By Tyler BIDDLE

With the grills running hot and the bands playing loud, it’s not going to be your typical lunchtime in the CVHS quad. Crescenta Valley Instrumental Music will host its fourth annual Korean Barbecue this Saturday featuring good food, raffle prizes and the CV Jazz Band.

The event is organized and run by parent volunteers.

“It is certainly an event that is dear to my heart,” said Tracey Black, the former president of CV Instrumental Music. Black has been working with her co-chairs Janice Lee and Gina Yoon to facilitate the much needed large-scale fundraising event for the music department that brings a larger and larger crowd every year. The event began four years ago when Black was president and her son was in marching band. He has since graduated, but Black has been called back to help now that her younger daughter joined marching band as a freshman.

CV moms and dads will be heating up the grills early before the kickoff time and will also bring a host of fresh homemade foods. The event will feature tasty authentic Korean cuisine complete with kalbi beef, japchae noodles, dumplings, salads, and even desserts.

There will be a number of performances from the CV Drumline and the featured group, the CV Jazz Band, will be playing selections they have been practicing all year. The quad will also host a presentation from the Winter Color Guard and a traditional Korean fan dance.

With an entrance ticket, guests are also automatically entered into a raffle. Winners will be revealed between performances. Over 40 prizes in total will be handed out to attendees including gift cards, tickets to the Hollywood Bowl, and portraits from Bronson Photography, to name a few. They all lead up to the grand prize, two Disneyland Park Hopper Tickets, whose winners will be announced at the end of the event.

“Our music foundation is the least we can do as parents to continue to partner with the school district in providing music opportunities for our kids,” said Denise Pearson, vice president of Publicity at CVIM. Pearson’s commitment to CVIM comes from a deep understanding of its value in helping to provide truly enriching and formative experiences for students. She has two sons in the music program. Her eldest son, Evan, has autism.

“The music program has been a place where he is accepted by the students and they are very helpful to him,” said Pearson. “They have reached out socially as well as helping him understand how to read music. He loves being involved and has made lasting friendships.”

All proceeds from the event go to CV Instrumental Music which pays for uniforms, instrument repairs and purchases, transportation, entrance fees for competitions and festivals, and much more. Last year the event served about 600 meals and raised over $7,000.

The event will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday in the CV High School quad. Tickets are $10 and can be bought at the door or from any instrumental music student. Entry into the raffle is included in the ticket price, so make sure to stick around to see if you get lucky!

CV High School is located at 2900 Community Ave. in La Crescenta.

  Tyler BIDDLE