The Alumni Band and current band perform the pre-festival show.
50TH ANNUAL MARCHING BAND FESTIVAL CELEBRATED
A HALF CENTURY OF MUSIC EXCELLENCE
T
he Bethel Park High School
Black Hawk Marching Band
celebrated a half century of
music excellence at its 50th Annual
Festival of Marching Bands, which was
held at Bethel Park Stadium on a warm
summer-like evening in early October.
Performing at this year’s festival
were marching bands from Gateway,
North Hills, Charleroi, Avonworth and
Mt. Lebanon High Schools, as well as a
performance from the Bethel Park High
School Drum Line and the National
Anthem sung by the Top 21 Choir.
The Bethel Park Black Hawk Marching
Band features 162 musicians, seven
Majorettes and 36 Bethettes and is under
the direction of Chad Thompson with
assistance from Michael Petrossi, Jeff
Founding Bethette Donna Cartwright Soulakis flew in
from Plano, TX to be part of this year’s Marching Band
Festivities.
54 Bethel Park
Knell, Zach Cable and Robin Palyas. The
Band’s Student Director is Kathryn Kimes.
Meg Geronimos is the Head Majorette;
and Tiffany Kells and Katie Zoldos are the
Head Bethettes.
To commemorate 50 years of Bethel
Park Marching Band Festivals, the Band
invited all BP alumni to come back and
join them for the Alumni Band, which
performed as part of the pre-festival
show. This year’s Alumni Band featured
163 graduates--including 97 musicians,
51 Bethettes and 15 majorettes, including
alumni who graduated in the 1960s.
Leading the Alumni Band was retired
BPHS Band Director David Buetzow.
The Bethel Park Marching Band is
truly a family affair, as many members
of the Alumni Band marched alongside
their children who were previously in
the band or are current members of the
band. Having so many family members
participate in the Alumni Band only
reinforced the current Band’s well-
deserved nickname, “The Pride of Bethel
Park.”
This year also marked a special
milestone in Bethel Park Marching Band
history, as the Bethettes celebrated
their 60th year of existence. Three of the
original Bethettes were on-hand for the
festivities—founding member Donna
Cartwright Soulakis, who flew in from
Plano, TX; and Beverly Kimpel Roussel
and Pat House Blockinger, who still live in
Bethel Park.
Retired Band Director David Buetzow conducts the
band.
Additionally, the Band was able to
honor the memory of former Band
Director Dean Streator, who passed away
earlier in 2017. Mr. Streator is credited with
creating the long-standing marching band
traditions at Bethel Park which are still
utilized to this day. The Band presented
Mr. Streator’s daughter with a framed
shadowbox containing the orange, wool
“BP” blazer that Mr. Streator wore during
his years with the District.
The 2017 edition of the Marching Band
Festival not only brought back many
good memories, but it also provided an
enjoyable evening of marching band
music.
Here’s to another 50 years of the Bethel
Park Marching Band Festival! Play on!