The last fifteen years have been a time of consolidation and focus for the band.

A community band cannot help but be affected by its community. As the boom times of the eighties gave way to a softening of the local economy, the band has lost members who have left the area. At the same time, a growing interest in the area as a place for folks to enjoy the outdoor recreation and cultural treats of a small town setting has brought renewed interest and attention to the band.

In 2000, Bandmaster Ed Frye retired from the podium, ending the longest and most successful tenure of any director in the band's history. His successor is Terri Wittreich, formerly principal trumpet with the band

A "regular" season is a busy one for us. We play the usual local parades and present seven concerts in the city park each summer. For years now the city has filled out that summer season by scheduling performances on our "off" Thursdays. This year Thursday night in Franklin begins at 4:30 with street vendors and other outdoor entertainment.

Since 1979 the band has presented an annual pops concert. The concert has been set in the Franklin Club, the Catholic War Vets hall, and Franklin High School (pictured here), but no place has better suited us than the Barrow-Civic Theater. The theater was fully refurbished by Franklin Civic Operetta, under the leadership of project manager and band member Toby Saltarelli. In that setting we've been able to present works that don't always translate to a park setting (such as, a few years ago, "Rhapsody in Blue").