Bishop Garcia Diego High School’s 21-member concert band placed third in its division at the Music in the Parks Festival on April 25. (Bishop Garcia Diego High School photo)

Bishop Garcia Diego High School’s 21-member concert band placed third in its division at the Music in the Parks Festival in Milpitas.

Under the direction of Beverly Van Wingerden, the band earned an “excellent” rating. Its competition included schools from California, Oregon and Washington with student populations up to 750 and bands as large as 80 players.

The daylong annual event, held April 25 this year, includes concert bands, jazz bands, string orchestras, marching bands and choirs.

According to the festival’s Web site, the event has grown from 300 students in Hershey, Penn., in 1980 to now more than 180,000 students across the country. According to the festival’s Web site, Its mission is to “bring together students and adjudicators in a positive learning environment that will inspire the students to strive not only for excellence, but to make music a lifelong activity.”

Debbie Herrera is Bishop Garcia Diego High School‘s director of admissions and public relations.