Marching bands gather for Four States contest | Invitational attracts 25 schools from across region

 Pleasant Grove High School Band Bionic member Julia Lavay warms up on the marimba Saturday before the annual Four States Invitational Marching Contest at Tiger Stadium at Grim Park in Texarkana, Texas. Twenty-five schools from the Four States Area gathered to demonstrate their musical and marching talents before regional contests.
Pleasant Grove High School Band Bionic member Julia Lavay warms up on the marimba Saturday before the annual Four States Invitational Marching Contest at Tiger Stadium at Grim Park in Texarkana, Texas. Twenty-five schools from the Four States Area gathered to demonstrate their musical and marching talents before regional contests.

Tiger Stadium's football field presented a kaleidoscope of bold colors as 25 high school marching bands performed Saturday during the 2019 Four States Invitational Marching Contest.

This year's line-up included bands from Pewitt, Hughes Springs, Genoa Central, Maud, Fouke and Pleasant Grove high schools as well as from DeKalb, Ashdown, Hooks, Jefferson and Clarksville high schools.

Other performing bands included those from Redwater, New Boston, Atlanta and Liberty-Eylau as well as from both Texas High and Arkansas high schools.

Arney Lawson, head band director for Texas High, said this year's bands, just as in years past, were judged on marching precision, poise and a few other categories.

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NWA Media/ANDY SHUPE - Bill King, director of Go East, Young Dog, left, helps caretaker Eddie Watts by moving a trio of puppies Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2014, at the organization's facility in Berryville. Go East, Young Dog recently merged with the Good Shepherd Humane Society. The organization handles all stray, lost or abandoned dogs for Berryville and coordinates adoptions for them after with new owners on the East Coast having provided vaccinations, spay or neuter, de-worming and socialization services. So far they’ve helped more than 600 dogs find homes.

Besides drawing band members and musicians from generations passed, the competition brought out spectators who had first-generation band members as well as nonmusicians.

Such is the case for Texas-side resident Faigan Dunbar as she watched her daughter Stephanie perform.

Stephanie, a Liberty Eylau sophomore, performs as a member of her band's color guard, her mom said.

"Stephanie has performed as member of the color guard for two years now," she said.

"It's exciting for her and she stays busy drilling. She plans to stay with color guard for at least the next two years."

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