INDIANAPOLIS — Greenfield-Central’s Cougar Pride is going for the big three.
The award-winning marching band and guard is hoping to score its third straight state title this coming weekend, at the Indiana State School Music Association’s marching band finals Saturday, Nov. 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The Pride was the only Hancock County band to advance from the state regionals held Oct. 29 at Pike High School, where the bands from Mt. Vernon and New Palestine high schools also competed.
Greenfield-Central won the state title in 2019 and 2021, just before and after the state contest was canceled due to COVID in 2020. Band director Chris Wing said his students have been working hard to claim yet another victory.
The band performs at 3:05 p.m. Saturday, with the awards ceremony at 3:50 p.m.
Before the contest, Greenfield-Central band boosters will host a tailgate party and community performance at the high school football field Friday, Nov. 4, with tailgating in the parking lot at 6:15 p.m. and the performance at 7:55 p.m. The public is welcome to attend.
This marks the 49th season for the statewide ISSMA band competition, which determines the best of the best through a series of contests organized by class, based on school enrollments from the previous year.
Greenfield-Central, Mt. Vernon and New Palestine bands all compete in Open Class B, among schools with the second highest enrollment in the state of the four classes.
Eighty-nine bands competed in the ISSMA regionals held Oct. 15. Eighty of those bands — 20 in each class — continued to the semi-state competition last weekend. Forty bands — 10 in each class — will now advance to this weekend’s state finals.
According to ISSMA, Indiana high school marching bands consistently rank among the finest in the nation, providing quite a show for all who attend the finals each year.
Gates open at 9 a.m. Saturday, with various bands taking to the field throughout the day.
Scholastic Champion Exhibition performances start at 9:25 a.m.
Only mobile tickets will be sold, both in advance and at the door, at $22 for adults and $18 for students and children over 2 who need their own seat.
The box office is located at the Southeast corner of the stadium close to Capitol Avenue. Entry into the stadium will be through the North and West entrances only.
There are no reserved seats, and blocks of seats cannot be reserved.
All entrances are ADA accessible, while the northeast and southwest corners of the facility offer drop-off and pickup areas. Due to the running of the “Monumental Marathon,” many streets in the downtown area east and north of Lucas Oil Stadium will be closed until late afternoon. Those arriving early in the day are encouraged to approach the stadium from the west or south and allow plenty of time for downtown driving and parking. Public parking is available in multiple lots within walking distance of the stadium.
Official full-color souvenir programs will be on sale throughout the stadium for $5 while souvenir shirts will be on sale in the North and West Concourse areas for $25. Concession sales are cashless and require a credit or debit card.
For more information, visit ISSMA.net.
