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Easton, MA-LHS Show Choirs continued a 33-year tradition over the weekend when they traveled by bus for the Baystate.

Better knowon as the Baystate Show Choir Festival, it’s an annual gathering of Show Choirs from all over New England.

“The first time there I was overwhelmed…there’s a lot of pressure to learn a song and a ballad over 2 days as well as a new dance routine,” said Emily Rios.  “You get used to [the pressure].”

At this two day event the school groups split into collaborative choirs in which they learn a song with a professional vocal coach and learn a choreographed a dance routine with a dance professional.  Toward the end they perform the separate routines for each other and end the event singing a common ballad together.

“Last year we were very proud…because we got our first gold in over a decade prior to Baystate….we had everything ready so there was a great feeling of accomplishment even before…,” Rios said.

‘This year is different because we’ve had more complications as to be expected…it’s a change in experience for our director and we’re on track but we’re a little behind where we were last year,”  continued Rios.

Rios said the Lowell show choirs wouldn’t have been able to attend the festival if it weren’t for the help of the show choir families at Oliver Ames High School. Since it’s a two-day event, local families open their doors to performers whose cities are too far away to travel back and forth.

These host families, as they are called, provide a place to sleep and relax, and their generosity does not go overlooked, according to Rios.

“It’s highly encouraged to chip in a bit and get a gift for the host families; anything to acknowledge the efforts of the show choir community,” she said.

Adviser Matthew Brennan contributed to this story.