By Caitlin Heusser, Museum Curator
Summer concerts in Windsor are practically a hometown tradition! If you’ve ever strolled over to Boardwalk Park on a Thursday evening to catch the summer concert series, congratulations—you’re officially part of Windsor’s long, musical legacy.
Let’s rewind to 1886. Picture this: fifteen determined brass players forming Windsor’s very first band. Their debut? The 4th of July. The result? Local fame! From that moment on, Windsor’s band became the town’s pride and joy—blaring and booming bass echoing through the streets.
Of course, every great band needs a stage worthy of their sound. Windsor’s answer? A bandstand. The very first one popped up in 1901, but in 1910, Windsor got serious. They built a “large, roomy” bandstand right in the heart of town at 5th and Main—a charming structure complete with a roof, a flagpole, and a fresh coat of bright, eye-catching paint. It was the kind of place where “free music of very excellent quality” could be heard from every corner of town. Mind you, Windsor was much smaller then.
Over the years, that beloved bandstand became quite the wanderer, setting up shop everywhere from the edge of Windsor Lake to spots vaguely described near 4th and Walnut. But eventually, Windsor wised up and in 1928 built a permanent band stand in Main Park.
Today, that spirit of music lives on each summer at Boardwalk Park, where the bandshell stands as a proud reminder of Windsor’s tuneful past. From brass bands of the 1880s to modern-day concerts under the stars, Windsor’s love for live music has never missed a beat—and thanks to a stage that finally stays put, the show goes on.