A sport of the arts.

That’s how Greg Arsenault, director of bands at Cranston High School East, described the upcoming showcase of the school’s Thunderbolt Band Invitational Marching Band Competition.

Long a tradition, Cranston East’s band competition has been going on since the early 1990s, Arsenault said. In recent years, the band took a break from hosting the competition, with the last show in Cranston in 2022. Three years later, it’s back, with eight schools from Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts participating.

As a fundraiser for the Cranston East band, activities will include raffles, food, music and “air grams,” which are personalized shout-outs announced during the event to the high school bands and students participating.

The band will perform a medley of Beatles songs in a showcase called “Beatlemania.” Nearly 50 students from all four grades make up the band, Arsenault said. They will perform four Beatle songs for their show, which they have been rehearsing for since late August.

The featured Beatles hits are Magical Mystery Tour, Lady Madonna, Blackbird, Yesterday and Eleanor Rigby.

The band is led by Drum Majors Nicolas Germosen and Caleb Dorvilier, and Captains DaSilva, Harrison Fisher, Allison Flores, Kyle Herman and Zephaniah Vetiaque. 

The Cranston East Thunderbolt Band’s color guards will also perform. Known as The Emeralds, they are led by Captains Amaryllis Miller and Jackson Melino.

The competition will be held Saturday, Oct. 18, from 3-6 p.m. at Cranston Stadium.