Bobcats will now be able to experience the history of the Marching 110.
The Southeast Ohio History Center will hold The Ohio University Marching 110: 50 Years of Funk Exhibit beginning Friday. The event is held to feature OU's Marching 110, which has been a part of many Bobcats’ experiences for many years.
Opening night will include refreshments and a wine and beer bar. The admission fee for adults is $7, youth aged 12-18 and seniors aged 65 and older have a fee of $5. Members of SEOHC and children under the age of 12 can enter the exhibit for free.
Colton Feathers, who plays the alto saxophone in the Marching 110, said tradition is an important value and he is excited to see alumni members.
“I guess just seeing that (the memorabilia) sums up how much tradition means to the 110 and how much just being a member incorporates you into a large family of alumni and current members,” Feathers, a senior studying astrophysics, said.
Erin Taggart, who also plays the alto saxophone in the Marching 110, said the band is a family and the bonds between members are not easily broken.
“Since we are a family, it’s easy to bicker and lose sight of what’s important sometimes,” Taggart, a senior studying social work, said. “But the second something happens to one of our own, I am always so fiercely reminded that this group will always protect and take care of one another. That goes for our alumni too.”
Taggart said she is excited to see former band members and be reunited for one weekend.
“They’re so quick to tell you a story or extend a hand, we are bonded so closely through 50 years of blood, sweat, and tears,” she said. “This organization is truly unlike anything I’ve ever been a part of.”
Feathers said being a part of the Marching 110 has influenced many of his experiences at OU, and he would be beyond thrilled to see the exhibit if he were an alum.
“I was just telling my section yesterday about how much they mean to me,” Feathers said. “Even though we don’t all quite get along, in the end, … if it came down to it, I could go to them. I know that looking back, these are going to be some of my favorite memories of being in college.”
During her years at OU, Taggart said the Marching 110 has shaped her character and made her who she is.
“The ability to be disciplined yet fun is hard to come by, but we walk the line everyday,” Taggart said. “When I first came into this my freshman year I thought this was a special group, but as I leave my senior year, I know it is. And I’m better for having been a part of it.”
Hayley Harding contributed to this report.
