Tigers on the march Nevada Day

The Douglas High School Fighting Tiger Marching Band will lead off the musical entries in Saturday's Nevada Day Parade.

Music Director Bill Zabelsky said Saturday will be a busy day for the band, but because they will be finished early with the parade, the 73 members of the band, flag team and identification unit will get a rest before returning to Carson City to compete in the U.S. Scholastic Band Association Reno-Tahoe Regional Nevada Day Battle of the Bands.

"We expect to be done at the parade at 11 a.m., then we'll come home and meet again at 3 p.m. to run through the field show before we go back," he said. "It's going to be interesting. I'm told that they will be combining the best score in the parade and the field show."

Zabelsky will be fielding a very young band this year with 35 students who have never marched in a parade.

"I lost 20 seniors last year," he said. "I thought we were going to be a lot smaller, but I got more freshmen and 8th graders. This will be a new experience for them."

Zabelsky said he was looking forward to the competition.

"They've surprised me this year, they've come a long way since summer," he said. ""They're a good group. I'm excited to be doing it again this year."

Zabelsky said the field show is a new program this year and will feature bands from all over Nevada.

Among the bands competing with Douglas at the show will be Galena, North Valleys and Carson City.

"Our big competition is Elko, McQueen, Spanish Springs, and Reed," he said. "I should also mention Galena and Carson and Reno High School."

The band will be playing John Phillip Sousa's "Semper Fidelis" in the parade, but will shift to the works of Ray Charles for the band competition.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Mounted Posse will appear in the parade as the second entry. Other Douglas entries include Sierra Lutheran High School and the Blanchette School of Irish Dance.

Carson Street is closed between Winnie Lane and Stewart Street for the parade which runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

What: Nevada Day Parade

When: 10 a.m. Saturday

Where: Downtown Carson City