who won the indiana state fair band contest
Indiana State Fair Band Day During the 2009-2010 school year the Anderson Community School board voted to close Highland High School. That summer the Anderson, and Anderson Highland bands merged, keeping the name Marching Highlanders but now representing Anderson High School. Going into Band Day the Muncie Southside Spirit of South was the favorite to win the championship, they won every competition they entered that year, but they finished 3rd in prelims behind Anderson and Richmond. Southside moved to second in finals and the combined Anderson High School Marching Highlanders won the championship. Becoming the fourth school to win 6 championships previously winning in 1957, 1958, 1959, 1985, and 1986. In 2011 Doug Fletcher left Anderson to become the director at Winchester Community High School where he was director from 1994-1998. In finals that year The Force of Winchester, competing as a small band, won their second championship by a mere .05 of a point of the Red Devil Marching Band from Richmond, the closest finish in Band Day history. In 2012 the three classes were renamed Class AAA, Class AA, and Class A. That year The Force moved up to Class AAA and won their 2nd consecutive championship, and their 3rd overall. In 2013 Winchester won once again becoming the fifth band to win 3 championships in a row and having the second highest score ever with a 92.70. In 2014 the contest was moved to the second day of the fair as many schools began going to school earlier. In November 2013 the Muncie Community School board voted to close Muncie Southside High School. Much like with Anderson in 2010 the bands from Muncie Central High School and Muncie Southside High School combined for the 2014 season with a new name, Spirit of Muncie. Going into Band Day The Force was undefeated and appeared that they would win their fourth consecutive championship, however the Spirit of Muncie scored a 91.6 in prelims, the highest score ever in prelims, and beat Winchester by .65 of a point. In finals the Spirit of Muncie scored a 92.35 to bring the championship back to Muncie for the first time since 2008 and the first time for Muncie Central since 1953. The Spirit of Muncie will not defend their title in 2015. In 2015 Winchester Community High School went undefeated for a second time and ended their season with a championship for the first time and the second highest score State Fair Band Day history. Winchester would go on to win their sixth championship the following year, 2016. In 2017, The Marching Millers from Noblesville High School won their 2nd championship (1952).[2][3][4][5][6][7]