Over 1,000 musicians to play at 49th annual Band-a-rama

A day full of Veterans Day festivities will once again be capped off Monday with a musical tribute to our armed forces at the 49th annual Buck Shaffer Band-a-rama.

The show is dedicated to our service men and women who have served our country, or are currently serving our country. After the 100th annual Veterans’ Day Parade, all bands will participate in a huge, massed band performance, featuring 13 high school and middle school bands and nearly 70 majorettes and twirlers at Granite Hills Rankin Stadium.

The 2018 Miss Porterville Darcy Sarr and her attendants will be introduced just before the event begins. At 2 p.m., the parade of bands begins around the field, and Scout Troop #132 will carry a very large American flag around the football field, stopping in front of the stands for the Pledge of Allegiance, led by Veterans Day Chairman Don Dowling.

All bands will then march around the track playing selections of their choice and moving into their designated spots on the field.

Pastor Chris Farrell from Lighthouse Church will offer the invocation. Jim Kusserow will direct the massed band, where over 1,000 students will perform patriotic music in honor of our veterans. Don Dowling will serve as Master of Ceremonies.

After the mass band performance, four bands will perform their field shows — Cesar Chavez Titan Band, Granite Hills Grizzly Band, Monache Marauder Band, and the Porterville Panther Band.

BANDS PERFORMING

THIS YEAR HIGH SCHOOL Cesar Chavez High School (Alex Gonzales, Director)

Monache High School (Justin Adams, Director)

Strathmore High School (Nicholas Walters, Director)

Porterville High School (Clark Keele, Director)

Granite Hills High School (Ken Ormonde, Director)

Summit Charter HS (Donna Steigleder, Director) ELEMENTARY AND

JUNIOR HIGH Pioneer Middle School (Jack Amaral, Director)

Bartlett Middle School (Chris Green, Director)

Burton Middle School (Deolinda Barcellos, Director)

Strathmore Elementary School (George Baker, Director)

Sequoia Middle School (Richard Madrigal, Director)

Carl Smith Middle School (Ted Wuth, Director)

MAJORETTES

A spot in the show will be given to majorettes of all the bands twirling together at one time to the “The Navy Song Anchor’s Aweigh” and “The Marines’ Hymn.” Joining the majorettes will be other teams from the area. The Band-a-rama should conclude at approximately 4 p.m.