Rick Inzero asked if there are any upcoming band organ rallies in western
or central NY state.

Rick,  From 1991 to 1995 there have been band organs at the Toyfest in
East Aurora, NY, held the weekend before Labor Day.  This culminated in a
full fledged band organ rally organized by myself and hosted by the
Toyfest Committee.  Since that time, one of the prime organizers of the
Toyfest who was particularly interested in band organs has become
seriously ill and I have not been contacted for the last two years about
having band organs at the Toyfest.

In the early 1990s, the East Coast Chapter of the MBSI held its spring
meeting in Rochester, NY, and held a band organ rally at the Genesee
Country Museum in Mumford, NY.  This was a one-shot deal.  Also in the
early 1990s, a fellow in Tonawanda, NY, held a steam meet and several
band organs were invited and featured.  This has not been held for the
last several years and the organizer's son left for college and was not
available to help run the meet.

In 1996, the Mid-Am Chapter of the MBSI hosted its annual band organ
rally in North Tonawanda, NY, between Buffalo and Niagara Falls.  This
event moves around each year, this year being in Sandusky, OH, and was
held in North Tonawanda to commemorate an anniversary of the Rudolf
Wurlitzer Company.  Mid-Am is not likely to hold a rally this far east
for quite some time to come.  There are several band organ enthusiasts in
New York State but I have no knowledge of any organized rally being
planned for the foreseeable future.  It really requires that people bring
band organs from quite long distances in order to have a very good rally.

Please feel free to contact me if you want to discuss the possibility of
organizing something under the MBSI umbrella or by some other means.

Bob Conant
Endicott, NY