Edison Band Extravaganza marks 20 years with ‘Tearin’ Up the Turf’

An annual marching band extravaganza marks a major milestone this year as “Tearin’ Up the Turf” celebrates its 20th anniversary.

About 600 high school band musicians from across the area will converge on Cartwright Memorial Stadium in Richmond Saturday, Sept. 20, for the event hosted by the Edison High School Band. Gates open at 6 p.m. with performances starting at 7. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for senior citizens and students, and free for children ages 5 and under.

“It’s a night to showcase music with bands across the tri-state area,” Edison Band Director Marc Sansone said. “This is to celebrate the 20th year, so we will be doing a mass band performance at the end.”

Groups set to perform include Edison, Oak Glen, Toronto, Harrison Central and Buckeye Trail. Thomas Jefferson High School near Pittsburgh will return, while Sandy Valley and Johnstown of Ohio will make their debut appearances.

Sansone said the goal has always been to bring bands together in harmony while highlighting the talents of their members.

“It’s a long-standing tradition from different regions and the state, but there weren’t any locally,” he said. “I went to band shows in high school and knew it was a good experience. There are no winners or losers, and it raises funds for the school program and creates camaraderie among the groups. It’s 20 years later and here we are.”

Edison’s 65-member band will perform a set featuring popular rock groups including Shinedown, Bon Jovi, Smash Mouth and Avenged Sevenfold.

T-shirts, concessions and candygrams will be available, and attendees can participate in a meet-and-greet with band members. Band directors will also gather ahead of the concert in a special directors’ lounge.

The evening will carry special meaning for Sansone, who announced that this will be his final “Tearin’ Up the Turf” as he plans to retire next spring after 33 years of service.