Support Your Community Band
August 15 – September 12, 2025
To donate on line:
Old Bills Fun Run Donor View
Keep the music alive!
Rolling Rhythm: The Legendary Tale of Our Parade Trailer
You’ve probably seen it—rolling down Broadway on the 4th of July, packed with musicians and brass shining in the sun. Maybe you’ve waved as we passed, or heard the drums before you saw the parade trailer round the corner. But have you ever wondered about the story behind that long black stage on wheels?
From Borrowed Wheels to Burned-Out Beginnings
When the Jackson Hole Community Band got its start back in 1989, we didn’t have much—except enthusiasm, music stands, and some questionable folding chairs. Our first parade? Nearly a disaster. The trailer we’d arranged never showed up. But in true Jackson Hole fashion, the community came through. John Turner from Triangle X Ranch tossed us the keys to his truck, already hitched to an equipment trailer, and off we went—slipping into the parade lineup just in time with Dick Riddle behind the wheel.
After that close call, we hitched a ride (literally) with Lower Valley Power & Light for the next few years. Their flatbed trailer hauled us through town, Flutes facing backward in the bed of the truck, everyone doing their best not to drop a Clarinet.
It worked—sort of. But by the early ’90s, we’d outgrown the borrowed setup. That’s when Dick Riddle, one of LVP&L’s (now known as LVE) drivers and a true band champion, found an opportunity we couldn’t pass up: a burned-out mobile home trailer in Alpine.
That’s not a metaphor. The trailer had caught fire, and what was left was… well, let’s call it “potential.”
The Great Alpine Salvage of 1993
With permission from the mayor (and very unclear communication with the trailer’s hospitalized owner), we spent two Saturdays in Alpine, stripping it down to the frame. It was dirty, dusty, and slightly chaotic. As the photos show, Don took it all in stride with a snack in hand. Kathy declared it the most enjoyable morning of her life. Others remember it mostly for the tetanus risk.
“It was ‘free’—except for labor, dump fees, and a lot of head-scratching.”
That Franken-trailer made its grand debut in the Old West Days Parade of 1994. For the first time, we had a stage of our own. It had its quirks—like needing the original mobile home walls, which we left at the dump, to keep the floor from sagging. Over time, with Jackson Hole winters weighing down the roof and summer dips scraping the tail end on the parade route, it started to buckle like a soggy Clarinet reed. We lovingly nicknamed it the Rainbow—not for its colors, but for its bowed floor.
A Custom Rig for a Growing Band
Eventually, it was clear we needed something purpose-built. In 2001, thanks to generous support from the community, we acquired our current parade trailer: a Diamond Quality 10′ x 40′ triple axle, custom-designed for us.
No VIN. Classified as “farm equipment.” Exactly our kind of weird.
This parade trailer has been a constant companion through Old West Days, the 4th of July, community concerts, and more. It’s hauled generations of musicians, endured windstorms, fireworks, and teenage percussionists with zero volume control. It’s soaked up spilled coffee (cream and sugar, every time) from one beloved member like a badge of honor. It’s our stage, our platform—literally and figuratively.
It Still Rolls, But It’s Showing Its Age
Now, after two decades of loyal service, the parade trailer needs help. The paint is fading away, the metal is beginning to rust, and the once-deep black finish is losing its luster—it’s getting harder to ignore the wear and tear. Painting a 40-foot trailer isn’t like touching up your kitchen wall. The special paint is pricey, and finding a shop with space—and willingness—to handle something this size without hauling it down the canyon is, let’s say, tricky.
Now, after two decades of loyal service, the parade trailer needs help. The paint is fading away, the metal is beginning to rust, and the once-deep black finish is losing its luster—it’s getting harder to ignore the wear and tear. Painting a 40-foot trailer isn’t like touching up your kitchen wall. The special paint is pricey, and finding a shop with space—and willingness—to handle something this size without hauling it down the canyon is, let’s say, tricky.
And that’s where you come in.
Old Bills Keeps Us Rolling
Your donation to the Jackson Hole Community Band through Old Bills helps pay for projects like this. It’s not flashy. It’s not glamorous. But it’s necessary.
That paint job? It’s not just for looks. It’s about keeping our rolling stage safe, visible, and parade-ready for years to come. It’s about community pride—and the small-town tradition of making big things happen with just enough duct tape and dedication.
We’re not asking for the moon. Just a little shine for the trailer that brings the music to the people.
A fresh coat of paint keeps us rolling strong—support us through #OldBills2025!
Support Your Community Band
August 15 – September 12, 2025
To donate on line:
Old Bills Fun Run Donor View
Want to see just how many community moments our trailer has rolled through? Take a cruise through our photo albums and see if you can spot it at a concert around town, a snowy Old West Days morning, or rolling down Glenwood in full patriotic flair. It’s been there for more milestones than most of us can count—chances are, you’ve clapped along from the sidelines more than once.
A big thank-you to Don Cushman, Craig Carpenter, and Thomas Ninnemann—three of our founding members who are still playing strong—for helping piece together this rolling tale. Their stories, memories, and coffee-fueled recollections keep our band’s history alive and as full of character as ever.
Julie Wilson
Julie plays flute and piccolo with the Jackson Hole Community Band, where she also serves as Vice President, Librarian, and Website Admin. A longtime Jackson resident, she’s a web designer, multitasker, and music lover who returned to the flute after a 20-year break. When she’s not wrangling sheet music or volunteering with the Youth Orchestra of the Tetons, you’ll find her glamping, skiing, or proving that yes, woodwinds are definitely more expensive than hunting.
- Julie Wilsonhttps://jhcband.org/author/juliewilson/
- Julie Wilsonhttps://jhcband.org/author/juliewilson/
- Julie Wilsonhttps://jhcband.org/author/juliewilson/
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