By Charles Owens
For Bluefield Daily Telegraph
Princeton — The Pride of West Virginia Marching Band will make a rare stop in Mercer County next month for a free performance at Hunnicutt Stadium in Princeton.
Ed Gilger of Princeton, who was once a member of the WVU band and also served with the alumni band, said the Pride of West Virginia Marching Band will stop in Princeton on Saturday, Sept. 19, at noon.
Gilger said the Pride of West Virginia will perform the free concert in Princeton before the band departs for Charlotte where the Mountaineers will meet the Virginia Cavaliers that evening at 7:30 p.m.
“They will leave Morgantown that morning, and come to Princeton,” Gilger said. “They are going to stop on the way to Charlotte with the game against Virginia on Saturday, Sept. 19. I just got the call from the WVU Marching Band.”
The last time the Pride of West Virginia Marching Band performed in Mercer County was in 2018. In 2022, the marching band performed in Monroe County.
Gilger said he was thrilled to receive the news, adding all residents of Mercer County are encouraged to come out on Sept. 19 and enjoy the free performance at Hunnicutt Stadium.
“I was so surprised to get the call from the director of the band,” Gilger said. “He’s got that much faith in me. He says arrange it. We are happy to get them back in Mercer County and southern West Virginia. It’s going to be a free concert. And as soon as we have everything finalized we will give more details.”
Gilger said local organizers will feed the marching band while they are in Princeton, adding he’s already got a caterer lined up for the event.
Gilger said he also plans to reach out to Dr. Deborah Akers, who is the new president of the Mercer County Board of Education, to see if school buses can be used to transport students to the free concert on Sept. 19 as well.
The traveling squad will perform the well-known pregame entrance for the WVU Mountaineers plus many other selections at the Sept. 19 concert.
According to WVU, the 330-plus member “Pride of West Virginia” has performed throughout the United States from nationally televised bowl games to presidential inaugurations. During the past 20 years, the WVU Band has performed before more than one million people and has traveled to several major U.S. cities, according to the university.
The WVU Marching Band is known for its high energy performances, outstanding musical arrangements, and exciting visual presentations, according to the university. It is considered to be one of the premier collegiate marching bands in the nation.
Second year WVU Head Football Coach Rich Rodriguez will once again be leading the Mountaineers on the gridiron this year.
Read more from Bluefield Daily Telegraph, here.
The post WVU Marching Band to hold rare performance in Mercer County appeared first on West Virginia Press Association.
