Clarkston High School band will compete with other high school marching bands from across Washington in the Seattle Kingdome Friday and Saturday, and that has angered some Clarkston residents.
City Council member Michael Packer said Wednesday the students will be wearing new uniforms purchased with the help of Clarkston merchants, but they’ll be leaving the merchants without a band for the annual Santa Claus parade Saturday afternoon in downtown Clarkston.
“The community has supported them, but they are not supporting the community,” Packer said. “I don’t think the community asks that much of them.”
Packer said he has found other Clarkston business people disappointed that the band will not participate in the Christmas parade Saturday at 1 p.m. “I think someone ought to rattle their cage,” Packer said.
Fred Dole, director of the Clarkston High School musicians, expressed regret that the two events fall at the same time. He said he learned about the Kingdome festival without knowing the Santa Claus parade date.
Dole suggested to Parade Chairman Brian Shinn that the sponsoring Clarkston Chamber of Commerce involve more students, including those from the elementary grades. “And that has been accepted.”
In addition, Dole said, the Asotin High School band will substitute for the Clarkston musicians in the Christmas parade.
“And we’re going to win over there, and I think everyone will be a winner this weekend,” Dole added.
Dole’s band will be among 42 high school marching units from across the state Friday night and possibly Saturday morning at the high school playoffs. They will perform Saturday night with 1,800 students in a massed band program.
The band will have dress rehearsal tonight at 7 at Adams Field. Dole invited the public to attend, saying, “An audience really helps us put the final touches on performances.”
The students will leave the high school at 4:30 a.m. Friday. They will rehearse in the Kingdome at Seattle Friday afternoon and perform that night at 6:18, then again Saturday morning if they advance to the next round. They’ll return home Sunday.
This story was published in the Dec. 3, 1981, edition of the Lewiston Tribune.
