A file photo of Sky View’s marching band.
LOGAN – On Saturday, Oct. 8 43 high school marching bands from across Utah and Idaho will flood Logan with synchronized steps playing their instruments for the Bridgerland Band Invitational held on Merlin Olsen Field at Utah State University.
Sisters Heidi Gordon and Julie Smith are the co-chairs of the event. Both played for the Mountain Crest High School when they were students there. Their mother Jene Hunter also chaired the event for years.
“Mountain Crest has sponsored it every year except one since it was created in 1994,” Gordon said. “More schools have signed up this year than we have ever had.”
From 8:30 a.m. until 1 p.m., 3A and 5A Bands will take the field. Preston High School will kick off the morning as the first band at 8:45 a.m.
Starting at 1:30 p.m. 4A marching bands will take the field. The other Cache Valley high school bands will perform at 3:45 p.m. beginning with Ridgeline, Mountain Crest at 4 p.m., Green Canyon at 4:30 p.m., and Sky View finishing the valley schools at 4:45 p.m. The 4A recap and awards are scheduled to take place at 5:15 p.m.
The marching continues with 6A schools beginning at 5:45 with the last band to perform being West Lake High School, taking the field at 9:45 p.m.
There are nine high schools from Idaho that will make the trip to march at Maverik Stadium.
“Since COVID slowed performing last year a lot of the marching bands are looking for places to perform,” Gordon added. “I think Joel Yoder, the Mountain Crest Band Instructor had a lot to do with recruiting the Idaho bands this year.
“Over the years the Bridgerland Invitational has been a good fundraiser for Mountain Crest and a good competition overall. It takes a lot of volunteers to pull it off.”
Judges for the event are selected by Utah Music Educators Association and are brought in from out of state.
Tickets cost $7 at the door and children under 10 years of age are admitted free.