The Elkins High School band performed during the Grand Feature Parade, a part of the 87-year-long tradition of the Forest Festival. The festival draws hundreds of people each year, and the Grand Feature Parade is one of the most anticipated events. The band set off towards downtown at around 1:30 pm and led the five other bands attending through downtown Elkins, drawing enthusiasm from the many residents who watched. The audience wasn’t the only people enjoying the show, either.
“I liked it a lot, it was pretty hot, especially for the time of the year that it is—excessively hot,” senior trumpet player, Preston Nixon, said. “But I enjoyed it a lot because we were behind a bunch of POGO dudes, and every time we finished a song, I would see them jump up and do backflips.”
They were equipped with the same two songs they had played the previous year: the upbeat The Charleston and the iconic Country Road Mambo. Following this performance, they headed straight back to the high school for the annual Band Spectacular, a beloved post-parade tradition. In previous years, the bands displayed their field shows and were judged on their performance. This year, however, the spectacular is not a competition. As the hosts, the Elkins High School band performed first with their Shrek-themed show. They performed songs such as: Accidentally in Love, Funky Town, Hallalujiah, All Star, and I’m a Believer.
“I liked the spectacular; it was alright. It was very interesting and smaller this year than in any other year,” Nixon said. “We didn’t have any judges, sadly, so we didn’t get any awards; it was just recognition. But I really enjoyed it. I like to go out and play with the band. I like that more than the awards and would much rather play than get an award.”
