New group has the Pioneerland Band Festival ready to go

When the Benson Area Chamber of Commerce announced last summer that it would no longer be sponsoring or working on community events, it left many in the community wondering what the future held for the Pioneerland Band Festival and Kid Day.
It now appears the future is bright for the first event that lies ahead for the community this year.
Benson’s 28th annual Pioneerland Band Festival is set for Sunday, June 14, starting at 6:30 p.m., with 11 bands coming to compete. Benson High School’s Marching Band will be the 12th band in the parade.
There is also a volunteer group working on the community’s 84th Kid Day coming up in July.
Heading up the effort to organize the Pioneerland Band Festival this year have been Benson High School Band Instructor Brock Duncan and vocal music teacher Shelly Mikkelson. Heather (Staton) Lehr has played a key role in handling the event’s finances.
 “The first challenge is just knowing what has been done,” Duncan said of picking up responsibility for organizing this year’s band festival. “I’ve been a part of the parade for 24 years, this is my 25th year, but I have never known all the details. You think you know what is going on until you actually have to be the one to plan it - just figuring out who does what and when.”
Photo:  KMS trumpeters play between the raindrops during last year's parade.