59th Midsouth Marching Festival draws high school bands from three states to Gadsden

Greg Bailey, Gadsden Times
·1 min read

Thirty high school bands from three states took part in Saturday’s 59th annual Midsouth Marching Festival at Gadsden City High School’s Titan Stadium.

It’s the largest single-day event of the year in Gadsden, with up to 10,000 people — band members, fans and families — circulating through and around the stadium during a more than 10-hour stretch of competition.

Best in Class winners this year were:

A member of the Clements High School color guard swings a sword during the 59th annual Midsouth Marching Festival on Sept. 30, 2023, at Gadsden City High School's Titan Stadium. Clements' band received all 1's in the scoring in Class 1A. Thirty-one high school bands from three states competed in the event, which also featured exhibition performances by host Gadsden City and Jacksonville State University's Marching Southerners.

Class 1A

Drum major: Cherokee County

Majorettes: Hokes Bluff

Dance line: Guntersville

Color guard: Guntersville

Percussion: Coahulla Creek (Dalton, Georgia)

Class 2A

Drum major: Coosa (Rome, Georgia)

Majorettes: Sardis

Dance line: Scottsboro

Majorettes: Alexandria

Color guard: Coosa (Rome, Georgia)

Percussion: Jacksonville

The Etowah High School band performs during the 59th annual Midsouth Marching Festival on Sept. 30, 2023, at Gadsden City High School's Titan Stadium. Etowah received an overall 2 score in Class 1A.
The Etowah High School band performs during the 59th annual Midsouth Marching Festival on Sept. 30, 2023, at Gadsden City High School's Titan Stadium. Etowah received an overall 2 score in Class 1A.

Class 3A

Drum major: Elmore County

Dance line: Alexandria

Color guard: Elmore County

Percussion: Alexandria

Class 4A

Drum major: Weaver

Majorettes: Oxford

Dance line: Southside

Color guard: Calera

Percussion: Arab

Ohatchee High School band members perform on the xylophone during the 59th annual Midsouth Marching Festival on Sept. 30, 2023, at Gadsden City High School's Titan Stadium. Ohatchee received all 1's in the scoring in Class 1A.
Ohatchee High School band members perform on the xylophone during the 59th annual Midsouth Marching Festival on Sept. 30, 2023, at Gadsden City High School's Titan Stadium. Ohatchee received all 1's in the scoring in Class 1A.

Class 5A

Drum major: Thompson

Majorettes: Thompson

Dance line: Thompson

Color guard: Thompson

Percussion: Ringgold, Georgia

The overall scores:

Class 1A

Dadeville 1; White Plains 2; Clements 1, Hokes Bluff 1; Cherokee County 1; Ohatchee 1; Etowah 2; Piedmont 1; Coahulla Creek (Dalton, Georgia) 1; Guntersville 1

Class 2A

Sardis 1; Coosa (Rome, Georgia) 1; Scottsboro 1; B.B. Comer 2; Jacksonville 1

Class 3A

LFO (Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia) 1; Alexandria 1; Elmore County 1; Hayden 1

Class 4A

Arab 1; Calera 1; Fort Payne 1; Southside 1; Oxford 1; Weaver 1

The Hokes Bluff High School band performs during the 59th annual Midsouth Marching Festival on Sept. 30, 2023, at Gadsden City High School's Titan Stadium. The band received an overall score of 1 in Class 1A and its majorettes won best in class.
The Hokes Bluff High School band performs during the 59th annual Midsouth Marching Festival on Sept. 30, 2023, at Gadsden City High School's Titan Stadium. The band received an overall score of 1 in Class 1A and its majorettes won best in class.

Class 5A

Ringgold, Georgia 1; Smiths Station 1; Tullahoma, Tennessee 1; Chelsea 1; Rome, Georgia 1; Thompson 1

The host Gadsden City High School band and Jacksonville State University’s Marching Southerners gave exhibition performances before the awards presentations.

Plans are already underway for the festival’s 60th anniversary in 2024.

See a gallery of photos at www.gadsdentimes.com.

This article originally appeared on The Gadsden Times: 59th Midsouth Marching Festival draws high school bands to Gadsden