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Wanted: More bands for festival paradeIt was about a half hour after the Rum River Festival parade ended Saturday afternoon when someone posed a question with these words: "What kind of parade was that?" My answer, although I was far from an expert on the subject, was that it was hard to get marching bands to participate these days. I assumed that the question from that person was asked mainly because there were only two marching bands in the parade. I noted that Princeton doesn't even have a marching band anymore, that happening in a town that was once known for its marching band, a marching band that performed all over the United States. The person who had asked the question kind of grumbled a bit, said that the parade was hardly worth attending, and walked away. While I also wished there were more marching bands in the parade, I know that many people work hard each year on the parade and the other events of the Rum River Festival. It's been a battle for many years to attract marching bands, definitely the biggest attraction for a parade. A look back at years past shows that 20 years ago, in 1982, there were seven high school bands in the parade and a police band. And only 10 years ago, in 1992, there were 10 high school bands. The bands were from Princeton, Chisago Lakes, Crosby-Ironton, Henry Sibley High School, Maple Lake, Milaca, St. Francis, Spring Lake Park, St. Michael-Albertville and Kimball, along with the junior marching band from Princeton. Imagine that - the Princeton Marching Tigers and a feeder system that included a junior band. And just 10 years later there are no marching bands in Princeton and the only bands that were here Saturday were from Mora and Milaca. It's not just a problem in Princeton. On the same day of the Rum River Festival parade each year the Tenth District American Legion convention is held that includes a marching band competition. In fact, there were times when Princeton competed in both parades at different times of the day, the Marching Tigers often representing the district at the state convention and on occasion at the national convention. Last Saturday in Mound there was only one band in the Tenth District parade, a competition that formerly included many bands from the largest Legion district in the state. Ten years ago it cost the Rum River Festival committee $120 for each high school marching band and $400 for judges. The past few years the committee hasn't paid appearance money as it did in 1992. Jon George, president of the Princeton Area Chamber of Commerce board, told me Tuesday that when the board meets next week, it plans to discuss the parade and what can be done to get more bands. "Maybe we have to increase the prize money [$300 was given for first place this year]," he said. And Kathryn Knafla, parade coordinator for the committee, said that maybe appearance money is the answer. She said there was a parade in another town on the same day and that possibly some bands were lost to that parade. Both George and Knafla said they are seeking ways to increase the number of bands. The fact that Princeton doesn't have a band is a big part of this whole thing. That band simply has to be revived! The school board cut the band last year but did so, it said, after there weren't a sufficient number of students signed up for the band. Maybe, George said, recruiting is the answer for having a band again, just as a coach recruits to get people out for a sport. Anyway, band or no band in Princeton, there is a concern about the number of bands in the Rum River Festival parade. Being a committee member is a tough task so we should support those members as they try to find ways to get more bands. It would be nice to see about 10 bands marching down the street again. Princeton Union-Eagle |
