Mitch Traphagen Photo
The entire first grade at Riverview Elementary School visited the Firehouse Cultural Center in Ruskin on Thursday for a performance and program with Hammerhead Steel Drum Band. To the best of the band’s knowledge, they are the only all acoustic, stationary and marching steel drum band in Florida, if not the entire world. The tight performance incorporated a variety of objects used as drums, from the traditional to trash can lids. The band is a frequent performer at Busch Gardens and other Florida theme parks as well as at schools and other cultural venues. In all, the Firehouse Cultural Center hosted four school time performances last week, including one on Tuesday in which the entire first grade of Ruskin Elementary walked to the center for two performances of Pirates and Seafaring Tales by Katie Adams. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office was on hand to escort the walking students back and forth. The programs were made available through a partnership with the Arts in Education Program with Hillsborough County Schools and the Arts Council of Hillsborough County. For more information about the Hammerhead Steel Drum Band, visit www.hammerheadsteeldrums.com.
