By Scott Mims

It’s a tradition for high school marching bands to take the field during halftime, but most of the spotlight belongs to the boys with helmets and pads. On Monday night, Oct. 18, however, it will be local bands’ time to shine.

The Chilton County Area Night of Bands will begin at 6 p.m. at Jemison High School’s Panther Stadium. The program will feature numbers performed together by all bands, as well as individual band performances.

As of Tuesday, the schools scheduled to participate included Chilton County High, Isabella, Jemison, Calera High, Marbury, Maplesville, Thorsby and Verbena.

“All of the schools in the Chilton County area do not have the opportunity to play each other in football,” said Thorsby band director Stephen Pounders. “This night gives all of the band students the opportunity to see each other’s halftime show without the football game. The sound of all of the students mixed together in the concert formation is probably the biggest band some of these students will ever be in. The sound rivals that of Alabama’s and Auburn’s band. This is one night no one should miss.”

Beginning at 6 p.m., all bands will take the field together for a performance of “The Star Spangled Banner.” Then, each band will perform its halftime show for the 2010 season, starting with the smallest band and ending with the largest.

After the largest band performs, all of the band students will come down from the stands and set up in a concert formation, mixing all of the bands’ sections together.  Then, each drum major will conduct their band’s favorite song while all the other bands join in, making it a band of more than 300 participants.

Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students and children, in addition to a $3 parking fee. Pounders said all proceeds go toward the Chilton County Area Band Directors Association.

“This past school year in May, the Chilton County Area Band Directors Association took the Chilton County Area Honor Band students on a free trip to Six Flags Over Georgia.  This is a fundraising event for our students; no free passes will be given,” Pounders said.

Tryouts for the Chilton County Area Honor Band will be Nov. 30 at Thorsby School. The honor band event will be held on the campus of Jefferson State Community College in Clanton in the newly completed concert hall and auditorium on Jan. 6, 7 and 8, 2011, culminating with a concert on Jan. 8 at 2 p.m.