The Perry Band Olympics will return on Saturday with a new name.

The 42nd-annual event will now be called the Kinney-Cook Perry Band Olympics after the Perry School Board recently approved the change. 

Perry Band Director Blaine Schmidt says Jerry Kinney, who taught in Perry in the 1980s, created the Band Olympics after attending a similar event in Nebraska. He adds that Kinney retired a few years later and Steve Cook took over running the event and helped grow it into what it is today.

“I thought it was a really great idea to honor both of them for all of the work that they put into creating the event because it has become such a wonderful event for all of the students in the area.”

He details that the event will feature 990 entries ranging from instrumental solos to large ensembles from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at centers throughout Perry High School. Musicians will be competing from 11 central Iowa schools, including Perry. 

Schmidt says the event is open to the public and admission is $3 at the door via cash or card.