By By Steve Gillespie/The Meridian Star
Oct. 12, 2001
Ray Stadium will be filled with music all day Saturday as Meridian High School hosts the Mississippi High School Activities Association Region 3 Marching Band Festival.
Thirty high schools in classes 1A-5A will compete between 10 a.m. and 8:15 p.m. rain or shine.
The public is invited to the competition. Admission is $5. Parking will be available for a $3 fee near the school's tennis courts and, weather permitting, in the lower parking area.
People attending the high school volleyball playoffs at the school gymnasium will need to enter the stadium by way of 24th Avenue. All other spectators will have to enter from Poplar Springs Drive.
A full concession stand will be stocked with barbecue ribs, chicken baskets, Little Caesar's pizza and nachos from San Marcos Restaurant.
All proceeds from admission, parking and concessions will go to the band boosters club to pay for band expenses.
Burton said security has been tripled for the event compared to years past. There will be 12 security guards on duty instead of the customary four. He said spectators' bags may be subject to search.
The Meridian High School Marching Band is scheduled to perform at 7:15 p.m. The band is under the direction of Bruce White, head band director; band directors Terry Ivy and Scott Kratzer; and assistant band directors Sabina Ivy and David McKinney.
Special performances are also scheduled. Jones Junior College's Maroon Typhoon will take the field at 3:40 p.m. At 7:30 p.m., Delta State University's marching band will perform.
Competition schedule
Class 1A bands will begin competing at 10 a.m. and are scheduled to perform in 12-minute intervals in the following order: Stringer, Mt. Olive, Ethel, Sebastopol, Starkville Academy, Lake and Union.
Class 2A bands will begin competing at 11:48 a.m. and are scheduled to perform in 12-minute intervals in the following order: Taylorville, Eupora, Newton, Scott Central, Ackerman and Bay Springs.
Class 3A bands will begin competing at 1:48 p.m. and are scheduled to perform in 12-minute intervals in the following order: Southeast Lauderdale, Choctaw Central, West Lauderdale, Morton, Forest, Raleigh, Newton County, Philadelphia and Carthage.
Class 4A bands will begin competing at 5:15 p.m. and are scheduled to perform in 15-minute intervals in the following order: Northeast Lauderdale, Quitman, Kosciusko, Neshoba Central and Louisville.
Class 5A bands will begin competing at 6:45 p.m. and are scheduled to perform in 15-minute intervals in the following order: Wayne County, Starkville and Meridian.
Steve Gillespie is a staff writer for The Meridian Star. Call him at 693-1551, ext. 3233, or e-mail him at sgillespie@themeridianstar.com.