Bands from 33 different schools will be making the trip to Sherburne for this year’s competition. The event will begin on Thursday evening with jazz ensemble and small ensemble performances being held in the Sherburne-Earlville High School beginning at 3:40 p.m. The marching bands will begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday, being lead by the Sherburne-Earlville Elementary School Band, followed by the Sherburne-Earlville High School. For more information, see the insert in today’s Evening Sun. (Photo from the SECSD)

SHERBURNE –  The streets of Sherburne will be filled with music and fun this weekend as the Pageant of Bands returns for its 77th year in Sherburne. The three-day music festival is one of the longest running high-school marching band competitions with participants coming from all over New York State.

“Pageant is a tradition at the heart of the Sherburne community,” said new High School Band Director Jamie Cox. “Sponsored by the Sherburne Fire Department and hosted by SECSD, this three-day celebration showcases musical excellence through a variety of events, including jazz ensemble, small ensemble, concert band, parade, and cadence competitions. This event is a true collaboration between the two organizations and requires months of planning, coordination, and dedication each year.”

Bands from 33 different schools will be making the trip to Sherburne for this year’s competition. The event will begin on Thursday evening with jazz ensemble and small ensemble performances being held in the Sherburne-Earlville High School beginning at 3:40 p.m.

Saturday, concert band performances will be held throughout the Sherburne-Earlville Campus. The marching bands will begin at 1 p.m. on Saturday, being lead by the Sherburne-Earlville Elementary School Band, followed by the Sherburne-Earlville High School.

“We have 55 members in our marching band, with students spanning from 6th through 12th grade. This is many of our students' first time marching, and their enthusiasm is contagious,” said Cox.

Marching bands and color guards from 27 other schools will follow, making their way through the village of Sherburne. The event is not just a parade, but a competition.

“There are two judges per event. Many of the events are scored around musicianship, technique, accuracy, and demand of the piece. Within each classification, first, second, and third place earn a certain number of points.  There are trophies for those top scores within each classification for each event, but there are also trophies for overall scores across events.”

The parade will follow a route through the village, ending at Marauder Stadium where 27 different drumlines will perform. The awards ceremony will follow the drumlines.

“This year, we are utilizing judges from the NYS Federation of Contest Judges across all events.   They use an application called Competition Suite to provide feedback and scoring. They record their commentary in real time as the bands perform,” said Cox.

In addition to the performances, the Sherburne Fire Department will be barbecuing chicken on Saturday, and the S-E Music Boosters will be selling t-shirts and merchandise.

“Pageant is in its 77th year this year. It is important for it to continue because of the joy at the root of this tradition,” said Cox.

While weather can be uncertain, there is rain in the forecast for Saturday, but Pageant goes on rain or shine. Sherburne Firefighter Jansen Casscles said if there is severe weather, busses are set up along the parade route to get participants to safety, but in the 77 years of Pageant, extreme weather has rarely disrupted the events.

For a complete schedule of events, visit the Sherburne-Earlville website at www.secsd.org.