1979 Press Photo Band Members in St. Petersburg's Festival of States Parade, FL
The band members sold more cakes than Sarah Lee to raise money for their trip to St. Petersburg's Festival of States. They washed countless cars, and one bandsman even shaved his head. Then there were hours of practice. Memorizing music. Marching back and forth across frozen parking lots, making sure the pace was precise. Finally, band members boarded buses and rode hundreds of miles to march just a few. And march they did. Flanked by color guards and drum corps, two dozens bands strutted through the streets of downtown, their feet and their fingers working to produce a harmony of sight and sound. As the last members of one band dwindled in the distance or turned a corner, the first crisp notes of the next band sounded from the distance. Pockets of parents erupted in cheers and applause as their children passed by. "There she is!" one mother exclaimed to no one in particular, and a passing clarinetist stole a furtive sidelong glance. Drummers banged out cadences that had even spectators tapping their feet. One cymbalist crashed his polished discs together so hard that he turned one inside out. Drum majors barked their own commands to keep lines straight, feet moving in step. Even among the best, some bands excelled. The Scotties of Glasgow, Kentucky, won the parade competition, and the Marching Knights of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, took the Mayor's Trophy for their performance in Wednesday's Champions on Parade. The Williamsport (Maryland) High School band won the concert competition, and Prattville (Alabama) High School captured the Heart of St. Petersburg, a plaque for the band that especially wins the affection of the city's residents. But whether they took home a trophy or just a week's worth... Photo measures 8.25 x 10 inches. Photo Is dated 1979.
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Historic Images Part Number: afa60941
