The Urbana High School Alumni Band is making plans for its annual Homecoming reunion the first week of October. Alumni of all ages who were members of the UHS Marching Band are invited to participate in a variety of activities, including the Homecoming parade and the pregame and halftime shows at the Homecoming football game.
This year, alumni are asked to visit uhsalumniband.org to register for the reunion. There, an alum can sign up for activities, download music, request to borrow an instrument, and even order a new UHS Alumni Band T-shirt to wear during Homecoming events.
Dates and times for alumni band activities are as follows:
Thursday, Oct. 3 – Parade
Meet outside the back door to the auditorium building, just off Washington Avenue, at 6 p.m. Bring your instrument and a folding chair to ride the float, provided courtesy of Wreck-A-Mended of Urbana. Please arrive early if you have arranged for music or an instrument. The parade steps off at 6:30 p.m. and will end back at the school. Alumni are welcome to attend the community pep rally to follow the parade in the stadium. Music for the parade will include traditional school songs.
Friday, Oct. 4 – Game
Meet in the auditorium at 5:45 p.m.; enter through the back door of the auditorium building. Alumni will march down the hill and into the stadium to take the field for pregame. For halftime, the combined UHS Marching Band, UJHS Band and UHS Alumni Band will perform an OSU-themed show, including “Hang On, Sloopy” and “Script Ohio.”
Alumni are invited to attend one or more rehearsals on the band’s practice field: Sunday, Sept. 29, 3-4:30 p.m.; Wednesday, Oct. 3, 3-4 p.m.; and Thursday, Oct. 4, 3-4 p.m. Those who have arranged for instruments should arrive early at the high school. Sunday’s rehearsal will focus on music and pregame. Rehearsals on Wednesday and Thursday will focus on halftime. Rehearsals are not mandatory, but are encouraged.
“We are excited to continue this tradition with the alumni of the UHS Band,” said Matthew Smith (tuba ’00), who is organizing UHS Alumni Band activities, along with Angelika (Roberts) Paxman (trumpet ’84), who coordinates the parade float. “We hope that this year will be especially memorable as we come together to celebrate David Sapp’s 25th season as Director of Bands at Urbana High School.” Sapp began his tenure with the UHS Band in the fall of 1995.
Alumni are welcome to participate in any or all portions of the activities that are scheduled. Those not physically able to march are still welcome to join the band for the parade and to play from the sideline during portions of pregame. Alumni are reminded to visit the UHS Alumni Association during the Homecoming game to renew their membership.
Music is available at www.uhsalumniband.org and from the UHS Band office. Those participating are asked to wear blue jeans and a UHS Alumni Band T-shirt or school colors to both the parade and game. For more information, visit the website listed above, like @uhsalumniband on Facebook, or contact Matthew Smith at 937-215-9363.
