People from all over gather for the `world's greatest' festival

By BRENDA S. EDWARDS
Staff Writer

Visitors from all over head for Danville in June for the Great American Band Festival. They make their reservations early - sometimes a year in advance - and anxiously await for the bands to strike up for a two-day festival that features free concerts throughout both days and evenings.

Ron Tempkin of Los Angeles would not miss the festival even for a family reunion in his hometown, and Richard Steele of Fort Scott, Kan., thinks it's the ``greatest.''

For the past three years, the festival has drawn people from all 50 states. The number of countries has been 20 to 25.

Tempkin has only missed two festivals, and Steele has missed one and that was because he did not know about it.

Tempkin missed the first one, and the one last year because he thought it was on Father's Day.

``We always celebrate Father's Day at the festival. That's how I missed it last year. I got confused on the dates,'' said 59-year-old Tempkin, a certified public accountant and Realtor.

Tempkin found out about the festival through one of his daughters that was working for a tourist agency in Washington, D.C.

``She knows I love Dixie and brass band music. ``I came alone to my first festival. This year I'm bringing my daughters, a future son-in-law and his parents from Ohio,'' he said.

``I've been to other jazz festivals, but none are done as well as this one and none are free,'' said Tempkin. ``We think if we pay for something, it will be done more professional, but George (Foreman) does a fabulous job.''

Tempkin's love for music is his second love after travel. ``The Brass Band festival offers me both. I like the variety of music best, the casual atmosphere and setting on the grass.''

He doesn't take any chances of not having a chair either, he ships them from home a week before, then returns them after the fest. He also brings his ice chest and refreshments.

``I don't let 2,000 miles get me down, although I just come for the weekend,'' Tempkin said.

On his return trip home, Tempkin is loaded down with a dozen T-shirts and about that many compact discs for him and his daughters, Natalie and Brenda, to enjoy all year.

Tempkin is one of those diehard fans. ``Nothing deters us even though it has rained a couple of times,'' he said.

Tempkin finds Danville as ``something unique. We've made real nice friends there we see year after year.''

Betty Steele of Fort Scott, Kan., used to work for George Foreman. Her husband, Richard, read about the Band Festival in a magazine the second year it was held and they've been coming ever since.

``It sure turns me on,'' said 83-year-old Richard Steele, a former high school band director, who lives on a small cattle ranch.

He especially likes the period instruments during the Civil War era. He started playing a horn in a town band when he was 8 years old. ``This brings back memories, especially the workshop the day before the festival. I keep wondering when they're going to run out of material, but they come up with something different each year.''

Steele said he is a ``nut on brass'' and for the past two years, he's been in London, England, for the national finals for brass bands at Royal Albert Hall where as many as 20 bands are playing the same piece at the same time.

``But they aren't as good as the ones in Danville,'' he said.

When the Steeles come to town, they attend all the festivities - the balloon race, workshop and all the concerts.

``It's the world's greatest,'' said Steele.