The Moose Jaw 23rd Annual Band festival began Wednesday with the swing choir competitions at Albert E Peacock Technical High School.

Two awards were [presented to choir group following the performances.

The Royal Canadian Legion Award was presented to Solstice, an open swing choir group, while the Keyboard Magic Trophy was awarded to the Sacred Heart High School Swing Choir. Ron Kuhling, treasurer of the Kinsmen Band Festival, said competitors for the first night of the festival went well. More than 46 bands and 42 choral groups have already registered for the four day event, he said.

Mike Barker, publicity chairman. said this year’s festival will attract more than 7,000 people for the event. This is the largest number of people the festival has ever attracted.

“I think this is because of the highly recognized adjudicators that will be judging the competitions.” Barker said the adjudicators are coming in from the United States and Canada. this year. “It means a lot to these groups to have good judges at the competitions. He said there were 15 adjudicators for the four day event.

The Band Festival continues today with brass and woodwind competitions being judged at six locations in the city. Barker said there is a choir concert show that has been added to the agenda this year. The stage band finals will be held at Peacock Technical High School Auditorium at 7:30 pm. Barker expects registration numbers will continue to soar for the festival.

The club is expecting more than 112 bands to participate. On Friday, solo competitions will take place all day at about 15 different locations. Barker said about 1,200 people will participate. The fancy drill competitions will begin Friday at 7:30 pm at the Moose Jaw Civic Centre.