Ridge Marching Band Competition Off For the Year

The Ridge High School Marching Band's second annual marching band competition — an event expected to attract about 20 high school marching bands with a combined total of some 1,400 musicians — cannot be rescheduled as hoped after the original Oct. 29 date was canceled due to the snowstorm.

"Regretfully, the Ridge High School Marching Band Competition will not take place this year," said a release from Don Grossmann, publicity chairman for the Ridge Marching Band.

Following last Saturday’s postponement due to the snowstorm, the event coordinators and the sponsoring organization, the United States Scholastic Band Association, attempted to reschedule the competition for this Sunday, Nov. 6. he said.

However, most bands already had plans to compete in Saturday’s state championships and declined to compete twice during the same weekend.

"In addition, some schools were still closed and could not make a commitment to participate," he said.

The marching band competition, and New York State. Ridge hosted its first marching band competition last fall.

The school district's website thanked the students and RHS Marching Band Parents' Association for "their countless hours of dedicated support to their children and all participants of this activity."

Grossmann said the Ridge Marching Band will wrap up its 2011 season with the New Jersey State Championship at Sewell, on Saturday, and the USSBA National Championship on Sunday, Nov. 13.

The marching band has so far had a successful season so far, placing first, second and fourth in their first three competitions, Grossmann said. Saturday’s state championship will be their toughest challenge of the season, as they compete against 18 of the best New Jersey bands in Group IIIA, he said.

On Friday night, the band also will perform at halftime of the Ridge football game against Franklin High School, as it has performed at football games throughout the season.

"This performance will be their final home appearance of 2011, unless a [football] consolation game is scheduled at home the following week," Grossmann said.

This season, the marching band had a show that included selections from "The Lion King."

Grossmann added that some of the food that had been prepared by band parents for the competition was taken to in downtown Liberty Corner for a covered-dish dinner attended by many band members, and many people without power.