The 16 best small bands in the state will be in Russellville Saturday, and the hometown Marching Panthers are one of them, having earned a berth in regional competition last week..
Rhea Stadium is one of five sites in the Bowling Green area which will be alive with people and music because of semifinal action.
The 2015 KMEA State Marching Band Championships will be held Saturday (Oct. 31) at WKU’s Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium.
The event is the culminating performance for more than 8,500 students from 110 high school bands from more than 80 of Kentucky’s 120 counties.
To qualify for the state championships, bands must have performed in at least two of the 49 KMEA-sanctioned contests held throughout the state this fall. Each qualifying band competed in the Regional Quarterfinals on Oct. 24 at six locations, three in the eastern part of the state and three in the western part of the state.
The top eight bands from each regional competition – a total of 16 bands in each class – will meet for semifinals competition Oct. 31 at the following locations:
Class A – Russellville High School, 10 a.m.
· Class AA – Glasgow High School, 10 a.m.
· Class AAA – Allen County-Scottsville High School, 11 a.m.
· Class AAAA – Greenwood High School, 11 a.m.
· Class AAAAA – WKU’s Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium, 10 a.m.
The top four scoring bands in each class will move on to the finals competition that begins at 6 p.m. Oct. 31 at WKU. The event will conclude with the naming of a state champion in each class.
The 16 bands coming here are from all over the state. Some of them will begin arriving at 7:30 a.m. The semifinals are expected to be over by 3 p.m. Band boosters are assuring Russellvillians that the band buses, trucks and all those vehicles transporting supporters should be gone before Trick or Treating begins.
Those organizing the event went door-to-door Sunday afternoon delivering information about the event to those living near Rhea Stadium.
“We ask that as neighbors you be patient with the many bands who will be traveling to Russellville on this day. They may not be familiar with the area. There will also be many road closures,” the document delivered to neighbors says.
“Expect for school buses, semi-trucks and equipment trailers to be parking along the street. We will make sure your driveways aren’t blocked in case of emergencies.”
The Russellville Show of Bands was held earlier this year at Rhea Stadium. This is the first time the semifinals have been staged here.
Brian Brown is the Marching Panthers band director.
Tickets are $10 for semifinals and $12 and $17 for the finals and can be purchased at the event sites; finals tickets also will be available starting at 10 a.m. Oct. 31 at WKU’s Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium.