Fall is officially on its way.

This past weekend, from Sept. 11-13, the 90th annual Harvest Festival took place in Olde Town Arvada.

This yearly autumn event is a community favorite with a splendor of activities ranging from twirling teacups at the carnival area to musical performances and a “selfie booth” at the entertainment area.

But perhaps the most famous of events is the parade.

The parade contains roughly 7,000 participants and draws in a crowd of over 35,000. Each year an array of floats proceeds down Ralston Road decorated with vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows to signify the upcoming season.

There is also a variety of other thrilling participants such as cyclists, gymnasts, dancers, and musicians.

Not only is this a fun recreational parade, but it also serves as a judging medium. There are contests held to determine the best float, the best performers, and most importantly, the best marching band.

One particular group of interest marched down the street at precisely 9 a.m. – the Ralston Valley Marching Band.

Tessa Petersen, a drummer for Ralston Valley, explained this year’s harvest festival and Ralston Valley’s preparation for the event.

“We arrived at school around 7:15,” Petersen said. “We were given breakfast, got dressed, and then rode the bus down to Old Towne. We warmed up for a few minutes. We did both a visual warm-up (marching) and a musical warm-up and then went to the staging area to wait for our turn.”

And then they were off.

Dressed in blue and white, the band proudly represented RV, stomping down the parade route in 4 X 4 time.

When approaching the judging portion of the procession, the color guard came first, twirling their navy flags up high. Next, the band particularly impressed the crowd with their cheery song, “Ascend,” by Michael Sweeney.

The Mustangs had impeccable synchronicity and sound. The end of the entourage concluded with the lively cheerleaders and poms. After the Ralston Valley Marching Band passed, the spectators’ deafening roars could be heard throughout the streets of Arvada.

“The whole parade route was about two miles long. We alternated between the parade tune and the cadence,” Petersen added.

After finishing the route, the band went to wait for their judging results.

“We came in second place, losing to Horizon High School,” Petersen said. “I thought we did pretty well, but we definitely have to fix a few things. Our lines needed to be a little straighter but overall we did a good job.”

Indeed they did.

Earning second place out of eight competing teams in the Harvest Festival is an impressive feat. Along with bragging rights, the band also won $500 that will go back to the program.