By William Soquet, Editor-in-Chief
It is 2025. That means there’s show choir! The winter season kicks off this weekend with two competitions in Wisconsin, which stands alone as the only state to venture into competition this soon after New Year’s.
Holmen Gathering
The Lineup (groups from Wisconsin unless noted)
Mixed: Chippewa Falls “Chi-Hi Harmonics”, DeForest “DeFortes”, La Crosse “River City Revolution”, Neenah “Vintage”, Plymouth “Momentum”, Onalaska “Hilltoppers”, Reedsburg “Choraliers”, Sauk Prairie “Executive Session”, Sioux Falls Jefferson “Legacy” (SD), Sparta “Upstage Adrenaline”
Womens: Sauk Prairie “YTBN”, Sioux Falls Jefferson “Revelry” (SD), Sparta “Rise of Adrenaline”
Prep: Drummond “Jack Attack”, Medford “Momentum”, Onalaska “Express”
Holmen is still the premiere competition in the country on the year’s first weekend, despite not having the draw of multiple out-of-state powers like it did last season. Onalaska, who has won six competitions before January 10 in the last ten years, will look to make it seven. The combined La Crosse group, formed out of La Crosse Central and Logan, will make its competitive debut. Sparta, Sioux Falls Jefferson, and Sauk Prairie should all factor into the finals conversation as well. Of those outside the proverbial top five, Reedsburg was the group who made finals here last year. They will be hunted by a new-look Neenah, as well as Plymouth and an improving DeForest group.
Tomah Cranberry Jamboree
The Lineup (groups from Wisconsin unless noted)
Mixed: Altoona “Locomotion”, Eau Claire Memorial “Old Abe Show Choir”, El Paso-Gridley “Modulations” (IL), New London “Vision”, West Salem “Singsations”
Womens: El Paso-Gridley “Hi Fidelity” (IL), West Salem “Vivace”
Situated right outside one of America’s largest cranberry-producing regions, it was only natural for Tomah to pick a cranberry theme for the program’s first hosted competition in almost 20 years. The headliner here is El Paso-Gridley, who makes a usual early-season start after a phenomenal year last year for both groups. It’s not totally out of the question that the EPG groups would take first and second to kick off the year. Behind them is an interesting mix of stories. Eau Claire Memorial made finals everywhere they went last year with a Blues Clues-themed show. New London stumbled a bit last year, but is still considered a group on the rise. West Salem brought back its girls group after a year off, and Altoona is under new direction this year. Where the local groups fall is anyone’s guess.
Two winners will be crowned, several groups will make finals, and there will be plenty of analysis right back here early next week.