March to their own beat

CEDAR RAPIDS - Friday nights are fun, but Saturdays are sacred to area high school marching bands. These are the days when the halftime show becomes the main event, and marching bands step off in competition.

The first marching invitationals and contests in the corridor take place Saturday in Marion.

Linn-Mar High School will host its marching band festival starting at 9:45 a.m. Following that contest, many bands will travel down the road to Marion High School's football field at Thomas Park for Marion's competition.

Linn-Mar High School will host 20 bands at the event. All proceeds go toward defraying equipment costs and clinician-related expenses.

The Marching Lions will perform in exhibition. The band includes 205 students this year.

At Marion's Marching Invitational, 18 bands will perform. Trophies will be awarded for all places and to the best drum major, best color guard, best horn line and best drum line in each class. Special awards also will be given to the outstanding drum major, color guard, horn line, drum line and overall champion for the entire evening.

Then on Oct. 4, the Cedar Rapids area high schools - Jefferson, Kennedy and Washington - will host the Five Seasons Invitational at Kingston Stadium.

On the same day, Iowa City High and Prairie High School in Cedar Rapids also will host contests. State follows on Oct. 12.

On Oct. 13, the bands will put their competitive differences aside for the annual Metro Marching Band Classic.

There will be more than 1,200 metro area performers from Jefferson, Kennedy, Linn-Mar, Marion, Prairie, Washington and Xavier.

The Classic, which culminates the marching band season for Cedar Rapids/Marion area high school marching bands, was conceived 17 years ago as a non-competitive showcase for local high school bands that also would serve as a fundraiser for the band programs. To date, the invitational has raised more than $300,000 with proceeds divided evenly among the eight participating bands.

The event was once held indoors at the U.S. Cellular Center. While that arena was closed for renovations, though, it took place at Linn-Mar High School in 2012. The event returns to that venue this year.

Attention!

'Linn-Mar Marching Band Festival: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Linn-Mar High School Stadium, 2999 N. 10th St., Marion, $3 to $6.

'Marion Marching Competition: 4:50 p.m., Saturday, Thomas Park, Marion, $6 for adults and students, children 4 and younger are free.

'Bands Across the Prairie Marching Invitational: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Oct. 4, Prairie High School, 401 76th Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, $5 to $7.

'Little Hawk Marching Invitational: Oct. 4, Bates Field, City High School, 1900 Morningside Dr., Iowa City.

'Five Seasons Marching Invitational: Oct. 4, Kingston Stadium, 907 15th St. SW, Cedar Rapids.

'State Marching Band Contest: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Oct. 11, Kingston Stadium, $3 to $5.