More than 40 marching bands will compete on Baldwin Avenue Saturday, Nov. 19, in the 58th Annual Arcadia Festival of Bands hosted by Arcadia High School and Dana, First Avenue and Foothills Middle Schools.
This year’s grand marshal is Teacher of the Year Talmadge “Tal” Jones.
The parade of bands that begin marching south of Huntington Drive starts at 8:45 a.m. with bands marching all the way to Duarte Road, where they turn east. Be sure to arrive early to find a good viewing spot on the sidewalk of either side of Baldwin Ave. Bring your own chair and look for programs and souvenirs to purchase. Streets for blocks around will be blocked off in the morning.
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Get the Flash Player to see this content. . The event is one of the oldest and most prestigious band reviews in Southern California. Immediately following the parade, schools will assemble at Salter Stadium at Arcadia High School for the Percussion Performance and Band Review Awards Ceremony at 12 noon. Many of the bands then compete in field shows beginning at 4 p.m. and running all evening at Citrus College Stadium in Glendora, with Arcadia performing last at about 8:30 p.m. This will be the final performance of the season for Arcadia High School Marching Band and Color Guard before the Rose Parade on January 2.
Organizers say more than 400 volunteers are needed to make this event run smoothly and to make a memorable experience for all students and participants. They credit the help and support of the City of Arcadia, the Arcadia Police Department, the Arcadia School District, Santa Anita Race Track, as well as every participating band, director, volunteers, parents and students on the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
For information on sponsoring the event and purchasing discounted pre-sale tickets, visit the web site: www.arcadiamusic.org/festivalofbands.
— By Scott Hettrick
— By Scott Hettrick