While the traditional 2020 Missouri Day Festival is not being held this year due to COVID-19 concerns, some activities normally a part of the annual celebration are still being held, although in a somewhat different format.
Marching Band Festival
The Marching Band Festival, traditionally an all-day event on Saturday, will take place virtually, with the public being able to view competitions in parade, auxiliary, drumline and field show via the festival’s Facebook page, “Missouri Days Virtual Marching Festival.”
A total of 30 Missouri and Iowa high school bands will take part in this year’s competition, with the Trenton High School Marching Band performing in exhibition. Schools have submitted videos and have chosen to enter any of the four areas of competition or all four, with classes determined by the Missouri State High School Activities Association.
Class 1 schools begin their performances tonight (Monday, Oct 12), starting with the parade competition and followed by indoor auxiliary, indoor drum line and field show. Class 2 performances will take place on Tuesday while Class 3 will be available for viewing on Wednesday. Competition concludes on Thursday with classes 4 and 5. The performances get under way at 6 o’clock each evening.
Adjudicators will be viewing the videos along with the public, with judges tabulating scores to determine the first-, second and third-place finisher in each category of each class. Schools will receive written comments from the judges.
Viewers will also have the opportunity to do their own judging and vote for a “Viewer’s Choice” in each class as well. Persons can just to go the Facebook page, “Missouri Days Virtual Marching Festival,” and vote for their favorite performance following the presentations.
Schools competing (in order) include Fairfax, Green City, Leeton, Linn County, Milan, Moravia, IA, Norborne, North Andrew, Princeton, Rock Port, Stewartsville and Worth County, Class 1; Clark County, Gallatin, IKM-Manning, IA, Maysville, Mid-Buchanan, Scotland County, South Calloway and Tipton, Class 2; Hermann, Maryville, Southern Boone and Trenton in exhibition, Class 3; Centralia, Jefferson City Helias, Oak Grove, Sullivan and Winnetonka-Kansas City, Class 4; and North Kansas City and Poplar Bluff, Class 5.
Video presentations by the schools will be posted at five-minute intervals with voting for the “Viewers Choice” closing at 6 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 16.
Making the very important decisions as 2020 judges/adjudicators are Dr. Curran Prendergast of Truman State University; Bob Cochran, retired band director of 35 years from Raytown; Daniel DeClue of the North Harrison School District; Dr. Tracy Thomas of Troy; Sarah Corrigan of Overland Park, KS; Carson Reidel of Maryville; and Kallie Johnson Baker of Macon, formerly of Trenton. Each has extensive training and experience in the musical field and previous experience as an official judge/adjudicator.
Awards will be announced at 6 p.m. on Saturday, including the “Viewers Choice”, individual class honors and the Buddy and Karla Hannaford Sweepstakes Award for the overall top performance.
Trenton Rotary Club Flags
While there won’t be a parade to open up the Marching Band Festival, the parade’s sponsor, the Trenton Rotary Club, still plans to do its part to celebrate. Club members will be meeting on Friday morning to put up U.S. and Missouri flags along the traditional parade route, including a portion of Ninth Street from Harris Avenue west through downtown Trenton.
Car Show/Cornhole Tournament
The Trenton Elks Lodge No. 801 will hold the only live event scheduled for the weekend, hosting its annual car show on Sunday, Oct. 18, rain or shine, at the Elks Lodge in downtown Trenton.
Registration will take place from 8 to 11:30 a.m., with judging to follow. Judging will be done in 10 classes for cars, trucks and motorcycles with additional trophies to be awarded for Best of Show, Best Interior and Best Paint. There is a $20 per vehicle entry fee and forms for the car show are available and may be returned to the Trenton Elks Lodge at 1012 Tinsman Ave., Trenton, MO 64683. There will be free t-shirts for the first 50 entries and t-shirts will also be available for sale.
In addition to the car show, the lodge will be sponsoring a cornhole tournament. There is an entry fee of $20 per team, payable the day of the tournament. For more information on either event, persons can contact Harry Kately at 654-2449 or Vince Neal at 635-0479.
Window/Yard Decorating
The Trenton Area Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring a window and yard decorating contest and while the deadline for window decorating has passed, persons still have time to enter the yard decorating competition.
“Missouri Day Western Style” is the decorating theme, with cash prizes being awarded to the first- and second-place winners. Farmers Bank of Northern Missouri is sponsoring the window decorating while Citizens Bank of Northern Missouri is sponsoring the yard decorating.
Persons wanting to enter the yard decorating have until 5 p.m. on Thursday to do so. Entries can be made by calling the chamber at 359-4324.
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