West Holmes marching band drums up some spooky fun
The West Holmes Knights marching band’s Halloween Parade performance is a time for the band members to let their hair down — literally. Or color it orange, coil it, spray paint it or gel it into an Elvis coif. The list of costume options for the band members on this night are as endless as the imagination, as members march as hobos, goblins, movie characters and countless others, which stray far from the red, white and blue of their normal marching outfits.On Thursday, Oct. 29, the band lit up downtown Millersburg for a 15 minute performance that offered a chance for each member to step up the creativity and let loose in what has become one of the most enjoyable evenings of entertainment on the band schedule. The performance is part of the American Legion Post 192 Halloween Night in Millersburg.
All of the preparation is for approximately a 15 minute march down Jackson St. to the main square, north on Washington St., up through the back alley and back to the square by Bags, where they stop for a few minutes to showcase their talents, before marching back to the courthouse parking area, where they disperse.
“I guess we’re all just little kids at heart, and we never get past the thrill of participating in Halloween,” said Dodd. “Many of the kids will now leave here and walk around town in their costumes.”
Dodd said that it’s almost like they perform on this night not to entertain the masses as normal, but to entertain themselves. Even Dodd’s final words to the members of, “Excellent job, people. Thanks for having fun,” embodies the spirit of the evening.
For the band members who have been around, the routine may be customary by now, but the fun never gets old.
“I’m definitely going to miss this next year,” said Michael Stroffolino, a senior in his final Halloween performance. “We enjoy this as much as the kids in the parade. The dressing up, the fun of performing at night and the chance to kind of just cut loose is awesome. This is one of the best times of the year for us.”
For freshman newcomer Alisha Hocking, it was an experience that she will look forward to for the next three years.
“So many other bands are always so serious, but we like to have fun,” said Hocking. “This night, this is excellent. We were just out there enjoying ourselves. It’s tougher because we have to learn more songs for it, but it’s worth it.”
“It was exhilarating,” agreed Hocking’s classmate, Kaytlynne Spillman. “It’s fun to dress up and do something completely different than we’re used to.”