NEBRASKA CITY – After a pandemic pause, the marching band competition returned to Nebraska City Saturday at the AppeJack Parade.

Claiming top trophies were Blair in class A, Syracuse in class B and Palmyra in class C. Gretna won the middle school competition.

Brandy Hall: “You know the trophy is nice, but it was more ‘we didn’t get to do this last year with COVID’ and so for a lot of people this was their first parade. It was the first time in the new uniforms we just got, so just getting the group back together and into the stuff was the best part.”

Palmyra Band Director Sandy Murphy Robb said it is the third AppleJack in a row with the top trophy.

Robb: “We really had to work hard coming off of the pandemic and trying to get the kids back into the routine of what they need to do to keep their game going forward. They’ve really stepped it up the last couple of days and worked hard.”

Syracuse Band Director Brandy Hall said the band’s personality catches people’s attention.

Hall: “We do some moves. We do some turns. They do some backward marching, some chants, they get out  there and high-five the audience and our goal is to just have fun, but then bring the crowd into our fun with us. “

The Church of Christ had the s the best overall float. Arbor Bank has best use of theme and Lifetime Vision had best commercial float.