World-renowned Hawthorne Caballeros to play at borough's anniversary celebration
HAWTHORNE — They need no introduction, but when the Caballeros take the field this weekend, they will get one.
It will be a big standing O for a championship-caliber drum and bugle corps that has, time and again, put the borough and its proud citizens on the world map.
On Saturday, as Hawthorne continues to observe its 125th anniversary, the Caballeros will be the main attraction — a just role for a group of such first-rate talent.
John Bertollo, who co-chaired a committee with former Mayor Richard Goldberg that organized a series of anniversary celebrations, said the Caballeros are a household name.
“They’re a fan favorite,” said Bertollo, a former councilman. “When you plan an anniversary event, it has to include the Hawthorne Caballeros.”
The renowned marching band, which formed in March 1946, has won the Drum Corps Associates world championship 10 times, most recently in 2021.
The Caballeros, sponsored by American Legion Post 199, placed second at last year’s championship in Rochester, New York, losing only to a band called the Buccaneers from Reading, Pennsylvania.
They will perform at the high school football field at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday as part of a lineup of musicians that also includes Tammy & the Others, a local cover band, and Brendan Anthony, an acoustic guitarist.
In between acts, a disc jockey will keep the crowd entertained.
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At 7 p.m., he will play a compilation of songs by the band Blondie, whose lead vocalist, Debbie Harry, was raised in the borough and graduated from the high school in 1963.
Gates will open at the Parmelee Avenue field at 5 p.m., and the free event will end with a fireworks display at 9 p.m.
There will also be five food trucks: Bogie’s Hoagies; Empanada Lady; Jersey Johnny’s Grill; Mister Softee; and R&H Catering Co., which makes cheesesteaks, gyros and kebabs.
Rispoli Italian Pastry Shop, of Emerson and Ridgefield, will sell baked goods out of the concession stand, Bertollo said.
The event is the second of four celebrations that the anniversary committee has planned. The next one will be covered under Hawthorne Day festivities on Sept. 30, and the last one, a gala, will be at Macaluso’s Events & Banquets on Dec. 10.
The first celebration was in the high school auditorium on March 24, the actual birthday of the borough.
Philip DeVencentis is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com. For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
Email: devencentis@northjersey.com
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Hawthorne Caballeros to play at borough's anniversary celebration
