Hours before the annual Grasso Marching Band Festival was set to start, members of the Newtown High School Band & Guard were on the field in formation, soaked.

October 14 was a very rainy day, and while some other bands announced cancellations, NHS was set to perform at its home show “rain or shine.”

As family volunteers set up tents, hung signs, and stocked the snack shack at Blue & Gold Stadium, members of the Newtown High School Band and Guard rehearsed their show “The Dreamer” in steady showers.

With instruments sheltered inside from the storm, woodwind players sang out the music with arms extended in mime during practice. Brass players were able to use their instruments in the weather. The pit section, composed of stationary percussion equipment, was shielded by tents.

The band rehearsed small chunks of the music and physical blocking of the performance. The color guard rehearsed the associated choreography, tossing flags and sabers high and dancing on the field.

When the team had completed the blocking to the satisfaction of the directors, it moved onto the next chunk until it was time to review the entire movement.

Section members did jumping jacks and jogged in place against the cold. The band and guard received directions, commentary, and praise for perseverance from the announcer’s booth.

“The weather was terrible,” commented Band Director Aaron Ovsiew, “but I was really proud of how the students were able to still be productive and make it a strong rehearsal and a good rehearsal despite the conditions.”

That evening, the festival went on in the rain amidst a few area band cancellations — including Sacred Heart University, who was set to perform at the Blue & Gold Stadium for the first time.

After the five visiting bands performed, the NHS team strode onto the field accompanied by several alumni.

The following performance, while exhibition only, was graded 83.0, adding 3.4 points to the score from the previous week. Ovsiew called the exhibition “a great show,” and “very strong.”

“A lot of the stuff we worked on in rehearsal earlier in the day but also earlier in the week really came out during the performance,” said the band director on the production.

Following the performance, all senior members were called to the front of the field with their families where they were honored with a ceremony, and the 2023 Grasso Festival came to a close.

In reflection of the festival’s impact on students, Ovsiew called the annual event “an opportunity for [band & guard members] to see the legacy that was built around them.”

“They walk into the band room and there’s trophies from various years and banners, but I think that the Grasso Festival gives them the opportunity to put faces to those trophies...” Ovsiew continued.

On October 21, the band and guard will compete at Southington High School, followed by competition at the New England State Championships held in New Britain on October 28.

At state championships, NHS will compete against three other Connecticut teams in the Class 3 Open division for the state title.

The fall competition season will end November 4 with the USBands Open Class National Championships at MetLife Stadium.

Reporter Noelle Veillette can be reached at noelle@thebee.com.