Southwest Iowa Band Jamboree
The Southwest Iowa Band Jamboree scheduled for Saturday, September 29 marks the 63rd year for the festival and is sponsored by the Clarinda Chamber of Commerce, the Clarinda Community Schools and the City of Clarinda. Drawing over 50 high school and middle school bands from Iowa, Missouri and Nebraska, more than 2,500 students plan to take part in the daylong festival. Katy Ridge chairs the 2018 Band Jamboree and Julie Murren assists as Vice Chairperson.
The parade begins at 9 a.m. around the downtown square area. The afternoon field activities start at 12:45 p.m. at the Clarinda High School Football Stadium with the flag raising ceremony conducted by the American Legion Sergy Post No. 98. A special feature highlighting the University of Nebraska at Omaha – Maverick Marching Band kicks off the activities prior to the parade competition awards presentation. In addition, the Clarinda High School band will perform an exhibition show followed by the afternoon field competition. The final performance of the afternoon features Graceland University – Yellowjackets Marching Band from Lamoni, Iowa. Spectators will be charged an admission fee of $5 for adults and $3 for students. School activity tickets will not be accepted.
Thirty-five awards will be presented this year. Bands placing in the parade competition include 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th in each high school class; 1st, 2nd & 3rd place in each middle school class. Field trophies include 1st and 2nd place in each high school class. The Glenn Miller Birthplace Society awards an overall trophy to the top band considering parade and field performances. The Clarinda Masonic Lodge also awards a traveling trophy to the top overall band.
The Band Jamboree Committee is pleased to announce the following parade judges for this year are: Lead Adjudicator Chris Crandall, Dallas Center-Grimes Middle School Band Director from Johnston, Iowa; Bob Cochran, Retired Band Director Raytown South from Raytown, Missouri; and Jessica Holtzscher, Barry Middle School Band Director from Kansas City, Missouri.
The field competition judges are: Chris Crandall - Marching & Maneuvering Execution Judge; Jessica Holtzscher - Music Execution Judge; Walter Hicks, Muscatine West Middle School Band Director from Clinton, Iowa - Marching & Maneuvering General Effect; Robert Pippin, Assistant Professor of Low Brass & Music Education at Northwest Missouri State University from St. Joseph, Missouri – Music General Effect Judge; Brandon Johnson, Associate Director & Percussion Specialist at Lee’s Summit West High School from Lee’s Summit, Missouri – Percussion Judge; Pam Crawford, Pilot Grove C-4 School Band Director from Columbia, Missouri – Auxiliary Judge and Ryan Runyan, IKM-Manning Community Schools Director of Bands - Technical Judge from Manning, Iowa.