Ipswich band to march in Lake Region Marching Band Festival in Groton

Friday, October 8 12 area school bands and the Aberdeen Central High School Golden Eagle Marching Band will converge in Groton for the annual Lake Region Marching Band Festival. Ipswich will be one of the participating bands.

The parade of bands will travel from south to north on Groton's Main Street from Railroad Avenue to 9th Avenue, beginning at 10 a.m.

Following the parade, the Aberdeen Central High School Band will present a "Phantom of the Opera" field marching show for all bands in attendance.

This festival originated in Milbank, moved to Waubay for 11 years, and has been held in Groton for the past nine years. Each band will be evaluated on their performance by a panel of judges from Aberdeen Central High School. Awards will be given to the top two high school and top two middle school bands. Awards will be given to the top three bands in the combined band division. Other awards that will be given out are Best Percussion, Best Winds, and Best Color Guard. An overall Top Band Award will be given to the band with the overall highest score.

The festival has become a premier marching event in northeast South Dakota, attracting bands and spectators from towns across the region. The public is invited to watch the parade of bands on Main Street as well as Aberdeen Central's field marching show and awards at the football field. The festival will be livestreamed at gdilive.com free of charge.

Concessions will be available at the football field following the parade.

Bands attending the festival are Ipswich, Aberdeen Roncalli, Warner, Leola, Langford, Milbank MS, Castlewood, Wilmot, Frederick, Sully Buttes, Groton, Aberdeen Simmons and Holgate MS, and Northwestern.

Primary sponsors of the festival are Groton Dairy Queen and the Groton Daily Independent.

The Ipswich Band marched in the Roncalli Marching Band Festival on September 29.

They were named: 4th Place Band - Best Winds - Best Percussion

Aberdeen Roncalli - first and Best Flag Corps

Hoven - second

Langford - third

Northwestern - Best Drum Major

At the Gypsy Day Parade IHS was named a Gold Band.