Cultural Events

NHS Band & Guard To Host Annual Joseph P. Grasso Marching Band Festival

Published: Sep 27, 2025 7:30 am

Newtown High School Band & Guard is proud to host the 29th Annual Joseph P. Grasso Marching Band Festival on Saturday, October 4, at Blue and Gold Stadium, 12 Berkshire Road.

The show starts at 1 pm, with eight area bands performing. A senior recognition ceremony starts at 4 pm, honoring graduating members of Nighthawks Band & Guard.

Tickets are $15 for general admission, $10 for seniors and students, and free for children under 5. Tickets will be sold at the main gate; cash and credit will be accepted.

Food and beverages will be available at the stadium, with proceeds supporting the NHS Band & Guard program.

The Grasso Festival is the annual “home show” for Newtown’s marching band and guard. It honors the late Joseph P Grasso, the beloved music educator who founded the NHS band program in the 1960s.

Part of the USBands competitive circuit, the festival will feature performances from talented ensembles across Connecticut and New York.

Performers include: John F. Kennedy High School (Waterbury), Frank Scott Bunnell High School (Stratford), Port Chester High School (Port Chester, N.Y.), Bethel High School (Bethel), Trumbull High School (Trumbull), Brien McMahon High School (Norwalk), New Milford High School (New Milford), and Cheshire High School (Cheshire).

NHS Nighthawks Band & Guard will close the event with a special exhibition performance of their 2025 show, “Duality.”

In Duality, two opposing forces clash: light against dark, order against chaos, good against evil. Through sweeping, fluid motion, sharp precision, and striking musical contrasts, the show reveals that harmony emerges only when both sides unite. Musical selections include four movements: First Circle, City Life, Duality of Man, and Egyptian Danza.

Director of Bands Elizabeth Grohoski called the festival their chance to “share the incredible dedication of our students with the community while welcoming bands from across the region.

She continued, “This year’s program, Duality, is both powerful and moving — we can’t wait to perform it for our hometown audience.”

For more information, contact Amanda Armato at 203-707-8021 or mandyrosed@yahoo.com.

It is that time of year again: Newtown High School Band & Guard will host the annual Joseph P. Grasso Marching Band Festival on Saturday, October 4. Color guard members can be seen standing proudly during their performance at last year’s festival. —photo courtesy Newtown High School Band and Guard parents

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NHS Band & Guard To Host Annual Joseph P. Grasso Marching Band Festival

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