It was a cool, crisp morning on Beach Street, the day of the 54th Annual Santa Cruz Band Review. With buses pulling in, and students gearing up to compete, the Boardwalk once again set the stage for an unforgettable event. The sounds of drums, trumpets, and trombones filled the air, while parking lots became a sea of colorful uniforms and flags bearing high school emblems. Band directors worked hard to ensure that everything would be perfect for their big moment, while guests gathered to kick off the day, and anticipation grew for what was sure to be another magical and inspiring showcase of talent and hard work.
With judges poised at the ready, and streets closed down, marching began in full fanfare, with well-coordinated musical performances and color-guard choreography on display. Enjoy this video from the competition zone!
The Santa Cruz Band Review has deep roots in the community, dating back to 1971. It all started when Don Passerino, chair of the Santa Cruz High Band Boosters, envisioned something special: if local high school bands could travel to compete in other cities, why not bring the competition home to Santa Cruz? Passerino pitched the idea to Skip Littlefield, a music enthusiast and event organizer for the Boardwalk, with whom Passerino had once worked as an instrument carrier during beach bandstand concerts. Skip loved the idea, and with the backing of the Santa Cruz Seaside Company, the Santa Cruz Band Review came to life.
That inaugural event featured 30 bands, over the past 54 years, it has grown into a cherished tradition, offering countless young musicians a chance to shine and create lasting memories.
We were fortunate to speak with Todd Trowbridge, lead announcer for the Santa Cruz Band Review, and long-time affiliate with Santa Cruz High School Marching Band and Band Boosters:
“Not only have I been announcing for the past 5 years, but I also marched in it. My kids are 3rd Generation in SC Marching Band: my parents, sister, aunt, and uncles all marched in it. It was always a highlight to march in front of our hometown crowd. It was also a source of pride for me that my parents and uncle have had the opportunity to be honored as Grand Marshals of this event over the past years. I believe this competition is one of the annual highlights for many schools because they get a trip to the Beach Boardwalk, and many students don’t have opportunities to go to the beach very often… There really is no other band review I have been to like this one!”
Dawn, the parent of a sophomore trumpet player at Petaluma High School, attended the event and shared her experience:
“On the day of this event the weather was perfect, not too hot and a beautiful blue sky. Seeing the Boardwalk rides in the background added an element of whimsy and entertainment as I waited for each band to approach. It was very relaxing, and I felt that the coordinators were very patient and helpful to manage so many people and moving parts.”
Dawn’s son has been playing the trumpet since fifth grade, and she feels that his participation in the various competitions has inspired him to keep improving.
Sabrina Paniagua, a Santa Cruz Seaside employee who competed in the event as a student at Santa Cruz High School, also shared her perspective:
“It was a lot of fun to be able to compete in our hometown. As a host school, there’s a lot less pressure to be perfect since there’s no prizes involved. It allowed us to actually enjoy performing! The Boardwalk is definitely the selling point of this band review. Every other band review has the same flow- show up, compete, go home. To have the option to stick around and go on some rides or hang out at the beach with your band members is truly unique.”
The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Band Review is an exciting event with a long history and tradition through the years. Hope to see you next year for more marching band music at the beach!
Cheers,
Ezra
