By: Madeleine Willis
The Manteno Main Event is an annual Show Choir Competition hosted at Manteno High School. This year Main Event will be held on February 10-11.
The Main Event is put on by the Manteno Show Choirs, students and families, the show choir boosters, Manteno Community School District faculty and staff, community members, volunteers, and supporters.
On day one of the competition, four middle school groups will perform, the groups attending are as follows:
- North Ridge Middle School “Radiant Reds,” at 5:30 p.m.
- El-Paso Gridley Junior High School “Crescendo,” at 6 p.m.
- North Ridge Middle School “Redcoats,” at 7:30 p.m.
- El-Paso Gridley Junior High School “Dynamics,” at 8 p.m.
Manteno Grand Paws will conclude the competition performing at 8:30 p.m. before the awards ceremony.
Two divisions of show choir will compete on Saturday during day two of the competition.
Performing in the Prep Division will be…
- Unity High School “Vocal Rush,” at 10 a.m.
- Kankakee High School “Take Note,” at 10:30 a.m.
- Watseka Community High School “Sensations,” at 11 a.m.
- Crete-Monee High School “Cavaliers,” at 12 p.m.
- Peotone High School “Powerhouse,” at 12:30 p.m.
- Herscher High School “Class Act,” at 1 p.m.
And competing in the Open Division are:
- El-Paso Gridley High School “Hi Fidelity,” at 3:15 p.m.
- Pekin Community High School “Noteables,” at 3:45 p.m.
- Wheaton North “Flight,” at 4:15 p.m.
- John Hersey High School “OnStage,” at 5:30 p.m.
- El-Paso Gridley High School “Modulations,” at 6 p.m.
Host group, Manteno Magic will perform at 7 p.m. before the award ceremony.
Manteno Show Choirs Director, Sean Hoffmann invites everyone to attend this weekend and support the Manteno Show Choir program.
“Just come and support these wonderful kids, who work so hard all year to put on a great show. I know show choir isn’t for everyone, but it is for someone, and you might be that someone who needs to see it and hear it and maybe your life will be changed,” Hoffmann said.