It seems that no event locally would be complete without “The Face of Yorktown.”

That’s what the Fifes and Drums of York Town call themselves, and with good reason. They perform up to 100 times a year at various events, many of them here in York County, and practice twice weekly.

That’s a big commitment for a group of young musicians and a cadre of volunteer coordinators. But the end result is a great group that’s nationally known.

If you’re unfamiliar with the group, I strongly suggest checking out the story about them in this edition. I bet you’ll learn something new.

Created by York County Parks and Recreation Department as part of the 1976 bicentennial, the corps consists of children and teenagers mostly from Yorktown, but some come from all over the area.

Participation in the group is bound to look great on college applications, but that shouldn’t be the main reason that young people sign up. Those who sign up will learn not only music and music theory, from four instructors in 18th- and 19th-century American field music, but also leadership, stamina, fortitude, punctuality and commitment. For developing a well-rounded young person, it truly doesn’t get any better than that.

If you have a child between the ages of 8 and 10, whether or not they have any previous musical experience, I would definitely recommend checking out the Fifes and Drums of York Town.