Music is center stage at Hempfield Area Band Festival

Three high school marching bands will take the field at Spartan Stadium together during the Hempfield Area Band Festival this Saturday.

The three ensembles — a step down in number from the annual festival’s usual total of eight to 10 bands — will combine into one “mass band” after an evening of performances and play a set of songs as one large group.

The “mass band” is a new component to the long-running marching band event, and a way to keep things fresh for the fundraiser festival, explained Hempfield Area High School band director Patrick Kealey.

This year’s festival is the 52nd iteration of the event, which was first held in 1970. High school marching bands perform their halftime shows on the field, at 4345 Route 136. The event starts at 7 p.m., with $10 tickets for adults, $7 for senior citizens and $4 for students.

“It’s going to be us, New Kensington (Valley High School) and Greensburg. With the smaller (number) of bands, we are going to have the opportunity to showcase our drumlines a little bit more, and even do a mass band at the end where we will play some songs together,” Kealey said. “Even with the smaller festival, we were committed to continuing the tradition and still putting on a festival and giving our seniors that experience.”

The drop in participation resulted from scheduling conflicts for other schools in the region, Kealey said.

The combined band will play Katy Perry’s “Firework,” several traditional pep band songs and the perennial marching band favorite “Hey Baby,” he said. Before the performance, students from all three school bands will get the chance to eat dinner together and socialize.

“It will be nice to share that opportunity of meeting other people,” he said. “Our flutes will meet the flutes from other schools, and the same with other sections. I think it’s going to be a good opportunity for them.”

The festival is a noncompetitive event, he noted, which differs from some other festivals.

“There are a lot of festivals and competitions that happen in the area, but ours is more about showcasing the bands and not necessarily competing,” he said.

Vendors, a bake sale and a basket raffle will be held.

“These festivals are a nice way to show support for our programs, and ultimately, they are fundraisers too,” Kealey said. “We put on these fun events, and there’s going to be plenty of food and prizes and raffles, and it’s a way to financially support our program.”