Wednesday evening the sounds of patriotic melodies mingled in

the air with the scents of blooming flowers at Reiman

Gardens.

Almost 1,500 people came to hear the Ames Municipal Band’s

annual Independence Day concert.

The program lasted from 7 to 8:15 p.m. Conductor Homer Gartz

said he planned to finish before sunset since Reiman Gardens

does not have lighting that would allow the 55-member band to

read music after dark.

Gartz said he was delighted with the large crowd and the new

concert location.

In the past years the concerts were held in Brookside Park in

conjunction with the Jaycees’ Spark the Spirit festival, he said.

Delores Oliver of Ames has been attending these concerts for over

30 years.

“I think [the concert] was fantastic,” she said. She also said that

each year she sees more young people joining the mainly

older-aged crowd.

Sisters Hannah and Danielle Walsh of Rockford, Ill., made up part

of this younger crowd. The girls came to Ames to celebrate

Independence Day with their grandparents.

Their grandfather, David Ashby, plays trumpet in the band.

“I liked when we sang `The Star-Spangled Banner,'” said

eight-year-old Hannah.

“It was fun walking through the garden and hearing the band play,”

said six-year-old Danielle.

Both girls said they enjoyed hearing Kay Kracher of Ames singing

selections from “The Phantom of the Opera” with the band and

eating ice cream.

After a pre-concert show by the German Band, listeners were

treated to a mix of patriotic tunes and festive summer music.

“America the Beautiful,” “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “The Civil

War Medley” were several of the holiday favorites played.

Gartz said he also chose summer-oriented music for the show,

including Karl King marches and George Gershwin’s “American in

Paris.”

The trombone section, with their instruments decorated with

American flags, was featured in “Lassus Trombone.”

Gartz has directed the band for 24 years.

He said the only time a concert was canceled was in the early

1990s because of flooding.

He said the band has consistently had Fourth of July concerts in

conjunction with fireworks since the 1970s.

“Each and every concert is very special and it gives people a

chance to reflect on their history, their past and to enjoy what they

have in the present,” Gartz said.