Strike up the band: Central California Review returns to Merced

For 50 years the Central California Band Review has exhilarated crowds in Merced.

This year's event will be held Saturday morning at Golden Valley High School, along Childs Avenue, and Saturday evening at the Atwater High School stadium.

Forty-two bands from Visalia to the Bay Area will compete in the parade part of the review, which starts at 9 a.m. at Golden Valley.

Local participating middle and junior high school bands include Cruickshank, Hoover, Tenaya, Weaver, Winton and Bryant middle schools, plus Los Banos and Livingston middle schools.

Local high schools in the competition include Merced, Atwater, Buhach Colony, Livingston, Chowchilla, Dos Palos and Gustine. The Golden Valley Cardinal Regime will also be on hand, but as the host band won't compete.

A jazz competition will be held earlier that morning, at 7:30 a.m., in the Golden Valley theater.

The Golden Valley Band Boosters are encouraging anyone who's ever marched in the competition to attend this year's review to be recognized.

Saturday evening, Atwater High School's Falcon Band will host a field show competition. That event begins at 5 p.m. General admission tickets are $5, and residents from Atwater or Winton can get in for $3. Eleven bands will perform in the field show, including the Atwater Falcons, though they are also ineligible to win since they're the competition's hosts.

Reporter Danielle E. Gaines can be reached at (209) 385-2407 or dgaines@mercedsun-star.com.