Come join the fun!

The McCartysville all-volunteer band (a.k.a. The Village Band, The July 4th Band, The Pick-Up-And-Play-Band) is recruited anew every year to serve our community with live instrumental music at Saratoga's annual Independence Day celebration. We comprise woodwinds, brasswinds, and percussionists who represent a broad range of musical capability and age & life experience, and unify around observing our nation's founding, delighting the audience, and striving to inspire the attending youth to play a musical instrument.

It's fun and rewarding to play music for an appreciative audience. Come join this year's band or attend the event and join us next year!

This page updated June 18, 2024

MccartysvIlle Volunteer band

www.villageband.com

Our Vision

History

In his own words . . .

Jack Mallory, on creating the Saratoga July 4th Observance:

 "My vision was to:

1. Celebrate the birthday of our nation

2. Provide a patriotic program for our families

3. Invite participation by our families by singing and then marching in the parade and singing

4. Bring our diverse community together to celebrate our unity as a nation; our founding and our freedoms"

The McCartysville Volunteer Band's History:

2003 - Jack Mallory's Independence Day Liberty Bell ringing event has outgrown his driveway, and he moves it to the nearby, newly-formed Azule Park. Almost 250 people enjoy patriotic songs sung by Japanese and Korean choirs, and marvel at a masterful solo handbell performance.

2004 - The event has grown, and Tadashi & Sarah Okuno, who have attended both years with their young children, wonder whether anyone has considered providing live instrumental music . . . 

2005 - Dale Walter & Tadashi Okuno bootstrap a tiny band with borrowed music and a few paid ringers accompanied by a small handful of instrument-capable family & friends, lots of time, energy & stress, and an 11th-hour crash cymbals purchase.

2006 - Dale moves away, so Tadashi launches villageband.com, and 24 musicians endure our first Sousa-thon.

2008 - 40 musicians salute the veterans with an armed forces medley.

2009 - 60 musicians wake up the neighborhood.

2010 - The band enjoys double shade canopies in newly-opened Kevin Moran Park

2011 - professional amplification ensures a music-filled parade

2012 - Our first performance of Bugler's Holiday along with a trombone section feature to delight the audience

2013 - 9 french horns usher "American Overture" into the program along with "National Emblem"

2014 - prospective Ca State Assemblyman Chuck Page joins the tuba section to pound out "Them Basses" on his sousaphone

2019 - Anjali Kausar oversees a rousing celebration as new chair of the event

2020 - Anjali Kausar crafts a streamed virtual Independence Day event during the Covid shutdown

2021- The McCartysville Volunteer Band reassembles 115-strong to exuberantly perform a post-Covid, band-only Independence Day Celebration!

2022- The community celebrates the vision & guidance of founder Jack Mallory in a touching salute

2023- The audience accompanies the band in a rendition of Carmen Dragon's America the Beautiful

2024 - come join us for the 2024 Independence Day Celebration!