Marching Classic set for September 17, 2022

“It has become a true community event over the years.”

Waseca Marching Board’s Deputy Treasurer Mary Williams is excited to announce the 35th Annual Waseca Marching Classic happening Saturday, September 17. Sixteen bands from around the state will be performing during the Classic, with eight taking part in the parade and more competing in the field event. Around a hundred units are expected for the parade.

The featured guest for this year’s Marching Classic is River City Rhythm, a drum and bugle corps from Anoka. “We wanted something to make the 35th annual celebration more special,” Williams explains.

Taking the Waseca football field will be the “Maverick Machine” from Minnesota State Mankato, who will perform and open the ceremony at 5:30 p.m. At that time, Edna Burns, the Waseca Marching Board’s president, will be reading a proclamation to all in attendance dubbing this year’s marching classic as “Fan Appreciation Day.”

“We feel we have a very good event here,” Williams says.

The Marching Classic’s origins go back to 1988 when Richard Dufault proposed the idea of having a marching band festival to coincide with the all-school reunion put together by the Waseca Area Chamber of Commerce.

“For the first few years, we only had marching bands,” Williams reminisces. “We then made it a community event by including a car cruise, inviting businesses to be in the parade, and really encouraging everyone to be in it!”

The Board sends out more than 200 invitations to organizations and local businesses to participate in the parade every year.

“We called ourselves the ‘Waseca Band Festival’ for the first few years,” Williams remembers. “Then we evolved and decided we needed a new name.”

The group came up with the “Waseca Marching Classic” because, according to Williams, “We thought we were pretty classic in what we were doing.”

In addition to competing, there are educational opportunities for marching bands, who can register to perform their parade or field show for informal input from experts.

“Judges send critiques to the band director,” Williams elaborates. “If they want to take the suggestions of the judges, then it will help them in the next contest. The whole idea behind the clinics was ours; we were one of the first. Giving bands a clinic helps them sharpen for the next competition. To make a sports analogy, it’s like watching film.”

The educational clinics are made possible by a grant from the Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council.

In the past, trophies were provided by Roundbank of Waseca. Now Minnwest is maintaining the tradition. “We are so thankful for them continuing what Roundbank did for us,” Williams expresses.

Many Waseca businesses contribute to the event; grants are given by bigger businesses in Waseca including Walmart, McDonald’s, and Casey’s.

The Marching Classic Parade will begin at noon, proceeding from the safety building along South State Street to Trowbridge Park. Among the parade units will be high school marching bands, the classic car cruise, dignitaries, royalty, and more. Gates at Waseca High School’s stadium will open at 3:30 p.m. for the Classic field show which begins at 5:30. From 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. will be the 16th annual classic car show at Club 57. At 8:30 p.m. will be the Field Show Awards, followed by a Classic fireworks display at Waseca Jr./Sr. High School. Wristbands are $7.00 in advance or $10 day of, and are available at many Waseca businesses. For more information, visit wasecamarchingclassic.com.