The 49th annual Mark Twain Marching Band Exhibition will bring bands from across Kentucky to Adair County Saturday for a preseason performance that will give members an opportunity to showcase their shows before the start of the competitive season.
The exhibition will be held on the new Adair County High School turf field. The opening ceremony is scheduled for 3:45 p.m., with the awards ceremony slated to begin at 8:30 p.m.
Admission is $10 for ages 6 and up, while children 5 and under are admitted free.
The Adair County Marching Band, which continues to grow, will take the field with 58 members this year. The band has been practicing throughout the summer in preparation for the competitive season in mid-September.
“This has been the best group I’ve had in a really long time as far as just being attentive, being at rehearsal, attendance has been near 100 percent,” said band director Jonathon Holmes.
Adair County will compete in the AAA class again this year. Holmes said the class will have new competition, including last year’s AA state champion band, which has moved up to AAA, as well as some bands that have dropped from AAAA.
The Mark Twain exhibition will give participating bands the opportunity to perform a portion of their shows before a panel of judges. The judges will provide feedback and critiques to help the bands prepare for the upcoming competition season.
Adair County will perform its opener during Saturday’s exhibition, giving fans their first look at the band’s uniforms and props for this year’s show.
“Our show this year is called ‘Out of Your Shell’. It has kind of an Egyptian kind of sound to it, especially at the beginning. The beginning of our show just sounds like an Adair County Marching Band show,” said Holmes. “It’s very mysterious and I am really excited about it.”
Holmes said the band hopes the community will attend the exhibition and support the students.
“The best way to show support is for the community to come and cheer for us at contests, especially with Mark Twain being a home event. It’s a really good day to show support for the band that they were a part of or knew someone who was a part of,” he said.
Holmes said the band hopes to see the stands packed and is anticipating more than 2,000 people at Saturday’s event.
The booster ran concession stand returns this year, offering a variety of food options to attendees. Proceeds from concessions, donations and other fundraising efforts help fund band activities and provide opportunities for students who otherwise may not be able to participate in the program.
Holmes encouraged community members to take advantage of the concessions while supporting the band.
Parking will be accessed from Veteran’s Memorial Bypass near the entrance to Infinity Wellness Center. Signs will be posted, and parents will assist with parking.
With the Mark Twain exhibition serving as both a preview of the upcoming season and a home event for Adair County, Holmes said Saturday provides an opportunity for the community to come out and support the growing band program.
By Amy Pike
amy@adairvoice.com
