Festival goers enjoyed the “Sounds of Iowa” as the 86th North Iowa Band Festival parade marched through Mason City. This year’s Band Festival King and Queen were Gavin Ryner from Central Springs High School and Kamryn Backhaus from Northwood-Kensett 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 Osage 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. There was also a new school represented – Stanton High School joined the parade, traveling all the way from Southwest Iowa near Omaha!
In the float competition, CURRIES employees received top honors in the Grand Marshal Award competition for best use of festival theme, 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: Clear Lake
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
- Plain Ol’ Pumpkins & 43 North Iowa —2nd Place (tie)
- First Citizens 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):
- NSB Bank—1st Place
- Farmers State Bank—2nd Place
- St. James Lutheran Church—3rd Place