For nearly 30 years the Mid-Am Chapter of the Musical Box Society International has organized and hosted America's premier band organ rally.  This wonderful annual event has resulted in the saying, "Mid-Am Has More Fun!"

This is where people come to get educated about band organs as well as monkey organs.  Come and listen to the "Happiest Music on Earth!"  This rally is the special social time for mechanical organ enthusiasts from all across America.

Just one conversation at a rally can keep you from making a band organ purchase mistake or save you hours in building or rebuilding a band organ by getting valuable tips from others.

This year's rally in Medina, Ohio, organized by Ed and Carol Kraus, will be special indeed.  This rally will really be a slice of down home Americana!  Just check out the beautiful historic buildings on Medina, Ohio's web site: http://www.medinaoh.org/

The following is a list of special features at this year's Band Organ Rally:

1. There will be a special open house and barn where you will be able to tour the wonderful large Kraus collection featuring music boxes, fair organs, orchestrions including a great Seeburg G and a newly acquired deluxe 92-key Decap dance organ.  During this open house time the Kraus's will host an old-fashioned get-together and farm style picnic supper.

2. There will be a thrilling band concert by the National Guard Touring Band.

3. Another concert will feature the Community Concert Band.  This event will feature an Ice Cream Social.

4. The band organ rally will be held on the beautiful grounds of Medina County Fair. http://www.medina-fair.com/directions.html

5. On Saturday, there will be a great mart held at the fairgrounds.  For those in the know, the marts are the best kept secret of the Mid-Am rallies -- you just won't find marts at other rallies.  The Mid-Am organ rally marts are great because most attendees drive to the rally and thus pack along a lot of goodies for the mart.  In fact, some come to the rally just for the mart.

Remember, you are in the heart of "Band Organ Country" and the stuff is here.  At past marts there has been everything from original catalogs, band organ, nickelodeon, and piano rolls, roll frames, organ figures, drum mechanisms, tracker bars, books, recordings, monkey organs, music boxes, music box discs, band organs for sale, orchestrion motors and wall boxes, back issues of various old catalogs and society journals, book music, book cutting machines, and much, much more.

Don't complain if you can't find the stuff you need and have to build it when you fail to attend the rally mart.  Just think of the valuable contacts you will make.  If you wait for such items to appear on eBay, first you will overpay and second I'll snatch it first before it ever gets to eBay!

6. Many band organ enthusiasts also like antique cars.  This year's rally attendees will be in for a special treat in that there will be a large display of pre-1930 vintage cars, from Henry's famous Model T's to a number of fine brass era cars.

7. The grand finale rally banquet will be held on Saturday evening and will feature special surprise entertainment.

8. Sunday will feature open houses at various area collections.

Don't feel left out with your band organ gathering dust in the garage.  Bring it to Medina where it will be appreciated.  Pump up the trailer tires, tune the trumpets, and COME!  If you can't tune the trumpets, we'll help you.

I don't want to hear any excuses for not coming.  Don't let the parade pass you by again this year, don't sit back and say, "I shoulda gone."  It's affordable.  It's family oriented.  It's _fun!_

You know you want to come, so make plans now -- join the many other enthusiasts who have already registered.  Come and discover for yourself why Mid-Am has more fun!  We'll see you in Medina, Ohio!

The three-page Medina Rally information sheets and registration form will soon be available at the Mid-America Chapter web page.  Watch for a link at http://mbsi.org/calendar.html  In the meantime, JPEG images of the sheets can be downloaded and printed from the link at the MMD Calendar page,  http://www.mmdigest.com/cgi-bin/calendar.pl

Tim Trager
18 Jun 2004 13:39:15 -0500