RICHMOND, Ky. — If you notice a little more traffic and more families around Richmond between now and Saturday, it is likely tied to Eastern Kentucky University’s High School Honor Band Festival, running Thursday, Feb. 19 through Saturday, Feb. 21.
EKU bills this as the 33rd annual edition of the festival, which brings together high school band students for two days of rehearsals and coaching that culminate in a Saturday evening concert.
🎶 Why It Matters for the Region
For Berea readers, the value of events like this is less about whether you personally attend and more about what they do for the local arts pipeline. Honor band weekends reward students who have put in the work, but they also give young players a concrete next step.
Participants get to sit in an ensemble that feels bigger and more demanding than their normal band room, learn rehearsal pace and expectations from renowned clinicians and college faculty, and go home with a clearer picture of what it takes to keep music in their lives after graduation. According to EKU, interested participants can even audition for admission into the School of Music while they are on campus.
🏙️ Community Impact & Traffic
This is one of those weekends where the benefits spill into the community even if the rehearsals are not open. Families come in, students move between buildings, and the rhythm of the area shifts for a couple of days.
EKU lists the primary festival sites as the Foster Music Building and the EKU Center for the Arts. If you are commuting through Richmond for errands or appointments, it is reasonable to expect heavier parking demand near campus, especially Saturday evening when the festival culminates.
🎵 Public Access
EKU’s event page specifically describes the festival ending in a “public concert Saturday evening.” That is the clearest signal that the finale is intended for an audience, even if the daily schedule is primarily for registered students. If you are planning to attend, treat the concert as public but verify specific start times through EKU before making the drive.
🌟 The Bigger Picture
If you care about keeping our region the kind of place where kids can try something artistic and keep going with it, weekends like this matter. They make music feel like a real community activity, not just an elective.
Berea’s own arts groups—from school programs to community stages like the Berea Arts Council and Spotlight Acting School—benefit when more young people decide the arts are worth sticking with.
🔗 Where to Read More
📅 UPCOMING EVENTS IN BEREA & BEYOND
This Weekend (Feb. 19–22)
- Convocation: “The Wisdom of Happiness” (Berea College) — Thurs., Feb. 19 at 8:00 p.m.
- Disney’s The Lion King KIDS (Spotlight Playhouse) — Fri.–Sun., Feb. 20–22
- “Dirt Pearls” Art Reception (KY Guild) — Sat., Feb. 21 at 5:00 p.m.
- Chili Night Out Fundraiser (Berea Arts Council) — Sat., Feb. 21 at 6:00 p.m.
- EKU Honor Band Concert (EKU Center, Richmond) — Sat., Feb. 21 (Evening)
- William Lee Martin: Comedy All In (One Eyed Jacks) — Sat., Feb. 21 at 8:00 p.m.
- FreeSkool: Herbs for Stress (HomeGrown HideAways) — Sun., Feb. 22 at 2:00 p.m.
- Blazing Guns at Roaring Gulch (Spotlight Playhouse) — Sun., Feb. 22 (Matinee)
Looking Ahead: Theater & Concerts
- The Choir of Man (EKU Center) — Wed., Feb. 25 at 7:00 p.m.
- Louisville Orchestra “In Harmony” Tour — Wed., Feb. 25
- Blazing Guns at Roaring Gulch (Spotlight Playhouse) — Feb. 27–28 & March 1
- Annie KIDS Auditions (Ages 4–11) — Sat., Feb. 28 at 10:30 a.m.
- Catch the Leprechaun 5K (Berea Community High School) — Sun., March 1 at 9:00 a.m.
- EKU Choirs NYC Preview Concert (Gifford Theatre) — Mon., March 2 at 7:30 p.m.
- EKU Wind Ensemble & Concert Band (EKU Center) — Tues., March 3 at 7:30 p.m.
- The Taming of the Shrew (Spotlight Playhouse) — March 6–15
- Macbeth Auditions (Teens & Adults) — Sun., March 8 at 7:30 p.m.
- Guest Piano Recital: Gregory Sioles (Berea College) — Tues., March 10 at 7:00 p.m.
- Black Music Ensemble Spring Concert (Berea College) — Fri., March 20 at 7:00 p.m.