Dixon Municipal Band

Tom Bones Malone (right) and Blue Lou Marini performed with the Dixon Municipal Band at The Dixon: Historic Theatre on Saturday, March 23, 2024.

Band funding has been a topic of debate for several years as the city reduced its funding and encouraged the organization to raise its own money and become more self-sustainable.

The band requested $40,000 from the city for the upcoming season and other expenses such as new equipment.

The Dixon Municipal Band, featuring internationally known jazz trombonist Harry Watters, performed a spring concert at the Dixon Historic Theatre Saturday, March 4, 2023.

Outdoor performances this season have been at Page Park, Old Lee County Courthouse and at two parades.

The Dixon Municipal Band played their weekly performance Thursday at the Page Park band shell. The band will play every Thursday until August 4.

The band asked the Dixon City Council for $25,000 to help it have a full season and a special performances in the future; the city is budgeting $15,000.

Last year, there were months of debate among council members about cutting the band's funding.

The City Council will be making a lesser cut to the Dixon Municipal Band’s funding following a couple months of debate.

The City Council is continuing to debate full or partial funding for the Dixon Municipal Band.

It was in 1960 when I had just graduated from the 8th grade at Madison Grade School in Dixon that I first had the opportunity to play with the Dixon Municipal Band.

The Dixon Municipal Band's funding will be cut in half.