Colts Showband Headlines Festival

will be the site of squealing horns and rumbling drumlines Saturday night when five high school marching bands and the Colts Showband take the field.

The annual band festival at the high school stadium begins at 7 p.m. and tickets can be purchased at the gate, which cost $5 for adults and $3 for students and seniors.

Besides the CV Showband, marching bands from Mt. Lebanon, Upper St. Clair, Montour, Cornell and Chartiers-Houston will be playing during the festival. The Chartiers Valley Middle School band will also perform during the festival.

Annette Kletzli, a member of the Chartiers Valley Band Boosters, said some schools perform a drum corps style show while others dance while playing.

“It’s kind of neat because every band is different,” Kletzli said. “It’s a variety. There’s a little bit of everything.”

The festival also gives the students an opportunity to showcase their musical skills. It’s an event that focuses squarely on the marching bands rather than the football players.

Kletzli also pointed out that each year the students have to usually memorize eights songs and put together marching formations while playing.

“There is so much talent in these schools and a lot of times they get overlooked,” Kletzli said. “This is a great chance for the band members to come out and shine. Our kids really enjoy it. They get to dance a lot and they have a lot of fun together.”

For more information about the festival, go to www.cvbandboosters.com.