After weeks of preparation, the Mid-Prairie Marching Band will be chasing down the competition this Saturday at the Wilton Festival of Marching Bands.

Band Director David Kunz says the band is performing one of the most difficult shows of his time at Mid-Prairie, playing the music of trumpet player Bill Chase and his jazz-rock band Chase.

Kunz explains what he enjoys about this year’s band, “The greatest thing about this year is my band is bigger. I have about 15 more people in marching band than last year so that’s been great. It’s been exciting, it’s given everybody in band more energy. It just pumped this up that we’re bigger, better.” The marching band has 43 members total this year, including additions of new tenor drum players to their percussion ensemble.

The band performed their Chase show for the first time in its entirety during last Friday’s football game. Kunz says the band has since worked to improve the ending, which is the most demanding part of the repertoire. Mid-Prairie’s marching band will compete against other 1A and 2A bands from Iowa and Illinois in Wilton Saturday at 1 p.m.