Heralding trumpets and thundering drums filled the air in DeVore Stadium at Southwestern College as a packed house watched a reveille of sound at the 48th annual Sweetwater Union High School District Band Pageant Nov. 20.
The pageant gives all SUHSD schools a chance to perform for each other and see other groups they have never gotten a chance to see.
“There are no competitions and no trophies tonight,” said Sweetwater Union High School District Director of Visual and Performing Arts Jeff Kover. “Just lots of fun and lots of good music for everybody.”
Eleven middle schools and 12 high schools participated.
The event also gives marching bands a chance to perform in exhibition for their families and community members without the stress of competition. Most of these groups perform at field show competitions that are primarily held in North San Diego County.
All the middle schools in SUHSD gather on the field at the end of the night and perform a few songs as a mass band. Hundreds of new and up and coming musicians gather to show their future high schools and their community what they can do.
These bands come from all over the South Bay with groups from National City, Otay Mesa, San Ysidro, Imperial Beach and Chula Vista.
“This is a great opportunity for the general community to come out and support the arts,” he said. “We have over a thousandkids performing tonight and it is great to see the community out here supporting them.”
Otay Ranch High School alumnus Isaiah Villanova reminisced about his performances at previous pageants.
“Being in the Mustang Entertainment Corps at band pageant was the best,” said Villanova. “Attending as a spectator now feels different and it is insane how big this event is for South Bay.”
San Ysidro Cougar Pride alumnus Victor Soto was also nostalgic.
“My last time performing here was four years ago and I will never forget the feeling of performing for thousands of people,” he said. “I love that our community comes together to support marching bands.”
All the bands that performed ranged in size from 30 to 150 members.
Southwest High School’s Raider Brigade opened up the night with the national anthem. They had a 15-member band but this did not stop them from filling the stadium with sound.
San Ysidro High School’s Cougar Pride Band and Colorguard came back with their first competitive field show in three years.
“It’s great to see band pageant back here,” Villanova said. “My senior year of high school was the last time it was here and it felt weird attending this event when it was held at Castle Park High a year later.”
