Marching bands from across the state are currently competing against one another with high-energy spectacles, complete with props, costumes, sets and intricate sound systems.
It’s a cool autumn night in October, and the ice-cold metal stands at Valley Stadium in West Des Moines are full. The stadium lights sizzle and illuminate the field, and an announcer’s voice can be heard booming all the way from the parking lot, where visitors tote blankets from their cars.
But the crowd, whose boisterous whooping can only be quelled by a team of volunteers holding “quiet please” signs, isn’t there for a football game. Instead, they’ve settled into the bleachers to catch the final hours of an all-day high school marching band competition.
ValleyFest, hosted annually by Valley High School, has invited top bands from across Iowa and neighboring states to participate in its competition and fundraiser for 46 years.