University Park, Pa. — Blue-White Weekend presented by AAA is expanding with a high school band parade through East campus to Beaver Stadium the morning of the Blue-White Game.
The culmination of Penn State's spring football practice is scheduled for 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 24. As in previous years, there will be no admission or parking fee for the Blue-White game.
Six bands from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. are scheduled to perform, including the Altoona Area, Gettysburg, Phillipsburg-Osceola and Easton Area High School bands from Pennsylvania. The Pemberton Township (N.J.) and Ballou High School (Washington, D.C.) bands also have committed to perform. Ballou has been the subject of a documentary and recently performed at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.
The bands will be seated in the north end zone will entertain fans pre-game, halftime and in-game along with the Penn State Blue Band.
Penn State held a popular Band Day during the season annually from 1950-74 and at several Blue-White Games in the 1980s.
Penn State's annual spring football game was expanded several years ago into Blue-White Weekend by adding a two-day carnival and a festival area with food, entertainment, interactive games, and a wing fest. Fans park and enjoy the game free of charge and partake in activities, including fireworks, that surround the stadium for the weekend, starting at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, April 23. Stadium gates will open at noon on Saturday for the popular player autograph session on the field preceding the game.
The Blue-White Game has become the university's unofficial annual reunion and has attracted record-breaking crowds of better than over a 70,000 each of the past three years, topped by 76,500 at last year's contest.
Other events held in conjunction with Blue-White Weekend presented by AAA will be announced at a later date. Coach Joe Paterno'ssquad will begin spring practice on March 26.