NORWICH – The Norwich City Band Concerts have become a traditional part of the summer scene in Norwich, and this Friday the band will kick off their summer season as the Gus Macker rolls into town.

The City Band has been performing concerts in the park for years, and according to band member Lee Wilhelm, they started playing the Friday before Gus Macker six to eight years ago. “It works out really well. It brings people out who may not normally be out. It’s an audience that might not have come and sometimes, they come back,” Wilhelm said.

The concerts are held at 7 p.m. on Friday nights in East Side Park. In the event of rain, the concerts are moved to the Norwich Fire Station. Years ago, Wilhelm explained, the band was made up of 14 to 22 people, and they could all sit on the gazebo and play, but over the years, more and more members joined the group. This year, the band has between 45 and 55 members and they sit in front of the gazebo in the park.