Anniversary Celebration of the New York Turnverein: 20th

“The New-York General Singers Union, comprising sixteen German singing societies, and a number of other German singing societies of this City will participate in this celebration. There will be a procession, starting from Turner Hall, in Orchard-street, near Canal-street, in the morning, and at the park gymnastic exercises will be performed by the Turners, and target-shooting and other amusements will take place.”  

Attendance: approximately 10,000 persons; included gymnastic exercises by the Turners. “The rest of the festival consisted of dancing, singing by the several German societies, target shooting and various other amusements. Everything went off well. “

“The New-York Turnverein, which now numbers about 500 active members, held its annual Turnfest at Jones’s Wood yesterday, which, like all such affairs of this organization, was a lively and well-patronized affair. The festival grounds were visited by thousands of persons who fully enjoyed the occasion, and no mishap, accident, or disturbance occurred to mar the occasion.

The New-York Allgemeine Saengerbund, a union of musical and vocal organizations, composed of the following societies, assisted, as it is their custom, in the festivities of the Turnverein: Abt scholars, Allemania, Arminia, Arndt Maennerchor, Loreley League, Columbia, Germania, Helvetia Maennerchor, Polyhymnia, Rhenish Saengerbund, Schillerbund, Koerner Liedertafel, Social Saengerbund of Hudson City, Uhlandbund, Union Maennerchor.

The following societies, not belonging to the Saengerbund, also assisted in the festivities: Euphonia, Harmonia Liedertafel, Social Reform Liedertafel, Saengerbund of the order of Sons of Liberty, Veteran Vocal Society, composed of veterans of the war; New-York Maennerchor, and several other societies of the New-York Turn district.

A procession was formed at 9 a. m. at the Turn Hall in Orchard st., and thence passed, with numerous banners flying and accompanied by several music corps, through Canal st., up the Bowery, through Second st., and Eighth st., at the foot of which those in the procession embarked on board of a steamer and barge for the festival grounds, where they arrived shortly after noon. After an hour’s rest a programme of social games and gymnastic exercises were gone through, and the vocalists entertained the multitude by occasional choruses. The national beverage flowed in immense quantities. The Turner sharp-shooters were engaged in a prize shooting, the prizes for which amounted in value to $200, and were distributed, at the conclusion.”

Picnic and summer night’s festival; for the benefit of the German Hospital, Arbeiter Union, and German Legal Aid Society; attended by about 8,000 persons; participation of five German vocal societies; procession and speeches; chief amusement was dancing at the Belvedere.