The 30th annual Perry High School Band Olympics were held this past weekend, and it was a hugely successful event once again according to band instructor Steve Cook and Superintendent Lynn Ubben.

Though Dowling Catholic High School was the overall winner of the Band Olympics, 21 performances from Perry students helped the school finish at the top of Class III.

“The kids played really well.  We were very excited, and I think all the kids performed exactly like we thought they would which they all did really well,” says Cook.

Used as an event to “show off” Perry High School and especially his students, Cook explains why the event has continued to be so popular for the past three decades.

“This is an event that a lot of the big schools look forward to every year and prepare for well in advance.  It’s kind of a big part of their program to come up here and play.  We have some of the best judges in the state; we have many college directors here to judge the kids and give comments and feedback on their performances so… it’s a very educational experience.”

Cook says more than 800 musicians competed in Saturday’s Olympics, and he estimates between 1,200 and 1,500 people were in attendance at one time or another during the event.

Cook and Superintendent Ubben wish to thank those who volunteered their time to help make the Perry Band Olympics successful yet again.