Dates 18 Mar – 10 Jun 2017 | ||
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Location Cliff's Amusement Park, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States, California's Great America, Santa Clara, California, United States, Knott's Berry Farm, Buena Park, California, California, United States, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Tampa, Florida, United States, Lagoon, Farmington, Utah, United States, Lake Compounce, Bristol, Connecticut, United States, Kings Island, Mason, Ohio, United States, Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, United States, SeaWorld San Diego, San Diego, California, United States, Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, California, United States, Wild Waves Theme Park, Federal Way, Washington, United States, Six Flags Over Texas, Arlington, Texas, United States, Valleyfair, Shakopee, Minnesota, United States, Six Flags Great Adventure, Jackson Township, New Jersey, United States, Six Flags Magic Mountain, California, United States, Worlds of Fun, Kansas City, Missouri, United States, Kentucky Kingdom, Louisville, Kentucky, United States, Elitch Gardens, Denver, Kings Dominion, Doswell, Virginia, United States, Darien Lake, New York, United States, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Vallejo, California, United States, Universal Studios Florida, Orlando, Florida, United States, Hersheypark, Pennsylvania, United States, Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, Santa Cruz, California, United States, Six Flags New England, Agawam, Massachusetts, United States, Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, South Whitehall, Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania, United States, Six Flags Great America, Warren Township, Illinois, United States, Cedar Point, Cedar Point, Ohio, United States, Kennywood, West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, United States, Frontier City, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States, Six Flags America, Maryland, United States, Six Flags Over Georgia, Georgia, United States, Silverwood Theme Park, Idaho, United States, Silver Dollar City, Missouri, United States, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Virginia, United States, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, San Antonio, Texas, United States, Carowinds, Charlotte, North Carolina, United States, Six Flags St. Louis, Meramec Township, St. Louis County, Missouri, Missouri, United States, Oaks Amusement Park, Portland, Oregon, United States Similar Rock the Park, Montreux Jazz Festival, MusicFest Canada, New Orleans Jazz & H, Milwaukee Summerfest Profiles | ||
Music in the Parks is a day-long or two-day festival for student choral, orchestral, and band ensembles, held annually across the United States. Music groups perform before adjudicators who rate the ensemble in the morning, and then spend the day at an amusement park. The day culminates with an awards ceremony. Awards can be given to either a single player or a whole ensemble.
Contents
The festivals are organized by the Educational Programs Network.
Company Information
The program was first founded in 1981 by Dr. James R. Wells. The Educational Programs Networks hosts over 200,000 music students each year.
Locations
Adventuredome Las Vegas, NV
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Tampa, FL
Busch Gardens Williamsburg Williamsburg, VA
California's Great America Santa Clara, CA
Carowinds Charlotte, NC
Cedar Point Sandusky, OH
Darien Lake Buffalo, NY
Disneyland Resort Anaheim, CA
Dollywood Pigeon Forge, TN
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom Allentown, PA
Elitch Gardens Denver, CO
Hersheypark Hershey, PA
Kennywood Pittsburgh, PA
Kings Dominion Richmond, VA
Kings Island Cincinnati, OH
Knotts Berry Farm Anaheim, CA
Lagoon Salt Lake City, UT
Lake Compounce Bristol, CT
Morey's Piers Wildwood, NJ
Oaks Park Portland, OR
Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk Santa Cruz, CA
Sea World Orlando Orlando, FL
Sea World San Diego San Diego, CA
Silver Dollar City Branson, MO
Silverwood Coeur D'Alene, ID
Six Flags America Largo, MD
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom Vallejo, CA
Six Flags Fiesta Texas San Antonio, TX
Six Flags Great Adventure Jackson, NJ
Six Flags Great America Chicago, IL
Six Flags Magic Mountain Los Angeles, CA
Six Flags New England Agawam, MA
Six Flags Over Georgia Atlanta, GA
Six Flags Over Texas Dallas, TX
Six Flags St. Louis St. Louis, MO
The Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom Queensbury, NY
Universal Orlando Orlando FL
Universal Studios Hollywood Universal City, CA
Valleyfair Minneapolis, MN
Wild Waves Seattle, WA
Worlds of Fun Kansas City, MO
Categories
There are many different categories in the Music in the Parks festival. There are categories for band, Orchestra, and choir. Each of these has a high school and junior high/middle school category. The categories are then split up into A or AA, depending on the size of the school. Also, there are different types of band, orchestra, and choir, such as concert band, jazz band, mixed choir, and women's choir. Finally, there are other awards given that are based on overall achievement or attitude, as well as for an individual member of a group.
Awards
Once the group, orchestra, band and/or choir performs at the performance area, they go to the amusement park of the director's choice, and at night, they go to the location of which they are told, according to where they performed, and are given their awards at a ceremony. Students from each group are asked to represent the school or group and receive the award in honor of the school. Every group gets an award, and there are rankings (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and so on) according to how many groups entered. There are also scales on which how you performed (90 - 100% = Superior, 80 - 89.9% = Excellent, 70-79.9% = Good, 60 - 69.9% = Fair, 50 - 59% = Poor, and <50 = Participant) But even if you win 1st, you are not guaranteed Superior, and if you are placed last, you can still be Superior (since that is based on the performance score).