Big Turnout, Big Music at Marching Hearts Invitational

(THE EFFINGHAM HIGH SCHOOL MARCHING HEARTS RED REGIMENT PERFORMED IN EXHIBITION AT THE CLOSE OF SATURDAY'S COMPETITION)

Washington was the Class 4A-6A Grand Champion and Arthur-Lovington/Atwood-Hammond was the Class 1A-3A Grand Champion Saturday at the 2019 Effingham High School Marching Hearts Invitational.

More than two dozen marching bands took part in this year's event, which is the major fundraiser for the Effingham High School Band Boosters.

Washington, a suburb of Peoria, features a 230-member band and they knocked the socks off the big crowd in attendance.

ALAH, a school made up of students from four small communities, set the early standard for the event.

In addition to the grand champions, the winners by class were: 1A--Heritage; 2A--Sangamon Valley; 3A--ALAH; 4A--Newton; 5A--Lincoln; and 6A--Washington.

The Effingham Marching Hearts Red Regiment don't compete in their own Invitational, but did perform at the close of the day in exhibition.