BLAIR, NEBRASKA (2024 AUGUST 28) – The Applejack Festival, an annual celebration of the apple harvest in Nebraska City, has been a beloved event for decades. Held over two weekends in September, the festival draws between 60,000 and 80,000 visitors to the city. It features a wide array of apple-themed activities, including orchard visits, apple picking, cider tastings, and various competitions. The festival also includes craft fairs, car shows, and live entertainment, making it a comprehensive community event that showcases Nebraska City’s rich agricultural heritage.
One of the festival’s highlights has traditionally been the Applejack Parade, which features marching bands from various schools competing for honors. However, the 2024 festival will see a significant change: the Blair High School Band will not be participating in the parade for the first time in many years.
This decision, which initially caused concern among some community members, was explained by Blair High School Band Director, Chaz Fonda:
“After discussions with the administration, the band leadership team, and feedback from band members, it was decided that we will start to attend the Nebraska State Bandmasters State Marching Band Contest for the first time in Blair’s history,” Fonda stated. He emphasized that this change represents an exciting new direction for the program, offering students a chance to perform at the state’s premier marching festival.
The Nebraska State Bandmasters Association (NSBA) is a professional organization dedicated to promoting and enhancing music education, particularly in the realm of band programs, across the state of Nebraska. Founded with the goal of supporting band directors and advancing the quality of instrumental music education, the NSBA organizes various events and competitions throughout the year. Their flagship event, the State Marching Band Contest, brings together marching bands from across Nebraska to compete, learn, and showcase their talents. The NSBA also provides resources, professional development opportunities, and a network of support for band directors, ultimately aiming to enrich the musical experiences of students throughout the state.
Fonda outlined several reasons for this shift in the band’s focus. He noted the changing landscape of marching band competitions: “Marching programs have changed dramatically over the past 30 years, largely transitioning from parade marching to field marching.” This evolution has led to a significant decline in participation at the AppleJack Parade. “When I participated in AppleJack in the early 2000s as a BHS student, there were approximately 70 bands in competition, whereas this past year, there were only 14, and only AppleJack’s hometown band was in our class,” Fonda explained.
In contrast, field marching competitions offer more opportunities for growth and learning. “Field marching provides a more in-depth learning experience that increases student teamwork and problem-solving skills,” Fonda stated. He added, “In addition, we can observe other programs to improve and progress, as we could not in a parade setting.”
The band has already begun this transition successfully. Fonda shared, “Students have been expanding their field marching experience and attended their first field marching competition in Bennington last year and earned a Superior Rating!”
Looking to the future, he expressed enthusiasm about the upcoming state competition: “I am excited about this next chapter for the Blair HS Band and look forward to taking the students to the Nebraska State Marching Contest for the first time in our history on October 26th!”
