Ragtime Extravaganza returns to Adrian July 6 with local and national talent

Staff Reports
·2 min read

ADRIAN — Talent from near and far will perform July 6 at the River Raisin Ragtime Revue’s Ragtime Extravaganza in Adrian.

The free, family festival returns to the PlaneWave Instruments campus, 1375 N. Main St., for this year’s Fourth of July weekend and includes a day of live music and family events capped off with a community fireworks display, a news release said.

The event will take place from 2 p.m. until dark when a fireworks finale will cap off the day.

The River Raisin Ragtime Revue orchestra performs during the 2022 Ragtime Extravaganza at the PlaneWave Instruments campus in Adrian. The 2024 Extravaganza is set for Saturday, July 6.
The River Raisin Ragtime Revue orchestra performs during the 2022 Ragtime Extravaganza at the PlaneWave Instruments campus in Adrian. The 2024 Extravaganza is set for Saturday, July 6.

Free parking will be available by entering off PlaneWave's Curtis Road entrance.

This year’s extravaganza features the Adrian City Band under the direction of Brian Gorski; the local Tejano band Los Hermanos; Miss Maybell and Charlie Judkins, a ragtime and early jazz duo from New York City; and the River Raisin Ragtime Revue (R4) orchestra.

Miss Maybell and Charlie Judkins, a ragtime and early jazz duo from New York City, are part of the lineup of performers at the River Raisin Ragtime Revue's Ragtime Extravaganza. The event is scheduled for July 6 in Adrian.
Miss Maybell and Charlie Judkins, a ragtime and early jazz duo from New York City, are part of the lineup of performers at the River Raisin Ragtime Revue's Ragtime Extravaganza. The event is scheduled for July 6 in Adrian.

This festival also features a children’s magic show with Gordon the Magician from Detroit, an instrument petting zoo where kids can check out a variety of musical instruments, children’s face-painting, games and a bounce house. Local artists will offer creations for sale. A variety of festival food truck food, craft beer and wine will be for sale.

Harry L. Alford of Lenawee County created the role of the professional music arranger and orchestrated music for the biggest names of the ragtime era.
Harry L. Alford of Lenawee County created the role of the professional music arranger and orchestrated music for the biggest names of the ragtime era.

R4’s evening show will feature the music of Lenawee County’s forgotten star of the ragtime era, Harry L. Alford. Alford was raised in Hudson, Blissfield and Morenci before leaving for a successful music career based in Chicago, the release said. Alford created the role of the professional music arranger and orchestrated music for the biggest names of the ragtime era. His musical collaborators included Sophie Tucker, Scott Joplin, Irving Berlin, John Philip Sousa, W. C. Handy, Eva Tanguay, Leonard “Chico” Marx, and many others. R4’s show will feature a selection of the approximately 34,000 arrangements Alford created.

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Ragtime Extravaganza schedule: 

  • 2 p.m. — Extravaganza opens.

  • 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. — Adrian City Band.

  • 3:30 to 4 p.m. — 30-minute PlaneWave Instruments tour.

  • 4 to 5:30 p.m. — Los Hermanos Tejano band.

  • 5:30 to 7 — 90-minute PlaneWave Instruments/Haviland Hall tour.

  • 6 to 7 p.m. — Comedy and magic show with Gordon the Magician from Detroit.

  • 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. — Miss Maybell and Charlie Judkins, a ragtime, early jazz and blues duo from New York.

  • 9 to 10 p.m. — River Raisin Ragtime Revue orchestra.

  • 9:15 p.m. — Cake walk contest and raffle drawing.

  • 10 p.m. — Fireworks.

If you go

WHAT: River Raisin Ragtime Revue's Ragtime Extravaganza

WHEN: 2 p.m. until fireworks at dark Saturday, July 6

WHERE: PlaneWave Instruments Arts and Science campus, 1375 N. Main St., Adrian

ADMISSION: Free

INFO: www.ragtimeband.org, info@r4ragtime.org

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: River Raisin Ragtime Revue’s Ragtime Extravaganza in Adrian July 6