Strike Up The Bands 20 Marching Ensembles Descend On Joe Albi Stadium

Mon., Oct. 6, 1997

Several will walk away with first, second or third place awards. Some will walk away empty-handed. But only one of the 20 bands coming to Joe Albi Stadium on Saturday will leave toting the brand new Lilac Spirit Award.

The award will be given to the band that, from the moment it arrives throughout practice, performance and the closing ceremonies displays the best example of citizenship, spirit and competition.

“Usually there is one band that just stands out as real classy,” says Larry Lindel, chairman of the Lilac Festival Pacific Northwest Marching Band Championships.

“That’s what we want to recognize.”

The trophy will go to the band director, who can proudly display it at his or her school until next year’s competition when it will go to another school band that exemplifies the spirit of the Lilac Festival competition.

Lindel says organizers expect 3,000 to 4,000 people at this year’s competition which runs from 9 a.m to 6 p.m.

Four bands are competiting in the Class A division, designed for schools with 1,000 or fewer students. They include Kettle Falls, West Valley, Cheney and Clarkston. Southridge High has entered for exhibition only.

The remaining 15 bands come from schools with more than 1,000 students. They include: Rogers, Pasco, Wenatchee, University, Snohomish, East Valley, Central Valley, Ferndale, Ferris, Bozeman, Kamiakin, Shadle Park, Kennewick, Centennial and Mead.

Bands may perform for seven to 11 minutes. Eight judges rate the bands’ performances.

“They’re scrutinized pretty good,” Lindel said. Afterward, the judges will sit down with the band director and offer a critique.

MEMO: See related story under the headline: Strike up the bands Musical and physical precision the ultimate goal

This sidebar appeared with the story: SEE IT The Lilac Festival runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday at Joe Albi Stadium. Tickets are $8 for the full day or $5 for either the preliminaries or finals. Students and seniors get in for $6 for a full day or $4 for each segment.

See related story under the headline: Strike up the bands Musical and physical precision the ultimate goal

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.