The Newtown High School Marching Band & Guard traveled to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., to compete in US Band’s 2022 Ludwig Musser Classic, on October 8.

The Newtown team performed their show “The Circles All Around Us” at 9 pm under the lights of the professional football stadium. Newtown earned a high score of 80.7 in the Class 2 Open competition, earning first place in its group.

It was a long but rewarding day for both students and parents alike as the band and guard began practice at 10 am. The students continued to work on all sections of the musical piece while polishing the visual aspects of the show. All while adult volunteers fitted band members for uniforms and sewed hems onto many of the colorful silk flags that can be seen tossed through the air by members of the color guard.

The Marching Nighthawks continue to prepare for the 26th Annual Joseph P. Grasso Festival, set for this Saturday, October 15. This is the band and guard’s home show where they will host ten area marching bands at Blue & Gold Stadium at NHS, 12 Berkshire Road. Gates open at 5 pm and the show runs from 6 to 9:15 pm. Tickets are $12 for adults, $7 for students and seniors, and children under 5 are free.

Due to the 26th Annual Joseph P. Grasso Festival, the entire NHS campus will be closed to the public for all other activities on Saturday, October 15.