What started as a delay for lightning turned in to a full cancellation of the Drums of Winchester band competition on Saturday, July 26.
Only 11 bands, including Lincoln High School, performed before the storms rolled in over Winchester Community High School. Those groups were given critiques but none received scores, and no other local groups were able to perform.
Organizers announced the cancellation shortly after 9 p.m. and as the rain poured down, students took shelter on buses while parents, staff and other volunteers packed up equipment for the unexpectedly early trip home, according to reports from those in attendance.
“I know we did not expect the day to end like this,” Centerville music boosters volunteer Melissa Childers wrote on Facebook after 10 p.m., thanking everyone who jumped into action when inclement weather hit. “We could not have done it without all of you!”
Anderson
Weather was not an issue as other area bands performed in the Anderson Tartan Tournament of Bands on Friday, July 25.
Hagerstown Golden Tiger Band finished sixth of 23 bands in the competition.
Also competing was Henry County Crimson Crusaders, which is in its fourth year of blending students from Tri, Blue River Valley and Shenandoah schools. The Crusaders finished 16th.
The Randolph Southern Marching Rebels finished 19th.
Full results are available for Central Indiana Track Show Association events at indianatrackmarchingbands.com.
State fair
Bands from Wayne, Henry and Randolph counties will be among those in the the 77th Indiana State Fair Band Day’s field of 34 bands on Friday, Aug. 1.
Area schools’ performance times include Henry County, 10:39 a.m.; Northeastern, 11:06 a.m.; Centerville, 11:15 a.m.; Randolph Southern, 1 p.m.; Winchester, 1:27 p.m.; Richmond, 2:03 p.m.; Lincoln, 2:30 pm.; and Hagerstown, 2:48 p.m.
Radio stations WKBV-AM 1490 and Star 98.3 FM (WZZY) will broadcast all day or listen via WZZY’s website, todaysmusicmix.com.
Daytime awards will be announced at 4 p.m. and the Sweet 16 will compete at 8 p.m.
Additional coverage can be found in the Aug. 6 edition of the WWN.
A version of this article will appear in the July 30 2025 print edition of the Western Wayne News.