MENNO BAND DAY RETURNING FRIDAY

Fifth Street in Menno will once again be alive with a stream of music and choreographed formations next Friday, Oct. 4 when another Menno Band Day takes the community by storm. The exhibition and competition will begin at 10 a.m. when the Wolves Marching Band leads a processional that will include 20 other middle school and high school bands from as close as Parker and Avon to as far as Gregory and Pierre.

The bands will march south on Fifth Street, performing specifically for a panel of judges set up on the corner near Poplar Street. The schedule shows the final band making its way down the street at 11:45 a.m.

The action will then move to the football field for the drumline battle at 12:30 p.m. Awards are scheduled to be handed out at 1:15 p.m., after which the event will conclude.

Here’s the roster of bands and the times they are scheduled to march.

Menno (exhibition only), 10:05 a.m.

Middle School

Parker Middle School, 10:10 a.m.

McCook Central, 10:15 a.m.

Centerville, 10:20 a.m.

Canistota, 10:25 a.m.

Tea, 10:30 a.m.

High School

Avon, 10:35 a.m.

Gayville-Volin, 10:40 a.m.

Irene-Wakonda, 10:45 a.m.

Parker, 10:50 a.m.

Alcester-Hudson, 10:55 a.m.

Sioux Falls Lutheran, 11 a.m.

Tri-Valley, 11:05 a.m.

Canistota, 11:10 a.m.

Bon Homme, 11:15 a.m.

Centerville, 11:20 a.m.

McCook Central, 11:25 a.m.

Gregory, 11:30 a.m.

Pierre, 11:35 a.m.

West Central, 11:40 a.m.

Tea Area, 11:45 a.m.

Band Day history

Roots of Menno Band Day go back to Larry Tolzin and the 1970s, but it was initially short-lived. It wasn’t until 15 years ago that it returned to the community and has been held 13 times since, including every year since the fall of 2020.