Calvin Coolidge was president, John F. Hylan was mayor, Adolf Hitler was a prisoner, George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” was the most popular song, and JFK International Airport didn’t exist in 1924, when the Forest Park Bandshell was established.
A lot has changed in the world since then — including the venue’s name as it is now the George Seuffert Sr. Bandshell — but free concerts still take place there over the summer. Plus, 538-acre Forest Park is still in the public domain, and citizens still go there to enjoy biking, bird-watching, golf, horse-riding, hiking, recreational sports, running, and walking.
The Bandshell Centennial Celebration is on Saturday, June 15.
The seven-hour event is set to start with a Carousel Street Naming at 11 am. Then, the famous merry-go-round will be free from noon to 3:30 pm.
A horse meet-and-greet, an FDNY smokehouse, an obstacle course, rock climbing, the three-in-one sports challenge, a bouncy house, an inflatable slide, and a craft table are also on the list. Plus, local makers will sell their products at an open market.
Starting at 3:30 pm, musicians from P.S. 97 and P.S. 254 will perform in the Seuffert Bandshell before Queens Symphony Orchestra plays patriotic tunes there at 5 pm. The guest conductor is George Seuffert Jr.’s granddaughter, Maria Seuffert Hagan.
The rain date is Saturday, June 22.
The Centennial Celebration’s sponsors are City Council Member Joann Ariola, City Council Member Robert Holden, The Forest Park Trust, The Woodhaven Cultural and Historical Society, and the Jamaica Rotary Club.
Editor’s note: The Seuffert Bandshell comes by its name honestly. George Seuffert Sr., who was born in Brooklyn to Bavarian immigrants, founded the Seuffert Band in 1898. (He also played violin.) His son, George Jr., took it over in 1931 and led it until retiring in 1945. (He played piano.) As the ensemble frequently offered free concerts in Forest Park, the bandshell was named after George Sr. in 1979. The Queens Symphony Orchestra continues the Seuffert tradition by giving a free concert in the bandshell every summer.
Images: NYC Parks