SHERBURNE – This weekend, bands from 36 different school districts, including one traveling all the way from South Dakota, will make the trip to Sherburne for the annual Pageant of the Bands competition.

After 59 years, the pageant has grown and changed. Starting with just nine bands in 1949, the pageant has added different events, many more schools and changed the way they do the judging over the years, and according to Sherburne-Earlville Band Director Jeff Manwaring, that’s part of what has made the Sherburne pageant such a popular event. “Through the years, the pageant has changed with the times. The rules and competitions have changed to meet the needs of the programs in the schools,” Manwaring said.

This year, the pageant begins on Thursday with a new event; the small ensemble competition. Small ensemble is a competition for groups of wind players with no less than four members and no more than 12. The jazz competition began Thursday night as well.

– On Friday, competitions will begin at 4 p.m. The small ensemble competition and the jazz competition will continue on Friday. In addition, the colorguard competition will begin.