|
|
|
The Aurora High School Band has accumulated a long list of outstanding awards and achievements through the years.
The Marching Band has had the opportunity to march in the Chicago Parade, the Nixon Inaugural Parade, the Orange Bowl Parade, the Cotton Bowl Parade, the Tournament of Roses Parade and the International Band Festival in Canada, as well as numerous local competitions.
These trips would not be possible if not for the dedication of the students and band directors, as well as fundraising done by the band boosters. One of the longest standing and most popular fundraisers is the annual Aurora Band Halloween Carnival.
This year, the Friends of the Aurora Band have done some Halloween Carnival investigation to see when and where this time honored tradition originated.
The carnival goes back to at least 1946. At that time, the carnival was actually held in downtown Aurora. Local business owners would sponsor booths in front of their businesses, and a crop duster would fly overhead and drop ping-pong balls on the downtown area. These ping-pong balls had the participating businesses’ names painted on them, and the lucky finders of the balls could take them into the respective businesses for a prize, said a group spokesman.
At some unknown point, the carnival was moved to an indoor location. It went from the old armory, the old high school (now the junior high), Robinson Middle School and, this year, at Aurora High School, 305 West Prospect, for the third year.
When the famous chili supper started is also unknown at this time, but it has been dated back to at least the 1950s, said a spokesman.
The Friends of the Aurora Band are working on a historical scrap book of the band. Anyone who has band-related photos or stories to share can send the information to: Friends of the Aurora Band, P.O. Box 921, Aurora, MO 65605
The group would also like to invite everyone to attend this year’s Halloween Carnival. The fun will start at 5 p.m., October 28, in the Aurora High School. Food service and games begin at 5 p.m. There will be chili, beef-barley soup, peanut butter sandwiches, nachos, caramel apples, cinnamon rolls, deserts and cotton candy.
The Aurora Jazz band will perform for dinner guests beginning at 6 p.m.
There will be several games for the kids, including some new games, a bounce house, a car bash and, of course, the Haunted House to enter if you dare.
The ever-popular costume contest is slated for 6:30 p.m. in the Black Box Theater, with the coronation following.
This year’s king and queen candidates are seniors Ashley Stecker and Devin Head, juniors Carly Exter and Caleb Stith, sophomores Cheyenne Kumar and Adam Shepard and freshman Leona Naylor and Tim Waltz.
Candidates for the prince and princess are eighth graders Mackenzie Heffernan and Grant Gertiser, seventh graders Aubrey Fischer and Devin Hilton and sixth graders Jessica Graham and John Serden.
The Aurora High School Band has accumulated a long list of outstanding awards and achievements through the years.
The Marching Band has had the opportunity to march in the Chicago Parade, the Nixon Inaugural Parade, the Orange Bowl Parade, the Cotton Bowl Parade, the Tournament of Roses Parade and the International Band Festival in Canada, as well as numerous local competitions.
These trips would not be possible if not for the dedication of the students and band directors, as well as fundraising done by the band boosters. One of the longest standing and most popular fundraisers is the annual Aurora Band Halloween Carnival.
This year, the Friends of the Aurora Band have done some Halloween Carnival investigation to see when and where this time honored tradition originated.
The carnival goes back to at least 1946. At that time, the carnival was actually held in downtown Aurora. Local business owners would sponsor booths in front of their businesses, and a crop duster would fly overhead and drop ping-pong balls on the downtown area. These ping-pong balls had the participating businesses’ names painted on them, and the lucky finders of the balls could take them into the respective businesses for a prize, said a group spokesman.
At some unknown point, the carnival was moved to an indoor location. It went from the old armory, the old high school (now the junior high), Robinson Middle School and, this year, at Aurora High School, 305 West Prospect, for the third year.
When the famous chili supper started is also unknown at this time, but it has been dated back to at least the 1950s, said a spokesman.
The Friends of the Aurora Band are working on a historical scrap book of the band. Anyone who has band-related photos or stories to share can send the information to: Friends of the Aurora Band, P.O. Box 921, Aurora, MO 65605
The group would also like to invite everyone to attend this year’s Halloween Carnival. The fun will start at 5 p.m., October 28, in the Aurora High School. Food service and games begin at 5 p.m. There will be chili, beef-barley soup, peanut butter sandwiches, nachos, caramel apples, cinnamon rolls, deserts and cotton candy.
The Aurora Jazz band will perform for dinner guests beginning at 6 p.m.
There will be several games for the kids, including some new games, a bounce house, a car bash and, of course, the Haunted House to enter if you dare.
The ever-popular costume contest is slated for 6:30 p.m. in the Black Box Theater, with the coronation following.
This year’s king and queen candidates are seniors Ashley Stecker and Devin Head, juniors Carly Exter and Caleb Stith, sophomores Cheyenne Kumar and Adam Shepard and freshman Leona Naylor and Tim Waltz.
Candidates for the prince and princess are eighth graders Mackenzie Heffernan and Grant Gertiser, seventh graders Aubrey Fischer and Devin Hilton and sixth graders Jessica Graham and John Serden.
