This weekend, 24 show choir groups from Nebraska, South Dakota and Iowa will visit Bishop Heelan High School to perform in the Crusader Classic.
Performances will begin at 4 p.m. Friday at O’Gorman Fieldhouse, starting with the middle school groups. The high school groups start Saturday morning at 8 a.m.
Tickets for Friday night and Saturday daytime are $10. For an all-day pass on Saturday, admission is $15 while the Finals on Saturday are $5. There will also be a concession stand full of good food and snacks.
Many volunteers help make this event run smoothly. Volunteers help in warm-up rooms, ticket booths, shuttle buses, serving food and more. Proceeds go toward the show choir for the 2024-25 season, and some funds go toward the Italy trip this June.
“Our main goal is to be great hosts for all the schools coming here,” said Gage Fenton, Director of Choral Activities. “We hope every group that walks through our doors has a positive experience, and wants to come back next year. This is by far our biggest fundraiser that propels us into next season.”
Heelan’s groups will be performing in exhibition this weekend. Genesis will perform at 8:40 p.m. Friday. On Saturday, Magnifique performs at 5:15 p.m., MoMANtum — an all-boys group making its return this season — at 6:30 p.m. and Harmonia Mundi at 9:30 p.m..
“I’m excited for one last, giant crowd cheering us on,” senior Delaney Andreasen said. “It’s a surreal night. After a long day, it’s exciting to finally get on stage and perform and have people appreciate you.”
The Crusaders choir singers had a successful outing last weekend at Shake the Lakes in Spirit Lake. Harmonia Mundi got 1st in 3A and second runner-up overall. MoMANtum received first place in the bass division.
Magnifique earned second in the treble division. Genesis received third place out of five groups.
Fenton received Best Director and Andreasen was selected Best Female Vocalist.
“It’s been a fantastic start to the season,” Fenton said. “I think they got a taste of what they can do as far as competing, and we beat some groups we haven’t beaten before. Now that they’ve seen what’s possible, we’re getting hungrier.”