The Jacksonville Beach Conch Shell Horn Marching Band

The Jacksonville Beach
CONCH SHELL HORN MARCHING BAND

Join Us Sunday, April 24th For The 2005 Opening of the Beaches Parade!
Click Here For Details & Map

About "The Band"

Each year on the last Sunday in April, Jacksonville Beach hosts a festive "Opening of the Beaches" Celebration and Parade. The entire economy of the Beaches and therefore, the mainland of Northeast Florida is dependent upon this one singular event. And the keystone of the parade, the one group all look to for hope and direction (and zaniness!)... the one single element the economy of the entire area rests on is the appearance of

First appearing like flowered angels in the mid-1990's, this group gathers but once each year. All talent is natural... a gift from the gods. With great fanfare and lubrication, The Band gels together a few hours before the event which joins us. Here, on this site, is an unofficial documentation of The Band's great works over the last several years.

Founded by Jud and Linda Spence, the guiding light and principles of The Band are
NO Rules, NO Bylaws, NO Formalities!

The repertoire of the Band for the first several years was simply, "The Blue Danube" (proper pronuciation, Dan-U-bee), as originally conceived and written by Joe Strauss for Conch Shell Horns. In Y2K, in a cosmic stroke of brilliance it was revealed yet another classic was created for the glorious strains of Conch Shell Horns, and it was unanimously decided by all that "The Bunny Hop" should be included at key moments during the parade. This was met with unending acclaim and admiration by the masses gathered there.

To join with this grand celebration, all you need to do is have the burning desire in your heart, a good set of lungs, and the willingness to be thronged by thousands of people as you blow your horn. Any ability or prior professional Conch Shell Horn experience is not necessary, as the gods themselves inspire all of our notes. A selection of other instruments are also accepted, including tambourines, wa-wa's, and the "slide conch."

View Last Year's Opening Of The Beaches Parade >>
(Lots of Conchers have provided this unofficial history of The Band... a special thanks to Paige & Alan Gnann who sent a bunch of the ones on this site)