The Pride of Jena hosted the first Not-So-Giant Marching Festival on Saturday, Oct. 3, at Guy Campbell Memorial Stadium on the Jena High School campus. JHS Band Director Aaron Wallace said it was the first festival of its kind in Louisiana, one built to celebrate small marching bands.
Berwick High School’s Sound of Pride was named the festival’s first grand champion. Patterson High School’s Timberland Regiment was reserve grand champion, and Buckeye High School’s Panther Pride finished third.
The other competing bands were De-Quincy High School’s Tiger Marching Band, Alexandria Senior High’s Band of Class, Bunkie Magnet High School’s Pride of Bunkie, C.E. Byrd High School’s Heartbeat of the City and Bolton Academy’s Bruin Pride.
Wallace said the festival was built to celebrate a category that often gets overlooked.
“It’s certainly impressive to see those huge marching bands execute at high levels, but comparing them to small bands is really like apples and oranges,” Wallace said. “They may both be fruit, but they definitely taste completely different.”
Small bands face different demands than large ones, he said, and each member is far more exposed on the field.
“It’s brave to be proudly in the small band category,” Wallace said. “This festival is for that bravery.”
The Pride of Jena Band and Colorguard performed in exhibition and received a score from the judges’ panel, but as the host band, they were excluded from any of the awards. The band took the field after a long day of hosting schools from across the state to the delight of all in attendance.
“They performed their hearts out,” Wallace said. “Parents of the band and the band staff could not be any more proud of these amazing kids’ achievements that day.”
Southeastern Louisiana University’s Spirit of the Southland closed the festival allowing the bands, parents and attendees the opportunity to see a collegiate band at a high school field. Wallace said the band, now led by director Stephen Morman, has grown a great deal this year under its new leadership.
“His band definitely brought the show to a close in a magnificent way, and we are thankful for their presence,” Wallace said.
Members of the Jena High School football team also turned out to see the band debut the competition version of its show.
Jena Giant head coach Jay Roark said the team wanted to show appreciation to the band for all they do throughout their season.
“There is no doubt that our band helps makes our games so exciting,” Roark said. “We truly appreciate all they do and the hard work they put in to lead the crowds each and every game – both home and away. They add so much to the atmosphere of the games and this was just one way that we could show our support back to them.”
Wallace said the gesture reflected the town’s culture and sense of community.
“Jena is such an awesome community, and this is why it’s a nice place to live,” Wallace said. “Perhaps we can add to our town’s tagline: ‘Good people doing great things.’” After the festival, Wallace and the band shared a thank-you message with the small band community, the Jena community and the parent volunteers who helped run the event.
“Thank you, from the bottom of every giant heart in this band,” the message said. “We are better people, performers, community members because of you! Today was exactly what it needed to be for everyone here. Jena, a nice place to live! The statement rings its truest in our hearts today.”
