COAA, the Carousel Organ Association of America, will be holding an
organ rally, "The Great Wurlitzer Band Organ Recall", on the former
Wurlitzer Company Grounds, 908 Niagara Falls Blvd., North Tonawanda,
New York, a suburb of Buffalo, New York.  Rally times for seeing and
hearing the organs are Saturday, July 10th, 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. and
Sunday, July 11th, 11 A.M. to 6 P.M.

The Wurlitzer factory was a huge enterprise, with a main building
about half a mile long, set on 43 acres.  In it the company produced,
at various times, pianos, organs, band organs, and "coin-operated
phonographs" a.k.a. juke boxes.  Several YouTube videos provide
historical views of the factory:

Wurlitzer Factory, North Tonawanda, NY (c. 1921) is a black and white
video devoted primarily to the grounds:
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImD6ujsadeM
 

A Trip to Wurlitzer (c.1950) is a 5 part color tour of the Wurlitzer
factory showing the manufacture of "juke boxes." Aerial view of the
factory and the still-undeveloped environs at 3:35.  A color sequence
introducing the factory and its surroundings is followed by
black-and-white film showing the different stages of production.
Part 1  is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtfXT54jc-k
 

Today the factory is an "industrial park."  You can see an aerial view
At http://maps.google.com/maps?q=908+Niagara+Falls+Blvd.,+North+Tonawanda 
(Click on "Satellite" for the photo view.)

COAA rally participation is not limited to Wurlitzers.  A range of
large organs is expected, and any COAA rally is also a sort of organ
grinders' convention.

AMICA (Automatic Musical Instrument Collectors' Association) will also
be holding their convention in Buffalo at the same time.

Wallace Venable