towpathvolunteers.orgTowpath Volunteers Senior Fife and Drum Corps, Macedon, New York 14502

The Towpath Volunteers have been bringing Our American Heritage to Life for over 40 years. From the humble beginning with a few kids playing only three simple songs and never having practiced a corner before our first parade, the Naples Fireman’s Parade in 1978, to becoming one of the Largest, World Traveling, Family Oriented Fife and Drum Corps in the country. In the year 2000, the group adopted the philosophy of fifing and drumming excellence . Within a couple of years, the evidence of our hard work started paying off with the invitation to march in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. The group has continued to grow while keeping it affordable for whole families to march together. Home CD Schedule Alumni Festival Contact Us The Towpath Volunteers invited to perform in France! LNB Assitant Vice President Daniela Qualdieri presents donation check to Paul Willson of the Towpath Volunteers.The Towpath Volunteers Fife and Drum Corps of Macedon, NY has been invited to participate in Saint Tropez’s 80th anniversary commemoration of it’s liberation on August 15th, 2024. The invitation, dated January 29th, 2024 is from the Mayor of Saint Tropez, Sylvie SIRI. The town was liberated through the combined efforts of the 3rd Infantry Division’s 15th Infantry Regiment and elements of the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion which landed in the vicinity of the village in the early hours of August 15th, 1944 during World War II. Saint Tropez has been conducting the commemoration annually since the end of the war, except for three COVID years 2020 to 2022. This year, Saint Tropez has also invited elements of the 3rd Infantry Division and it is hoped that Towpath’s partiicipation could complement and enhance the American presence at the ceremonies. While details are still in the works, the Volunteers will participate in several parades and ceremonies in and around Saint Tropez. Saint Tropez has also invited many Diplomats and Dignitaries from France and the United States to attend. We will update this web page as new information becomes available. The Towpath Volunteers release first CD! LNB Assitant Vice President Daniela Qualdieri presents donation check to Paul Willson of the Towpath Volunteers.The Towpath Volunteers Fife and Drum Corps of Macedon, NY has completed it’s first music CD that will be available in a few weeks! The CD has been in the works for several years and contains 26 of the group’s favorite songs; from the Revolutionary War, through the Civil War and today! Many of the songs will be familiar to the listener, such as Yankee Doodle, The Battle Hymn of the Republic and When Johnny Comes Marching Home . Other songs such as Grandfather’s Clock, Mocking Bird and Old Dan Tucker may stir childhood memories. Some of the tunes have a Towpath Volunteer twist to them. For more information on and how to obtain your copy, please click on the CD Button above or go to http://towpathvolunteers.org/CD.html 2023 World Fife and Drum Friendship Festival 2023 will be an exciting year for the Towpath Volunteers Fife and Drum Corps. While the 2023 Marching Schedule is still being completed, plans for hosting the World Fife and Drum Friendship Festival are just about completed! The Volunteers will be joined by fife and drum groups from Belgium, France and Italy for this year’s rendition. The World Fife and Drum Friendship Festival was started by Towpath in 2015 with the inaugural celebration hosted by the Volunteers. In 2017 the festival moved to Ghent, Belgium and for 2019, Ivrea Italy hosted the event. Plans were for Switzerland to host it in 2021 but the Covid-19 pandemic caused its cancelation. Not only is the Festival Performance Schedule in the works, the corps has also been fund raising to offset the cost of the festival. The Towpath Volunteers Fife and Drum Corps is a 100% volunteer, Not-for-profit self-funding organization, it is a 501C3 Charitable Organization that makes any contribution to the group tax deductible. The Lyons National Bank Fairport and Macedon gave a joint contribution to the Volunteers to kick off the fundraising. LNB Assitant Vice President Daniela Qualdieri presents donation check to Paul Willson of the Towpath Volunteers.LNB Assistant Vice President Daniela Qualdieri presents donation check to Paul Willson of the Towpath Volunteers. For more information on the World Fife and Drum Friendship Festival, please click on the Festival option in the menu button or visit us on Facebook at "World Fife and Drum Friendship Festival" or "World Fife and Drum Festival" on Instagram. The Towpath Family has lost a member It is with great sadness that the Towpath Voulnteers Fife and Drum Corps announces the passing of Bass Drummer Bill Guchone. Bill has been with the corps for over twenty years, the early years as a Militia member and the last several years playing the Bass Drum. Sitting in Wagon:Hudson Thorp, Teddy and Charlotte Guchone, Standing: William, Hannah and Bill Guchone It was with great pride that Bill had the chance to have his Snare Drummer son William, and two of his grandchildren march with him in the Macedon Memorial Day Parade. Three generations of Guchones for the first time and hopefully not the last. Out thoughts and prayers go out to Bill’s wife Rosemary, his son William and Hanna, and the rest of the Guchone Family. Towpath Volunteers - Who we are! The invitation to perform at the European Fife and Drum Festival held in Saint-Tropez, France in September of 2011, was perhaps the greatest single event the corps has ever undertaken. With the Towpath Volunteers in attendance, the festival was able to call itself a World Fife and Drum Festival, and Towpath enjoyed the "Royal Treatment". Before the Volunteers had even left Saint-Tropez, discussion had already begun on bringing the European groups to our home town of Macedon, New York. European Fife and Drum Festival 2011 Saint-Tropez, France The trip to Saint-Tropez opened many doors, to new adventures and friendships. After a trip to Ivrea, Italy in March of 2014 at the Historic Carnivale, the Towpath Volunteers were honored to host corps from Italy, Belgium and France, in September of 2015 to join us in the 1st World Fife and Drum Festival. The World Fife and Drum Festival continued in 2017 in Belgium and 2019 in Italy. Switzerland will be the home to the festival in 2021. But...traveling around the world in not just what the Towpath Volunteers is all about! The Towpath Volunteers prides itself in a having a family oriented all-inclusive organization. Membership: Members come in all ages and all shapes and sizes. Families march together. One does not need to be from Macedon to be part of this group. Members come from throughout Wayne and surrounding counties. No musical or marching experience is required. There is something for everyone! Learn the Fife or Drum, march in the Color Guard, Militia or with the banner. Practices: Weekly practices are held in the cafeteria of the Pal-Mac Intermediate School each Wednesday from 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM. During the summer months practices are held at the pavilion at Canal Park (Lock 30) in Macedon. Lessons are provided by experienced instructors. Local Parades: The Towpath Volunteers march throughout Wayne and surrounding counties performing at local Firemen’s parades and community festivals. Generally, the parade season starts with St. Patrick’s Day and continues through September. Community Service: Part of what makes the corps special is the involvement in the community. The corps can be seen at nursing homes, scouting events and other local events. Honoring our Veterans: The Military Medley is played whenever possible to honor our veterans. Sharing our History: Fifing and Drumming is part of our American heritage. The fifes and drums are representative of those used during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. The music and uniforms also represent periods in our history. Affordable: There is no membership fee to join. All lessons are...