SOMB Excitement!

Ok folks, here's the exciting SOMB news for today! Anybody that doesn't actually live in Salem, sorry, this post doesn't really apply to you.

I was at a staff meeting the other day where I work, Salem's Riverfront Carousel, and we were brainstorming ideas for events we could do. I made a suggestion and today I found out that it was approved and steps are being made to make sure it happens. Here's the scoop (keep in mind, none of this has been run by any band coordinator or school district person, but it has been completely approved by the carousel).

On September 15th the carousel will be hosting "Marching Band Day" (name in the making, we're going to come up with something cooler, we promise). They have reserved the entire riverfront park for the entire day and all the Salem-Keizer marching bands will come and play for the day. We're thinking pep band tunes, marching shows, and maybe some joint songs with all the bands playing. The carousel will charge admission into the park and the bands will get all the proceeds. There will be some type of competition (haven't figured out judging criteria yet, sorry) and the winning band will get a 1/4 scale carousel horse with a plaque on it. The carousel horse will be a traveling trophy and every year (yes, this will be an anual thing) the winning band will get their name placed on the plaque. The winning band gets to keep the horse in their band room until the next competition.

The horse trophy is completely hand carved and painted and retails for about $2,000 and is being donated by the carousel for the competition.

EXCITED?!?!? OMG, all the bands in the park playing for crowds of people! Maybe some mini-drill, horn manuals, basically a parade without the marching!

It's a huge fundraising opportunity and sounds like a blast! Here's what I need from you:

a) Ideas for a name of the event

b) In what way the bands could compete

Bands will receive invitations on February 5th, so anybody reading this blog is one of the first to know! Comment, leave advice, everything is open to suggestions, absolutely everything!

Here is the horse in it's current stage of development. . .

Here is the blueprint being used in construction of the horse.

Here's a view from inside the carousel building of the field where the bands will be.

REMEMBER! We have the ENTIRE park! The bands get all the proceeds from the concert/competition, and the winning band gets the $2,000 horse for a year!