The band gave the crowd a taste of what is to come at this weekend's festivities and had the lunchtime crowd clapping their hands and swaying along to the beat.
Meanwhile, a steady flow of people were making themselves familiar with military life at an open day at the Kensington Army Hall in Bridgman St.
Major Peter Amyes, of the 4th Otago-Southland Battalion Group, said organisers were "hot to trot" for a full day of activities today, starting with a charter parade, including more than 40 military vehicles, along George St to the Octagon.
The parade would be followed by a ceremony marking the handover to the new command-ing officer of the battalion group, Lieutenant-colonel Roger McElwain, in the Octagon at noon.
"All the pomp and ceremony of the military will be alive and well in the Octagon at midday."
In the afternoon, there would be a church service, another open day at the Kensington Army Hall, and a mayoral reception for participants, followed by the first full military ball held in Dunedin since the early 1980s, at the Town Hall in the evening.
There would also be a breakfast for participants at the Kensington Army Hall tomorrow.
Maj Amyes said hundreds of past and present soldiers were in Dunedin for the weekend's activities.
Programme of event
Today
11.30am: Charter Parade, George St to the Octagon.
Noon: Handover ceremony to new 4th Otago-Southland Battalion Group CO, Octagon.
1pm: Church service, First Church, Moray Pl.
2pm to 5pm: Open day, including military displays, Kensington Army Hall (gold coin donation).
2.45pm: Mayoral reception, Dunedin City Gallery.
7pm: Military Ball, Dunedin Town Hall.
Tomorrow
9.30am: Shared breakfast, Kensington Army Hall.
