With Homecoming right around the corner, many members of the Niles West Marching Band were already thinking about Homecoming attire, but those plans have now changed. On Sept. 8, 2021, Acting Director of Student Activities Terri Laux sent out an email to students and staff announcing these changes, “Niles West is going to have a different twist for Homecoming this year.” Further on, the email mentions, “The festival will be in the Archery Range, which is located by the Football Stadium with an array of activities.”

The marching band uses the Archery Range to practice, and having Homecoming on the field on a Friday night impedes their ability to do that.

Some students are disappointed that they need to choose between marching band and Homecoming. Senior flute player Adina Thompson said, “I haven’t been able to go to Homecoming before and was hoping for my senior year I could go, but since it’s during the football game, I’m unable to have that experience.”

“Well, initially, I wanted to go, but when I learned we had a football game, I figured that after the game I was going to be too tired,” junior saxophone player Jeremiah Onate said. “It’s unfair that Homecoming is during a football game, especially since the players and the students who want to watch the game can’t go, including the marching band, and I bet there’s a lot of marching band kids who wanted to go to Homecoming.”

Other students are concerned about the mess that could be left behind. Junior euphonium player Pedro Illas said, “We kind of expect there to be disrespect of the field from the students during Homecoming and none of it to be cleaned up.”

Overall, the marching band is disappointed that Homecoming is at the same time as the football game — especially the upperclassmen who were unable to attend the dance in previous years. Although the festival goes on until 10:30 p.m., numerous marching band members will not be going due to the football game, ultimately leading to mixed feelings about the circumstance. Many feel the situation is unfair that they will not be able to enjoy the festival as others will and hoped for an alternative solution.