Happy Music for Outdoor Fairs and Festivals
Organ Grinder, Terry Bender, is a popular entertainer at fairs and other outdoor community events in the Virginia and Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC and in the District of Columbia. At events where families are expected, such as art and craft shows, seasonal fairs, and community events, the organ grinder is both festive and historical.
C & O Canal National Historical Park, Potomac, Maryland |
As an organ grinder, he is typically right on the street or pathway used by the attending crowd. While playing upbeat tunes of many kinds on his Raffin Street Organ, he entertains with his handmade German mechanical monkey, Wastel, and his mechanical parrot and tucan.
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And there are usually a few fairgoers who are willing to dance the "chicken dance", an Oktoberfest favorite.
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Parents with children, especially those with tots in strollers, like to gather in close to give the youngsters time to listen and watch. Adults are fascinated to discover an instrument and entertainment they assumed no longer existed. For some senior citizens, it brings back memories of the organ grinder they enjoyed in their childhood.
The Organ Grinder is a popular tradition at the
Washington National Cathedral Flower Mart
in Washington, DC each spring.
[Click here to see YouTube video]
Current Performance Schedule
Terry's wife, Jan, appears with him at events to help answer questions, manage the music rolls, and sell CDs. In this photo they are at the Waterford Fair with his newest street organ, handmade for him in Germany by Orgelbau Raffin in 2018.
Even if you have talked with us at events, we encourage you to browse through these web pages for new information. If you wish to contact Terry regarding performing at your event, just go back to the top of the page and click the “Contact Me” button.
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