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The Brass Band Festival 2024 saw an expansion of genres showcased at the festival, and Festival Executive Director Michaelle Perros was pleased with the results.

“The festival was fantastic this year,” Perros said. “Our strategy to freshen the music and diversify has really piqued people’s interests. We are working diligently to showcase horns in every way and our lineup did just that, while rejuvenating people’s excitement for this Danville staple.

This year’s festival saw cooler weather than in 2023. Despite the rain on Saturday, people still knelt back and enjoyed the music.

“We doubled our attendance on Friday night, and I think much of that can be credited to the change in location to Centre’s lawn. We had more room to fit people, and they weren’t standing on the hot blacktop,” Perros said. “We were extremely happy with that turnout. Saturday’s weather certainly had a different effect but the music still had people out there, and those that stayed for the break in the weather were rewarded with music that had them up and dancing all night. We are really thrilled to build on this momentum for the future.”

Brass Band 2025 will see a continuation of the expanded showcase of genres, and Perros hopes it will help the festival grow even further.

“For 2025, people can expect the GABBF to continue celebrating all varieties of the horn, brass or not, and showcase all of the incredible versatility that wind instruments provide,” Perros said. “We will strive to bring new music, faces, talents, and audiences to Danville and show off our beautiful town. The GABBF is not just for Danville to enjoy, and we are ready to greet even more newcomers and let them in on our very unique, national treasure.”