The Massapequa and Farmingdale Marching Bands take to the turf at Hofstra University Tuesday aand Wednesday nights for 50th annual Newsday Marching Band Festival.
THe schools' participation in the festival, which includes 47 Long Island high school bands over three consecutive nights, will be broadcast live on the MSG Varsity website, www.msgvarsity.com/marchingbands.
The half-century tradition distributes a portion of the ticket sales to each of the participating high school bands as well as the Newsday Marching Band Grant program that assists Hofstra music students in their studies.
The festival is not a competition and the groups are organized largely by the size of each band. The schedule, with area bands highlighted:
- Tuesday, Oct. 23 – 7 p.m.
- Plainview-JFK, Division, Amityville, Harborfields, Lawrence, Plainedge, Malverne, MacArthur, Longwood, Island Trees, Elwood/John Glenn, Wantagh, Freeport, West Babylon, Long Beach.
- Wednesday, Oct. 24 – 7 p.m.
- Hicksville, Floral Park, Oceanside, Three Village Patriot, Valley Stream North, H Frank Carey, Elmont, New Hyde Park, Valley Stream South, North Babylon, Massapequa, Sewanhaka, Mineola, Valley Stream Central, Commack, Connetquot.
- Thursday, Oct. 25– 7 p.m.
- Farmingdale, Islip, Lindenhurst, Bethpage, Hauppauge, Uniondale, Bay Shore, Eastport South Manor, Kings Park, Lynbrook, Seaford, Central Islip, Rocky Point, Brentwood, Roslyn, Northport.
Live access available on www.msgvarsity.com/marchingbands
An edited production including commentary of the festival will air during Thanksgiving weekend on MSG Varsity television which broadcasts exclusively on Optimum TV channel 14 and on-demand on Optimum TV channel 614.
