Over 30 people attended the first Music in the Square concert of the summer with the Telephone City Musical Society at Harmony Square on Sunday, July 5, 2026.
Presented by the TD Bank Group, the free, outdoor music series features local artists and is set to run every Friday at 7 p.m. throughout the months of July and August, weather permitting. Acoustic sets will also take place on select Sundays at 3 p.m. throughout the summer.
First to take the Bell Stage this summer was the Telephone City Musical Society. Having been around for over a century in some form or another, the group is Branford’s oldest civilian band.
Throughout the performance, audience members got to enjoy several popular tunes including the Beatles’ “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” Blue Swede’s “Hooked on a Feeling,” Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” and Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger,” to name a few. The group also performed songs from the musical Wicked, John Powell’s music from the animated film How to Train Your Dragon, Cait Nishimura’s “Chasing Sunlight” and Robert Buckley’s “Wind Power.”
After the concert ended, Brantford residents Janice Doty and June Wall said they were happy they could attend.
“I enjoyed it, they played some nice pieces as well as a good variety,” said Doty. “I have heard the Telephone City Musical Society band several times and I always enjoy listening to them.”
When asked how they felt about the Music in the Square series itself, Doty said it was nice for the community to have.
“I always try to come every Friday during the summer,” she said. “It’s a great thing to go to, especially if you live in an apartment because it’s a nice reason to be able to sit outside and enjoy the fresh air.”
While Wall said she hadn’t initially planned on going, she was glad she did.
“I enjoyed it too. I love music so wherever there’s music, that’s where I go,” she said with a smile. “I decided to come by myself, and I ended up meeting Janice. We knew each other from before and we just ran into each other, so that was nice.”
For those looking to get out and experience local music, the next performances are as follows:
- Friday, July 10: Elvis in the Square with Elvis & Co
- Friday, July 17: Paul Anthony Gordon
- Sunday, July 19: Dan and Joan from Sivle
- Friday, July 24: The Might Ship
- Friday, July 31: Mystyx
- Friday, August 7: Buff Orpington
- Sunday, August 9: Dan Taylor music students
- Friday, August 14: The Canadiana Band
- Friday, August 21: Mike Maas and the Late Night Line Up
- Friday, August 28: Light of the East Ensemble
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
