ROSSFORD, Ohio — Before the Ohio State Buckeyes face off against the Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State's marching band performed for a packed house at Rossford High School for The Best Damn Band In The Land's fundraising concert.
Friday's event marked the 44th year of the quadrennial concert, where attendees of all ages show off their Buckeye pride and give back to the community.
There were more than 2,000 people at the event excited to hear the band play. But attendees could enjoy more than just hearing one of the best marching bands in college sports, there were also raffles, a photo booth with OSU superfan "Big Nut" and an author selling a book about all the fun behind the scenes things that happen at OSU's football stadium. Most of the funds from these events go into the Wood County alumni's scholarship fund for students headed to Ohio State University.
Author of "Buckeye Tailgate," Trevor Zahara, said since he's an usher it only made sense to write a book about all the fun facts and events that happen at OSU's stadium.
"Initially I didn't have money to attend Ohio State so I got a scholarship. So now it's my way of paying it forward," Zahara said.
His sales from Friday's event will go into the Ohio State Foundation, Zahara said.
The overall theme is about giving back, former Wood County alumni President Mark Bennion. He said doors for the event were supposed to open at 6 p.m. but the crowd at the door was so large and it was such a cold night, they opened early at 5:30 p.m. instead.
"We've had to turn people away." Bennion said," The event is sold out. It's been sold out every year that I can remember, going back into the 1990s."
Children who haven't even entered grade school are already smitten with the band. Just ask the Codners' little boy, Colby Codner. The Codner family brought Colby to the event as a surprise because he is such a big OSU Band fan.
"He loves the marching band. We took him to actually to his first football game like a year ago," Sarah Codner said. "It's all about the band."
The youthful passion, it seems, does not fade with age.
Hannah Eggenschwiler, an OSU junior studying astronomy and astrophysics, is in her first year with the marching band's student staff in the uniform office.
"I love it. My parents are actually here so I'm really excited this is the first time they've seen me in person in full uniform," Eggenschwiler said.
She said that given the high costs of tickets, family members can't always make it to every game so the performance was a real treat.
Whether it's fandom, family pride or passionate alumni paying it forward, Heather Hettrick said she's proud to have worked this event three times, and it always gets bigger and better. As the Marketing Communications Chair for the OSU Marching Band Concert, she said the goal is to build Buckeye pride in young kids while also helping support incoming Ohio State freshmen.
"Our alumni club has held this for more than 44 years and raised more than $300,000 dollars, in turn, has funded more than 150 scholarships for young people in Wood County that are going to Ohio State," Hettrick said.
While the Buckeyes haven't hit the field just yet, the goals of fun and paying it forward were accomplished in Rossford on Friday.