This year’s Springville Pageant of Bands marches into town on Thursday and Friday, May 16th and 17th, with regional concert band and jazz ensemble competitions at Griffith Institute High School. Saturday morning, May 18th kicks off with concert band, color guard, and percussion competitions at the High School. Finally, the Pageant of Bands Parade will leave the High School around 1:00 p.m. and hit Main Street at 1:30 p.m. for judging and viewing. All ensembles are judged by experienced music educators and are evaluated on technique and overall musicianship. The marching bands participating in the parade are evaluated over a 300-foot reviewing section of Main Street. This year, several bands from various school systems within the region will participate in this 60th Pageant of Bands parade. The Springville Pageant of Bands, one of the longest-running pageants of its kind in New York State, showcases many of the area’s fine young musicians. The day's finale, the Pageant awards ceremony, takes place on the high school’s Pop Warner Field immediately following the parade.
The local pageant was started in 1963 by Gerald F. DeLisle, Director of the Springville High School Band from 1960 to 1983. In 1962, Mr. DeLisle took the G.I. High School Concert and Marching Bands to the Gorham Pageant of Bands in Central New York State. The Springville Concert Band took first place in the concert competition, and Springville was awarded the Grand Achievement Award for the Gorham Pageant. As a result of this accomplishment, Mr. DeLisle immediately made plans to start a similar Band Pageant in Springville. Since the beginning, the Springville Kiwanis Club – whose motto is “Serving the Children of the World” – has co-sponsored this event with the school and continues to do so to the present day. Mr. DeLisle remained an active member of the Springville Kiwanis and helped with the Pageant of Bands until he moved from the area in 2005.
Current Springville Band Director Joe Gervase has been the pageant coordinator since 2011. Mr. Gervase enlists the help of the students in the music department to help coordinate the many varied activities of the pageant. This gives the students an opportunity not available to most high school music students. Food and beverages, provided by the Springville Kiwanis, will be available Saturday at the high school concession stand at the entrance to Pap Warner Field. Proceeds from the concession stand and donations from many generous Springville area businesses directly help support the pageant. Come enjoy the sights and sounds of the Springville Pageant of Bands, a true community tradition