A trio of free concerts in Lansford on Sunday was held to celebrate both the 250th anniversary of the United States and the 150th anniversary of the borough.

The musical tributes were followed by a resounding fireworks display at night.

The day’s events were sponsored by Lansford Alive and had free admission.

The concerts were held inside the Panther Valley Stadium, with the fireworks ignited in a grassy area next to the former pool parking lot.

Three genres of music — all relevant to the history of the nation and the region — were played in the concerts.

The first afternoon concert was by the 28th Infantry Division Band, a part of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. The 32-member unit featured music, along with rhetoric, pertinent to the history of our country. In addition, a jazz ensemble of band played some lighter pieces.

Next, the M&J Big Band, an 18-piece ensemble that began in 2010 as a Pottsville High School music project, performed a tribute to the great bandleaders Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey.

Finally, the Jimmy Sturr Band, noted for playing polka favorites. Polkas were, for many years, very popular in the coal region.

Bob Silver, president of Lansford Alive, was pleased with the turnout of people for the shows. Several hundred spectators attended each of the shows.

Silver was apologetic that the free concerts were staged on the same day as Summit Hill’s Hootenanny, but said Lansford Alive didn’t have a choice.

“The reason we have this today is not to compete with the other events,” said Silver. “This was the only Sunday we could get the Army band.”

“We wanted a military band for the celebration, that was number one,” he said. “We stumbled upon this band, and it was the only date available.”

He said a reason no admission was charged was because you cannot charge admission for a military band.

“How proud we are of Lansford to have such a musical program,” Silver said, adding that a special thanks goes to Lansford Borough Council and the Panther Valley School Board for their support.

Silver served as the master of ceremonies. The announcer was Joe Krushinsky, vice president of Lansford Alive.

Angela Nardini of Lansford was a soloist. The welcome was by Richard Monk Pogwist of the Lansford American Legion Post.

Carbon County Commissioner Michael Sofranko said, “Happy Birthday America 250. It’s great to be celebrating this historic occasion. Happy birthday to Lansford. God bless America. God bless Lansford.”

There was a flyover of a vintage airplane emitting a trail of red, white and blue smoke.

The 28th Infantry Division Band opened with “Liberty Fanfare” by John Williams who had composed it for the Boston Pops.

“We the People,” “The George Washington Bicentennial March” and “The Light Eternal” were among the selections played.

The full band was reduced to a 15-member ensemble which entertained with such selections as “Gonna Fly Now,” the Rocky theme, and a vocal selection, the Harry James hit “It’s Been a Long, Long Time.”

The M&J Big Band played such Dorsey hits as “I’m Gettin’ Sentimental Over You,” “Song of India,” and “Marie.”

The Dorsey brothers, who went on to nationwide fame with their big band music, were born in Shenandoah but reared, moving to the town in 1916 as sons of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Dorsey Sr.

Their dad, music instructor and band leader at the Lansford High School, was responsible for their early ability as musicians.

They never forgot their roots. The periodically visited their parents at the homestead on Abbott Street in Lansford and Tommy once made an impromptu stop at a fireman’s Ball in Lansford High School, moving aside the local musicians and bringing on the famed Ziggy Ellman and Buddy Rich. His performance lasted a good half hour.

Originally founded by drummer Mike Denchy and sax Joe Senawaitis as “M&J’s Big Band” for a class presentation on the history of big band jazz, M&J Big Band has evolved into a full ensemble which has a heavy performance schedule throughout Eastern Pennsylvania.

Although the main focus is the tribute to the big band sound, there also was a mix of polkas, modern swing and assorted other selections.

The Jimmy Sturr Orchestra has won 18 Grammy Awards. It has traveled internationally and has been featured on national television.

The audience was treated to a mix of polka favorites as well as some country, swing and miscellaneous tunes.

Sturr’s orchestra is on the Top Ten List of the All-Time Grammy Awards, and has acquired more Grammy nominations than anyone in the history of musical polka awards.

Silver said no admission was charged for any of the shows is because “we had some good sponsors.”