Spain Park marching festival set for Sept. 24
Spain Park High School plans to host nearly 20 marching bands for its fourth annual Sparks in the Park Marching Festival on Sept. 24.
The event is expected to have about 16 high school marching bands from throughout Alabama performing in competition. In addition, there will be exhibition shows by Spain Park’s 180-member band, the University of North Alabama Pride of Dixie Marching Band and the 40-member RamCorps from the University of Mobile.
The UNA band, directed by Lloyd Jones, is one of the finest marching bands in the country and was invited to compete at the Bands of America Grand National Championships a couple of years ago, said Chris Neugent, Spain Park’s band director.
Jones, for the second year in a row, is arranging the music for the Spain Park band’s halftime show, Neugent said.
The University of Mobile’s RamCorps, directed by Kenn Hughes, is a brass and percussion ensemble that performs across the country.
The high school bands competing at Sparks in the Park will be divided into categories by size and judged.
This year’s judges include: Harry McAfee, retired band director from Hoover High; Jason Smith, Mountain Brook High School band director; John Bradley, retired band director from Monroe County High School; David Koelz, drill designer for the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corp; Sean Womack, instructor of percussion studies at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and Jacksonville State University; Stacy Arnold, UAB auxiliaries coordinator; and Mason McFarland, a former UAB drum major.
Admission to Sparks in the Park costs $8 for adults and $5 for students age 6 and older. Children age 5 and younger get in free, and parking is free.
Proceeds help the Spain Park band pay for things such as new uniforms and instruments, Neugent said.
“The band here at Spain Park is growing, and we need new instruments every year. That goes to offset the costs,” he said.
Last year’s Sparks in the Park Marching Festival brought in about $20,000, he said.
For more information, go to spainparkband.org/events/sparks-in-the-park.