The Baldwin Pops will honor America’s fallen service members with two free Memorial Day concerts featuring patriotic music, a family-friendly atmosphere and the premiere of a newly commissioned work inspired by a Fairhope folk legend.

The first concert is scheduled for Monday, May 25 at 6 p.m. at Henry George Park on the Fairhope bluff. A second performance will follow Sunday, May 31 at 6 p.m. at Foley Heritage Park. Both events are open to the public.

Audience members are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets and picnic meals for the outdoor performances.

Under the direction of conductor Wayne Fillingim, the Baldwin Pops will present a patriotic program designed to commemorate Memorial Day and honor those who died in military service.

The concerts will also feature the premiere of “The Poet of Tolstoy Park,” a new arrangement by Baldwin Pops tubist and former Army Band musician Justin McCall. The piece is based on a fiddle tune written by local musician Tom Morley in tribute to Henry Stuart, the Fairhope resident whose story inspired Sonny Brewer’s novel of the same name.

The work was commissioned through a grant from the Hargrove Foundation and will become part of the Baldwin Pops’ permanent music library.

Both concerts will include a children’s march, with American flags distributed to young audience members who are invited to participate alongside the music.

The Memorial Day performances continue a tradition for the Baldwin Pops, which has used music for nearly three decades to bring the community together in remembrance and reflection.

The organization will close its season June 20 with the Ovation Gala at the Fairhope Civic Center. This year’s event will feature a Hollywood Canteen theme inspired by the 1940s USO clubs that welcomed service members with music, dancing and meals during World War II.

The evening will open with a performance by The Blue Anchor Belles followed by music from The Mobile Big Band Society. The gala will also include dinner, dancing, a photobooth, a swing dancing competition and a silent auction.

Tickets are $50 and available at www.baldwinpops.com.

The Baldwin Pops is also accepting silent auction donations from local businesses and community members. Sponsorship opportunities are available for individuals and businesses interested in supporting the gala or the organization’s annual concert season. Sponsorships help fund the group’s free public performances throughout Baldwin County.

More information about sponsorships and donations is available at www.baldwinpops.com/sponsorships.

Founded in 1997, the Baldwin Pops has grown to nearly 80 volunteer musicians who rehearse in Fairhope and perform concerts throughout the county. The ensemble’s repertoire includes classical, Broadway, big band, Dixieland, jazz and march music, alongside programs supporting music education and youth scholarships.