between sets to ensure the music never stops.
“I think the atmosphere is spectacular,” says Klabunde. “And I do think this is really important to the quality of life we enjoy here in central Ohio.”
Hungry?
For food, four food trucks will be on site, including Schmidt’s Sausage Truck and Sock Hop Soda Shop. Food and visual arts vendors are being coordinated by the Arts Council of Westerville.
“People enjoy the variety,” says Arts Council board member Stephanie Henderson. “We chose food trucks because they’re self-contained, and the quality of food and the food experience is so great.”
The 1950s-themed Sock Hop has a few hot entrees on its standard menu – chili dogs, fried bologna and the like – but it’s bringing its dessert menu to the festival. That means a huge menu of ice cream flavors from Velvet Ice Cream, as well as novelties such as ice cream sandwiches, ice cream bars and popsicles.
Photo courtesy of Sock Hop Soda Shop
To contribute to the atmosphere, the truck’s soda jerks set up shop in front of the truck, rather than serving from inside. When not directly serving customers, they’ll dance to jukebox music, use hula hoops and find other ways of entertaining visitors.
“We’re ’50s enthusiasts; the clothes, the music, the lifestyle, the food, the whole era,” says founder Terri Levine. “I can take my ’50s mobile diner and I can put it wherever it needs to be. … I like to find the fun and go.”
Among Sock Hop’s most popular items are its root beer floats, made with Frostop root beer.
“In the 1950s, if you asked someone for the best root beer they served, you got a Frostop,” says Sock Hop chef and soda jerk Andy Marks. “We are very, very careful about every single ingredient. If you’re going to make the very best ’50s-style root beer float, then you’re going to have to use the very best ’50s-style root beer. And that’s Frostop.”
Locally Minded Root Beer Float
Photo courtesy of Sock Hop Soda Shop
Inspired by Sock Hop Soda Shop and AllRecipes.com
Ingredients
- ½ pint Velvet Original Vanilla ice cream
- 12 oz. Frostop root beer
- ½ cup whipped cream
- 4 maraschino cherries
Instructions
Divide half of ice cream between two tall glasses, and slowly pour 3 oz. root beer over each scoop. Divide remaining ice cream between glasses again and repeat.
Top each glass with whipped cream, then cherries. Serve.
Lydia Freudenberg is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
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