Annual Turnfest: 15th

Event Information

Venue(s):
Jones's Wood

Event Type:
Band, Choral

Record Information

Status:
Published

Last Updated:
7 June 2016

Performance Date(s) and Time(s)

05 Jun 1865, All Day

Program Details

The celebration began at 8 a.m., with a parade from the Turn Headquarters. The procession then moved to Jones’s Wood.

Performers and/or Works Performed

1)
LIST OF PERFORMER(S)/ORGANIZATION(S)
Participants:  Euphonia Gesangverein;  Fidelia Mannerchor;  Koerner Bund;  Helvetia Männerchor;  Loreley Sängerbund;  Social Reformer Liedertafel;  Kissenberth Band;  Allemania Gesangverein;  Mozart Männerchor;  Colonia Gesangverein;  Sängerrunde Gesangverein;  Flora Gesangverein;  Arion Männergesangverein;  Harmonia Gesangverein;  New Yorker Sing Academie;  Armenia Männerchor;  Teutonia Männerchor;  Schillerbund Gesangverein;  Social Reformer Gesangverein;  Schwäbischer Sängerbund;  Rheinischer Sängerbund;  Mozart Gesangverein;  Germania Gesangverein

Citations

1)
Review: New-York Daily Tribune, 06 June 1865, 6.

     “[T]here was gathered together the largest number of people, probably ever assembled at a pic-nic or out-door festival. . . . Dancing and music, which succeeded the sports of the day, kept the lovers of these in the woods until long after sundown.”

2)
Review: New-York Times, 06 June 1865, 2.

     “Large numbers of our German fellow-citizens celebrated Pfingst-Montag (Whit Monday) at Jones’ Wood yesterday. . . .

     . . . At the appointed hour [8 a.m.] three bands and drum corps took their positions in line, and at a given signal the procession moved forward in the following order . . . New-Yorker Saengerbund, comprising the following singing societies: Allemania, Germania, Colonia, Harmonia, Loreley, Rheineischer, Sangerbund, Schillerbund, Social Reform Liedertafel.  Independent Singing Societies. . . . Kissenberth’s Brass Band. . . .

     [Procession moves to Jones’s Wood]

     Meanwhile the singing societies gave some of their most splendid performances, and added greatly to the enjoyment of the day.”

3)
Review: New York Herald, 06 June 1865, 4.

     “At Jones’ Wood some fifteen or twenty thousand persons were congregated yesterday to celebrate the fifteenth annual Turnfest. . . .  At eight o’clock in the morning a grand procession was formed at the Turn Hall, comprising the various societies and organizations participating in the festival, as follows . . . and the following independent musical societies and glee clubs:—Arion, Teutonia Maennerchor, Fidelia, Floria, Helvetia Maennerchor, Harmonia, Mozart Verein, Mozart Maennerchor, Schaebischer, Saengerbund, Armenia, Koerner Bund, Social Reform Gesang Verein, New York Sing Academie, Saengerrunde and Euphonia.”