MASON CITY— It was a “totally rad” scene as the 85th North Iowa Band Festival parade marched through Mason City. This year’s Band Festival King and Queen were Titan Pearson from Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock High School and Emily Jane McLaughlin from Clear Lake High School.
Perennial marching band powerhouse Lake Mills High School claimed the Meredith Willson Grand Champion Award, which is awarded to the high school marching band with the overall highest score. The Festival’s newest honor, the Spirit of Meredith Willson Award, was given to Northwood Kensett High School for exemplifying great enthusiasm, devotion, and honor. As host schools for the event, Mason City High School and Newman Catholic High School marching bands are not eligible for the competition, and their royalty are not eligible to be crowned festival queen and king.
To encourage participation in the marching band competition from area schools, the North Iowa Band Festival Committee provides travel stipends to each participating band. The schools that marched in this year’s parade represent more than 30 communities with a long history of participation in the festival parade.
In the float competition, CURRIES employees received top honors in the Grand Marshal Award competition for their celebration of the All-America Band Festival, creatively using the commercial steel doors and frames they make at the local plant.
Award Winners:
Marching Bands
Class 1A: Northwood-Kensett High School
Class 2A: Lake Mills
Class 3A: Forest City
Parade Competition
Grand Marshal Award—
(presented to the parade entry with the best use of the festival theme “All-American Band Festival”)
CURRIES—1st Place
Randy’s Adventures/Project Based Learning—2nd Place
NSB Bank—3rd Place
Mr. Toot Award—
(presented to the entry with the most originality, artistic quality, and well-crafted design, based on a theme of their choice)
First Citizens Bank—1st Place
Window World of Mason City—2nd Place
Cargill Protein & North Iowa Community Credit Union (tie)—3rd Place
The carnival and concessions will open at noon on both Sunday and Monday in Downtown Mason City, weather permitting. The carnival will hold “Wrist Band Days” on both days, providing unlimited rides for $20 each day.