208th Army Band Playing Free July 4th Concert At Festival Park

Posted By Matt Artz on June 26, 2017

The 208^th Army Band will present a free Independence Day concert on July 4th in the Outdoor Pavilion at Roanoke Island Festival Park in Manteo.

The 208^th Army Band is a United States Army Reserve Band stationed in Concord, North Carolina, comprised of approximately 40 citizen warrior musicians. The band is currently under the direction of its new Commander, Chief Warrant Officer Two Robert H. Slade. It is a separate unit under the 81^st Regional Support Command.

The band’s primary mission is to promote the esprit de corps of our fighting forces and act as musical goodwill ambassadors for the Army throughout the entire Southeastern United States and Puerto Rico. The band performs a variety of music from traditional concert music, jazz, rock, marches, patriotic selections.

The band has performed concerts and parades at Walt Disney World, the Coca-Cola 600, Carolina Panther’s games, Myrtle Beach, Washington, D.C., and various Veteran’s Day and Independence Day parades and concerts. However, the band’s most important and vital service continues to be providing morale support, performing in ceremonies for soldiers being deployed to combat and returning home and honoring fallen veterans in the form of Taps for military funerals and memorial services.

The 208^th Army Band will be live in concert on Independence Day, Tuesday, July 4th in the Outdoor Pavilion at Roanoke Island Festival Park in Manteo, in conjunction with the town’s annual fireworks display.

Gates will open at 6pm with music beginning at 8pm. Fireworks will be provided by the Town of Manteo, beginning at dark.

Admission to this event is free and open to the public.

Surfing Spoon will be on site offering frozen yogurt for sale and Festival Park’s Museum Store will be selling bling items.

Parking is available on a first-serve basis, with handicapped parking available until filled (proper permit required).

Concert attendees are invited to bring chairs, blankets, or tarps; however, dogs, tents, or umbrellas are not allowed.