Osseo Marching Band Festival facts for kids
The Osseo Marching Band Festival is a yearly street marching contest held in Osseo, Minnesota. It brings together some of the best high school bands from the northern midwestern United States. This exciting competition starts at noon. The awards ceremony after the competition is also free. Everyone is welcome to come and watch!
Contents
How the Marching Band Festival Works
The Competition Route
High school bands march through the city streets. They follow a special path called a performance route. Along this route, bands pass different areas. These include a warm-up area and a judging area. There is also a television area and a finale area.
Awards and Prizes
After all the bands have performed, an awards ceremony takes place. It is held at the Osseo High School Stadium. The top three bands in each competition group receive a trophy and prize money. Special trophies are also given out. These go to the best overall colorguard and drumline. Awards are also given for the best winds section. The best band of the entire festival wins the grand champion trophy.
Joining the Festival
High school marching bands can apply to compete each year. There is no cost for bands to join the festival. Usually, each band gets some travel money. This helps them pay for transportation to Osseo.
History of the Osseo Marching Band Festival
Why the Festival Started
The Osseo Marching Band Festival was created by the Osseo Band Boosters. They wanted to create a fun community event. It gives local students from Independent School District 279 a chance to perform. They can show off their skills to their hometown crowd. They also get to compete with other bands from the area.
Local High School Bands
Independent School District 279 has three high schools. These are Osseo Senior High School, Maple Grove Senior High School, and Park Center Senior High School. All of these schools have strong music programs. They also have large marching bands.
The First Festival Event
The very first Osseo Marching Band Festival was held on June 24, 2007. Twelve high school bands competed that day. The Osseo High School Marching Band was the host band. The Osseo High School Alumni Band also performed. The 451st Army Band was the special Honor Band. The Crystal VFW provided the color guard for the event.
Festival Schedule and Dates
The Osseo Marching Band Festival happens at noon. It is always on the Saturday of the last full weekend of June. This is usually the day before the Vikingland Band Festival in Alexandria, Minnesota.
Here are some past dates for the Osseo Marching Band Festival:
- June 28, 2008
- June 27, 2009
- June 26, 2010
- June 25, 2011
- June 23, 2012
- June 22, 2013
