SEQUIM — The Sequim City Band’s first concert of the 2005 season will take place Sunday — but people will have to wait another month to hear the instrumentalists perform in the new band shell at Carrie Blake Park, and to hear the band shell’s name.

Sunday’s 3 p.m. concert will be in the Sequim High School auditorium. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.

Band members raised more than $600,000 to pay for the band shell and rehearsal hall, said band president Patsy Mattingly.

“We luckily had one major donor, and then we’ve had several more who give a substantial amount,” she said.

“Most of the donations have been in the $100 to $500 range, but we had quite a few of those. We had, altogether, about 300 donors.”

A patch of grass

The new performance space will be a marked improvement over the band’s previous performance environment — playing in the park, in the open.

“We’d take our chairs and stands and find a patch of grass,” said band director Charles Swisher, “and go at it.”

Though the band has a rehearsal hall behind the new stage, band members also practiced inside the band shell.

“We’ve tried it out, and it’s phenomenal,” said Swisher. “The next month, if we get some good nights, we’ll turn on the lights and go out there.

“We’ve got to get used to it, too.”

The band, which has about 45 members, has eight concerts scheduled this year. The first and last will be at the high school, while the others will be at Carrie Blake Park.

The first concert at the park will be April 17 at 3 p.m.