One week after canceling a performance over safety concerns, the Burlington Concert Band will return to the Lechnyr Band Shell at Battery Park this Sunday with new security protocols in place. The band has provided free, weekly summer performances at the park for nearly 200 years and plans to fi nish this season’s shows in the band shell. But last Sunday’s performance was called off amid concerns from band members, the Burlington Parks, Recreation and Waterfront Department and police department. Unhoused people often take shelter in the band shell, creating tension when it’s time for the band to perform. After the unprecedented cancellation, Phil Lewis, the city parks director, said he met with the police department and discussed measures to make the greenspace safer for performers, spectators and the parks department employees who are responsible for cleaning the venue before the performances. Security staff from Chocolate Thunder and employees from the parks department will be present in Battery Park for the duration of the show, he said. “We worked closely with the police department and we’ve contracted with private security to provide services over the course of the day on Sunday to make sure the site is available for park staff to clean,” Lewis said. The new plan does not stem from any specific incident, Lewis said, but rather from broad concerns that parks staff and performers had about the venue’s safety. “When operating in public spaces, you have different things that come up, so we have to be nimble in our approach,” Lewis said. Band president Tom Bruno said his members rarely have to deal with homeless individuals at Battery Park themselves. He said the band is fortunate to have parks department employees arrive early to make sure the band shell is cleared and ready for the Sunday evening performances. While the unhoused people are usually cooperative, Bruno said that there have been instances when some have resisted leaving the band shell before the show and when they have disrupted performances. The band shell on Thursday Credit: Ian Curry According to Bruno, the city did its best to offer alternatives to avoid a cancellation. During their weekly rehearsal on July 16, Bruno said the city suggested the band play on Church Street instead. While the band’s board considered the alternative, Bruno said they decided instead to cancel the July 19 show because such a move wouldn’t have been logistically possible. Lewis said the new security arrangement in Battery Park will only be in place this summer. But the department will take this year’s circumstances into consideration when planning for next summer, he added. For now, the show will go on for the Burlington Concert Band. Bruno said the band fully intends on seeing out the last four shows of its 176th season. “We haven’t canceled our summer at all,” Bruno said. Correction, July 24, 2026: A previous version of this story misidentified Bruno’s title. The post Burlington Concert Band Will Continue Shows at Battery Park appeared first on Seven Days. ...read more read less