The Band Plays On: Author Joy Riggs and the Bemidji Area Concert Band

Join us on Thursday, July 18, at noon at the Beltrami County History Center, located at 130 Minnesota Ave. SW in downtown Bemidji, for a special program on the foundations of band music in Bemidji. The Beltrami County Historical Society is thrilled to welcome author Joy Riggs and members of the Bemidji Area Concert Band for this enriching event.

In her presentation, Joy Riggs will delve into the musical contributions her great-grandparents made to Bemidji's civic and cultural life in the early 1920s, including the organization of the Bemidji Boys' Band. She will also read excerpts from her nonfiction book, "Crackerjack Bands and Hometown Boosters," which explores the life and career of her great-grandfather, G. Oliver Riggs. Riggs was a pioneer in the development of Minnesota's band music programs. Following a family tragedy in Crookston, he moved to Bemidji in 1919 with his wife, Islea, who was an accomplished piano…