After a one-year hiatus, the Tournament of the Bands is back on in full swing. The event starts off with an extravagant parade down Stevens Creek Boulevard between Miller and Finch Ave. and is followed by a field show held in the CHS football stadium in the evening. A brief event known as Drill-Down is held in between and serves as some time for the various bands to practice their routines.

The parade was kickstarted by Cub Scouts and Brownies – the junior levels of Boy and Girl Scouts, followed by a car with the parade marshall and FUHSD District Superintendent Polly Bove, accompanied by the Mayor of Cupertino, Darcy Paul. The Cupertino High School Marching Band was the first band to play and were followed by other regional high school and middle school band programs.

Said Senior and Drum Major Vidushi Bansal, “We played stars and stripes, which is actually a pretty hard song, and I’m really proud of our band for playing it.”

By the baseball field were various food trucks and stalls for band members and guests to eat before or after their field shows, notably including a truck serving crêpes and waffles, and a stall dedicated entirely to caramel corn.

CHS is hosting the event for the first time since 2016, meaning freshmen and sophomores in the CHS Band were both new to the experience.

Said Bansal, “We thought [the experience] would be a hurdle since fewer members are familiar with the process. It’s kind of a long day and it’s different from most competitions but it went pretty smoothly for us.”

The band has also marched in a Veteran’s Day Parade in San Jose, but Bansal noted that CHS is known for being a field show band. It was clear to the spectators that the band members were enjoying themselves tremendously while performing, and moved with comfort not seen in the parade.

After a thrilling set of field shows also including Monta Vista, Homestead, and Fremont High Schools’ bands, the event began to wrap up close to 11 pm in the evening. The event was staffed by parent and student volunteers, organized by the Cupertino Band Boosters.

Ultimately the event was engaging and enjoyable, and the band hopes to continue the long-standing tradition next year.