More than 3,000 students make up the 23 bands that will participate in the 50th Annual Tri-State Band Festival on Saturday, Sept. 30, in Luverne. The bands come from Minnesota, South Dakota and Iowa and will join thousands of people visiting Luverne to take part in the longest running festival of its kind in the Midwest.
The parade will begin on Main Street in Luverne at 10 a.m., followed by the field competition at 12:45 p.m. at the Luverne High School athletic field. Entrance to all field events will require the purchase of a $3 Tri-State Band Festival button, which will be available at the gate as well as on Main Street prior to the parade.
Because this is the 50th anniversary of the festival there will be special events to note this historic occasion. Parade marshals for this year's event will be 18 of the past parade marshals who will return to Luverne to be part of the festivities. The guest band for this year's event will be the 1st Marine Division Marching Band from Camp Pendleton, Calif. It will perform at both the parade and field events. In addition, the marching band from Southwest State University in Marshall will participate.
Bands participating include from Minnesota: Adrian, Lourdes (Rochester), Luverne, Murray County Central, New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva, Pipestone-Jasper, Tracy, Waseca, Worthington; Iowa: Crestwood, George-Little Rock, Sibley-Ocheyedan, Sioux Center, South O'Brien, West Lyon; South Dakota: Brandon Valley, Brookings, Garretson, Lennox, Lincoln (Sioux Falls), Parkston and Washington (Sioux Falls).
For more information contact the Luverne Area Chamber of Commerce at 283-4061.