13 Schools To Participate In Major Marching Band Competition In Phoenixville

PHOENIXVILLE, PA — Thirteen different high school bands will descend on Phoenixville Area high School this weekend as part of the annual Festival of Bands, a Cavalcade of Bands competition.

The event will take place on Saturday, Sept. 20 at Washington Field.

Shows include a blend of music, choreography, and visual design, organizers said. Each team has 12 minutes to set up their show, perform the routine, and clear the fields.

Phoenixville High School's own marching band will be performing a special exhibition called "Remote Control'd."

"This imaginative production transforms the simple struggle for the TV remote into a dramatic, high-energy performance filled with musical twists and turns," organizers said. "From the moment the 'TV' clicks on, the band takes viewers through a spectrum of remote-control chaos: channel surfing, rewinding, slow motion, and fast-forward. Each command is brought to life through original music and choreography."

They said the mostly humorous display also contains deeper themes of power struggles.

The order of performance Saturday is as follows: Haverford (Havertown), Kennett (Kennett Square), Upper Merion Area (King of Prussia); Clayton (Clayton, NJ); Mount Pleasant (Wilmington, DE); Pottstown (Pottstown); Norristown High School (Norristown); Plymouth Whitemarsh (Plymouth Meeting); Daniel Boone (Birdsboro); Dallastown (Dallastown); Pottsgrove (Pottstown); and Sun Valley (Aston).

The Cavalcade of Bands, founded in 1958, brings together more than 100 schools from around the mid-Atlantic region in a series of competitions, educational opportunities, and more.

Gates open at 4:30 p.m. and the show will conclude by 8:15 p.m.