Barberton Tri-Arts Festival showcases talent across the district

 

By EMILY CANNING-DEAN

BGNN staff writer

BARBERTON  Whether it is a homemade scarecrow made by a primary school student or a complicated musical piece performed by a high school senior, the 2024 Tri-Arts Festival at Barberton High School will showcase the wide range of artistic talent present within the Barberton City Schools.

This year’s Tri-Arts Festival will take place Saturday, April 27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Barberton High School commons area.

“This is probably one of our most attended events,” said Curriculum Director Shelly Habegger. “It will feature band, art and music. We have already made enough programs for 700 to attend. I know last year we made 500 and ended up running out.”

Habegger said artwork from students throughout the district will be displayed around the grand staircase at the high school.

“It’s breathtaking to see work from kindergarteners then up to middle school and high school. You can really see the potential the students have to grow as artists,” she said. “These will be up on display throughout the entire event so visitors will have the chance to look at them between performances.”

Habegger said all of the bands, starting with the sixth grade band will be in the gym and will perform in rounds.

“We will start with the sixth grade band, then the seventh and eighth grade band, then the freshman band and symphonic band,” she said. “Then there will be a performance with them combined. You really get the opportunity to hear the progression of the complexity of the music and the quality of the performance. It’s a great thing to experience. The band performances will begin right at 9 a.m.”

Habegger said choir performances will be on the stage and will begin with several songs from the Barberton Primary School Choir at 10:15 a.m. That will be followed by the Barberton Intermediate Choir at 10:45 a.m. At 11:15 a.m. the Barberton Middle
School Magic Juniors Show Choir will perform several numbers and the Barberton High School Concert Choir will perform at 11:45 a.m. followed by the BHS Magic Singers Show Choir. There will also be a few performances peppered in that include
combining some of the choirs.

“It’s a great opportunity to see how much the students grow and the wonderful work the teachers are doing with them,” Habegger said. “It’s very eye-opening and I really like the way we take one morning to show people the great things our students are doing district wide.”

Habegger said she isn’t sure how long the district has hosted the Tri-Arts festival, but she knows it has been a longtime tradition.

“I’ve been here 10 years and I know it was already well established when I got here,” she said.

The event is free and open to the public.