KEARNEY – Twenty-seven middle and high school marching bands will join the University of Nebraska at Kearney for its 62nd annual Band Day Parade.
Back after a year off because of COVID-19, the parade is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday (Sept. 18) in downtown Kearney. The route begins at 21st Street and Third Avenue, follows Third Avenue south to Railroad Street, heads east to Central Avenue, then turns north before ending at the Museum of Nebraska Art at the corner of Central Avenue and 24th Street.
A longstanding UNK tradition, Band Day is a celebration of music that showcases programs from across Nebraska and serves as preparation for the Oct. 2 Harvest of Harmony Parade and Field Competition in Grand Island.
The top three bands in each class will receive trophies for parade marching, and additional trophies will be awarded to the outstanding drum line and color guard and overall champion.
Bands will also participate in the Bearcat Marching Festival, which follows the Band Day Parade awards ceremony at Kearney High School. The festival provides a “comments only” clinic format, where bands receive feedback about their field performances in advance of formal competitions later in the fall.
UNK Band Day participants (listed in order of performance)
- UNK Pride of the Plains Marching Band
- Kearney eighth grade
- Ogallala Middle School
- Axtell
- Kenesaw
- Wilcox-Hildreth
- Arcadia
- Exeter-Milligan
- Stapleton
- Parkview Christian
- Amherst
- Wood River
- Gibbon
- Ravenna
- Twin River
- Elm Creek
- Yutan
- Dundy County Stratton
- Grand Island Central Catholic
- Centura
- Kearney Catholic
- Holdrege
- Broken Bow
- Cozad
- Milford
- Grand Island Senior High
- North Platte
- Kearney High School
