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sport. A lot of them believe that the key to success is getting gigs in New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, etc. In my mind, Williamsport is just as good as, if not better than, any of those cities in providing an atmosphere for musicians to grow and develop.” Jared Mondell, of 44MAG, has nearly fifteen years of band experience and is looking forward to sharing the stage “with bands we wouldn’t normally play with, but admire and respect.” Noting that his band is “incredibly honored to have been asked to participate in the festival,” Mondell added, “The music scene in and around Williamsport is very vast and diverse, and an event such as this is an excellent way to begin to showcase that diversity. Playing the Community Arts Center is like playing the Madison Square Garden of Williamsport, a level that the majority of local musicians aspire to throughout their careers.”
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Among the more seasoned performers to take the stage will be Doug McMinn, a well-known musical Renaissance man with over thirty years of entertaining lore to his name. McMinn also appreciates the concept of bringing together varying musical genres, styles, and ages. “The many talented twenty-something players in Williamsport have brought a lot of new sounds to my aging ears, many of which they came up with on their own,” McMinn commented. “There has been a flowering of new players on the Williamsport scene over the last dozen years, some of whom have already moved out into the world and made their mark, like Akron/Family, a band with Williamsport roots that tours internationally and has released a number of recordings. Of course, some of us old farts have also been here awhile, writing and recording original music!” McMinn added, “I hope the fes-
tival will get a big crowd of people of all ages and all musical allegiances into the Community Arts Center. It’s a beautiful place to enjoy any kind of performance. The lineup has a dizzying variety of musical styles and a herd of fine musicians both young and old. It’s gonna be fun!” Out-of-town visitors who would like to make a day of it can take in the annual South Williamsport Mummers Parade, a large, spirited event stepping off at 2 p.m. Downtown Williamsport and the surrounding communities are home to many good restaurants, and overnight accommodations are also nearby for those who would like to settle in for a night of music and stay put in town. For more information on the Downtown Billtown Music Festival,
visit www.billtownblues.org.
A native of Wellsboro, Cindy DavisMeixel is a writer and photographer who resides near Williamsport.