The Cook County High School Band looked sharp in the Bayfield Apple Festival Parade in Bayfield, Wisconsin on Sunday, October 5, 2014. Andy Farley and Brenna Hay are front and center in this picture of the CCHS marching band.
On Sunday, October 5 the Cook County High School Band made its third appearance in the annual Bayfield Apple Festival parade in Bayfield, Wisconsin. The band first started travelling to Bayfield for this parade in 2011 when the parade celebrated its 50th anniversary.
Why Bayfield, some of you may wonder? Director Kerri Bilben is a Bayfield High School graduate with years of Apple Festival experience. Her parents were the festival chairs during the mid-1980s with her dad creating the 400- member Mass Band that has been the final entry of the parade every year since 1986.
Even though the CCHS band participates in local parades during the summer, the Apple Festival parade is unique for a few reasons. This is the only parade where the band is able to prepare their music and maneuvers with all 53 members in the weeks leading up to the parade. The marching band aspect of high school band is not available to most high school bands today so this is a great opportunity for our students.
Last week was Homecoming at Cook County High School and there were activities all week long, including coronation of the Homecoming King and Queen on Friday, October 20. Reigning over their royal court in 2014 were Britta Andress and Andy Farley.
The Apple Fest parade is usually the only time a high school band has the opportunity to perform for over 20,000 people. When the band played in 2011 the Apple Fest crowd was estimated at 40,000 people.
This year’s parade included a total of 10 high school marching bands from northern Wisconsin as well as two Minnesota bands. Many of the bands wear decades-old, ill-fitting traditional school band uniforms. Thanks to the many supportive band parents the CCHS band has always worn a royal blue top with black pants. Many of the parade spectators have told the band they are the best-looking band in the parade. There is just something classy about royal blue and black.
The daylong trip costs the CCHS Band about $1,200 in transportation costs. The band uses monies raised at summer parades to help offset this cost but donations are always accepted. If you weren’t able to see the band at Apple Fest keep an eye out for them at the Tofte 4th of July parade, the Bay Days parade in Silver Bay, and also in the Fisherman’s Picnic parade. It isn’t really a parade until the band plays.
Left: Nick Wiegele, Noah Warren, Andy Farley and Jami Sjogren waiting at the parade start.
Lower left: Mikala Schliep, Brenna Hay and Selien Morawitz represented Cook County with their beautiful French horns.
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