High School marching bands from all over West Virginia will converge on Greenbrier East High School on Saturday, Oct. 7, to participate in the Spartan Classic Marching Band Competition. This competition is one of many in the Governor’s Cup Marching Band Series presented by the West Virginia Department of the Arts, Culture and History.
Greenbrier East High School will perform in exhibition only, as they are sponsoring the event. They will present “The Greenbrier Ghost,” the true story of Zona Heaster Shue, who was murdered in 1897, and whose mother claimed Zona’s spirit revealed the true cause of her death. This is the only known case in which testimony from a ghost helped to convict a murderer.
Slated to perform at the event are North Marion High School, James Monroe High School, Scott High School, Woodrow Wilson High School, Liberty High School, Hurricane High School, Shady Spring High School, Cabell Midland High School, Greenbrier West High School, Summers County High School, and Eastern Greenbrier Middle School.
Gates will open at 10 a.m. Gate admission is $10 for adults and $5 for students. Concessions will be available, as well as a basket raffle fundraiser and air grams.
The 2023 Governor’s Cup Series helps promote the Department’s educational Save The Music Foundation Program, which provides free musical instruments to middle schools throughout West Virginia and allows the Department to distribute prize money to high school bands.
Bands collect points by competing in at least four local competitions along with the West Virginia Marching Band Invitational Championship and Governor’s Cup Series final, held on Oct. 21, to be eligible to win the overall Governor’s Cup and more prize money. The Governor’s Cup final will award $5,000 to the grand champion, $3,000 to the 1st runner-up, $1,500 to the 2nd runner-up, $1,000 to the 3rd runner-up, and $500 to the 4th runner-up.