Welcome!
The RainShadow Ringers are a Community Handbell Ensemble from Sequim, Washington. This group of experienced ringers enjoy playing and entertaining at concerts at various venues across the Olympic Peninsula.
Handbells were invented in 17th century England when neighbors of bell towers grew tired of listening to long ringing rehearsals. Using handbells permitted the rehearsals to take place in the warmth of pubs. Handbells were first brought to the United States around 1840. They were made popular by P.T. Barnum as a circus attraction. After this, handbell teams were often found in the Vaudeville circuit.
In the 1940s people began ringing handbells in American churches. Handbells were first manufactured in the United States in the 1960s. Today there are over 10,000 handbell choirs in North America. Approximately 1% of these are community groups while the rest are affiliated with churches or schools.
If you are interested in ringing with us, we welcome you to talk with our director – Al Mundy.