Boyertown to celebrate “Original” Cavalcade of Bands

On Saturday, September 29, 2012, The Boyertown Area Schools Music League will present the 53rd Annual Boyertown “Original” Cavalcade of Bands to be held at the Boyertown Area Senior High School Memorial Stadium. To start the show, the combined Boyertown East/West Junior High Marching unit will perform at 5:30 p.m. This event will be rain or shine!

Over the past 53 years 398 field shows (does not include performances by Boyertown Senior High, Junior High and Alumni Marching units) compiled by over 46,000 young men and women have performed at the Boyertown Cavalcade of Bands, and their efforts have been witnessed and applauded by nearly 170,000 spectators. Throughout the past 52 years and continuing into this 53rd year, there remains in the participants the same desire to perform, to please, and to achieve the highest levels of excellence.

This year, 16 of Pennsylvania’s finest marching units from Phoenixville, Pottstown, Owen J. Roberts, Pottsgrove, Governor Mifflin, Quakertown, Palisades, Greater Nanticoke, Wissahickon, Central Bucks West, Central Bucks East, Hatboro Horsham, Pennridge, Upper Moreland, and Boyertown High School, as well as the Boyertown East/West Junior High School will participate.

The evenings show will be filled with music, marching, and pageantry combined with innovative, state-of-the-art drills, original choreographies and a rich variety of musical styles, all executed with great precision to culminate in a show of awesome emotional power. The high level of professionalism that these students perform at is incredible, and will awe those in attendance. They bring to the field the highest level of commitment and discipline in all areas of the performance making for an evening of inspiration, surprise and especially pride, in themselves, their unit, and their school. It is truly an evening not to be missed. All are welcome and encouraged to come support the students from all the schools who have worked extremely hard in preparation for pleasing the crowd Saturday night, September 29th.

Boyertown High School’s field show will be very special this year as it is director Glen A Brumbach’s last cavalcade here at Boyertown. He will be retiring at the end of the school year after a rewarding 34 years in education. The 2012 Field show entitled “Like a Toy Soldier” artistically encapsulates Mr. Brumbach’s career with the students here at Boyertown as well as his entire career in music. It also aesthetically portrays students as they grow up and encounter the challenges they face throughout their lives.

In 1958, a small group of interested persons formed the Boyertown Music League. Their goal was to promote the various programs of the school district’s music organizations and to help develop and promote new cultural activities in and for the community. Brainstorming for fundraising ideas during the winter of 1958, the Music League and then Boyertown Sr. High Band Director Arlen R. Saylor met and discussed doing something to focus more attention on marching band field shows. Members wanted to develop some form of exhibition that would provide students with an opportunity to see one another’s efforts, and encourage excellence. Borrowing its title from the Gillette Cavalcade of Sports television program that was airing at the time, the Boyertown Cavalcade of Bands was born.

The Cavalcade made its debut on Tuesday Oct. 27, 1959. Two thousand spectators braved “bone-chilling weather” to watch 750 participants from Owen J. Roberts, Daniel Boone, Governor Mifflin, Upper Darby, Chichester, North Hampton and Boyertown High Schools perform their field shows. Judging designed to produce a first and second place winner had Governor Mifflin and Daniel Boone High School finishing accordingly. Enthusiasm the day after was high enough to provide the momentum for making the Cavalcade an annual event.

Of these early cavalcades, former Boyertown band director Arlen Saylor stated “that there were few marching units in the modern sense. Most were just bands with a few majorettes. Pageantry was extremely limited. With each year however, the shows became more complex, the pride more evident.” Saylor also said, “The Music League wanted to provide an opportunity for more students to get involved in marching units, to create more pageantry and color, and to just have fun!”

This first Cavalcade of Bands at Boyertown in 1959 eventually led to the formation of the Cavalcade of Bands Association / Circuit in which Boyertown High School competes in today. Millions of students across the country have participated in these cavalcade experiences which all started 53 years ago, here in Boyertown.

Tickets are $8.00 advance and $10.00 at the gate. Student and Senior tickets are available for $5.00. Advance tickets are available at Mest’s Crown Card and Candy Shoppe - Hallmark (located in the new Douglass Town Center at the intersection of Rt.100 and County Line Road) or at the gate the night of the Cavalcade. For any additional information please call 610-367-4550.

There will be a free shuttle bus service from the parking lots of the Boyertown Junior High School West located on South Madison Street.