Another slice of normal returns as the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) District 2 brings a live District Band Festival back to Warren County this weekend.

Co-hosted by county music educators Mark Napolitan, Marcia White and Cindy Scheid, the event will be live and in-person for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The weekend will bring students together from around the eight-county region — Crawford, Erie, Warren, McKean, Potter, Elk, Cameron and Mercer — that make up District 2.

In total, that means 155 students from 37 high schools.

The festival kicks off Friday with a full day of practice.

Scheid said practice will start about 10:30 a.m. on Friday and run until about 8 p.m.

The public is then invited to a concert on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at the Warren Area High School Auditorium. Tickets are $4 for adults and $3 for students and seniors.

The guest conductor for the event is Christopher Gnagey.

A long-time music educator, Gnagey is the Performing Arts Department Chair at Catonsville High School in Baltimore, Maryland where he directs the Symphonic Band, Concert Orchestra and the Pit Orchestra. He also serves as director of the High School Board for the Baltimore County Public Schools Summer Music Camp.