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Mural Commissioned to Honor Gorham Pageant of Bands

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The Marcus Whitman Band & Guard Boosters are commissioning a mural to celebrate what it says is the storied legacy of the Gorham Pageant of Bands. The mural will feature depictions of the Marcus Whitman Marching Wildcat Band in various uniforms worn throughout the program’s history, as well as the likenesses of late pageant founder Jack Bullock and longtime pageant director Robert Steele.

Founded in 1960, the Gorham Pageant of Bands stood as a local tradition for nearly 60 years, bringing together tens of thousands of student musicians from across Upstate New York and beyond. At its peak, the pageant drew more than twenty thousand spectators annually, serving as the gem of the Marcus Whitman community and one of New York State’s premier celebrations of the arts.

Designed in collaboration with Mural Mania, best known for their work creating the world’s longest mural trail along the Erie Canal, the mural will be installed on the east side of the Old Mill Family Restaurant in the Hamlet of Gorham. The mural’s title, “Bandstand,” pays homage to Gorham’s enduring nickname: the “Bandstand of the Finger Lakes.” An unveiling ceremony is planned for early June.

Marcus Whitman Band & Guard Booster President Lisa Grefrath shared, “we are incredibly proud to celebrate the legacy of the marching arts at Marcus Whitman and across the Finger Lakes Region. While we continue to support and build the programs that serve our students today, we’re proud to memorialize what is a fond memory for so many.”

Marcus Whitman Central School District Superintendent Dr. Chris Brown said, “music provides the soundtrack to our lives. The Gorham Pageant of Bands was a special time in the history of our community that is vividly remembered by all who attended or took part in it over the years. We look forward to this piece’s completion and how it will draw people back to those memories!”

“History is an endless story that has been told in many ways, from oil traditions to written text and print. Through all its forms, it rarely has been told more vividly than through art. Mural Mania has witnessed this power over the past 18 years as it has grown to include over 60 murals along the Erie Canal and throughout the Finger Lakes,” shared Mark De Cracker, Co-Founder of Mural Mania.

Mark De Cracker painting “Bandstand” (provided)

The Band & Guard Boosters are seeking support from businesses, community organizations, and individuals to help bring the mural to life. Interested donors, including those wishing to make a memorial contribution, can request more information by emailing [email protected], contacting the Marching Wildcats via social media, or speaking with any current Band & Guard Booster. Opportunities to donate at local businesses will be available in the coming months. Donations of any size are greatly appreciated and may be made payable to “Marcus Whitman Band & Guard Boosters” and mailed to: PO Box 7, Canandaigua, NY 14424. Any donations by an individual or family of $25 or greater will be accompanied by recognition in the design of the mural.

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