Vikingland Band Festival is this Sunday

Talk about it

It’s time to strike up the bands!

This Sunday, an expected crowd of 20,000 people will line the streets of downtown Alexandria to watch 2,000 performers from some of the best marching bands around.

The 24th annual Vikingland Band Festival will begin on Broadway starting at 1:30 p.m., featuring 21 marching high school bands including Alexandria’s own Jefferson High School Band.

Ken Martinson will lead the parade as grand marshal. (See related story.)

Bands will march south on Broadway from 4th Avenue to 15th Avenue.

A few new twists will add fun to this year’s event:

Rootbeer Float Concert

On Saturday, a “Rootbeer Float Concert” is being planned at Jefferson High School.

Everyone is encouraged to bring their lawn chair or blankets to the front lawn of the school for the concert, which will begin at 6 p.m.

The Brush and Palette Club will be doing complimentary face painting from 4:30 to 6 p.m.

The event, which will be an informal musical performance, features Alexandria’s Jefferson High School Marching Band presenting a stand-still performance of its summer marching music.

In addition, the Stabekk School Band from Oslo, Norway, will perform its concert music. This band, which includes 60 students ages 11 to 18, is the Honor Band of this year’s Vikingland Band Festival. (See related story.)

The evening will be topped off with free rootbeer floats.

In case of inclement weather, the concert will take place in the high school gymnasium. This event is sponsored in part by Glenwood State Bank.

Parking reminder

The Alexandria Police Department reminds everyone that there will be no parking on Broadway during Sunday’s parade.

Any vehicles not moved by 12:30 p.m. will be towed to make way for the parade.

Where to watch

This year there are four prime viewing and performing locations. The DVD recording area has been moved south to the AgCountry Farm Credit Services at 1022 Broadway.

Organizers ask people to refrain from placing chairs in that location, as they will be moved to make room for the snorkel truck and other equipment.

This change is designed to streamline the flow of the parade as bands exit the judging area, and give bands more time to prepare for their performance in front of the cameras.

Judging takes place near the intersection of 6th Avenue and Broadway. Bleacher seating is for sale at the 6th Avenue location facing the judging platform.

A “People's Choice” voting area is near the intersection of 8th Avenue and Broadway. Bleacher seating is also for sale at the 8th Avenue location near Legion Park.

The DVD cameras and second People's Choice voting area are near the intersection of 11th Avenue and Broadway.

A final performance area is near the intersection of 14th Avenue and Broadway. This zone ends where all the drum majors gather to salute their competitors.

Festival-goers should use care when placing their chairs to hold their spots.

Drivers should also use special caution near the intersections of 6th and 8th avenues as bleacher seating will be set up in those intersections early Sunday morning, June 29.

The Vikingland Band Festival committee thanks the residents and visitors in the neighborhoods surrounding Washington Elementary and St Mary’s Church for their cooperation as those streets are used for the parade line-up area.

For more information, contact the Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce at (320) 763-3161.

ON THE WEB

For more information, visit the festival’s Web site at www.VikinglandBandFestival.com. Also, watch for an online slideshow of the event next week at www.echopress.com.

THE LINEUP

Here is the order of the bands for Sunday’s festival with estimated times they’ll appear:

A. Honor Guard, 1:30 p.m.

B. Ken Martinson, grand marshal, 1:31 p.m.

1. Host Band – Jefferson High School, 1:32 p.m.

2. AA – Waconia, 1:40 p.m.

3. AAA – Richfield, 1:48 p.m.

4. A – Bertha-Hewitt, 1:56 p.m.

5. AAAA – St. Cloud All-City, 2:04 p.m.

6. A – Winona Cotter, 2:12 p.m.

7. AA – Albany, 2:20 p.m.

8. Honor Band – Stabekk School Band, Oslo, Norway, 2:28 p.m.

9. AAA – Henry Sibley, 2:36 p.m.

10. AA – Fergus Falls, 2:44 p.m.

11. AAAA – St. Francis, 2:52 p.m.

12. A – Long Prairie-Grey Eagle, 3 p.m.

13. AAA – Sauk Rapids-Rice, 3:08 p.m.

14. AAAA – Osseo, 3:16 p.m.

15. A – Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg, 3:24 p.m.

16. AAAA – Mankato Lancers, 3:32 p.m.

17. AAA – St. Michael-Albertville, 3:40 p.m.

18. A – Benson, 3:48 p.m.

19. AA – Montevideo, 3:56 p.m.

20. AAA – Buffalo, 4:04 p.m.

21. AAAA – Park Center, 4:12 p.m.

Tags: vikingland, band, festival, 2008