Litchfield High School marching band finished a stretch of five parades in four days Sunday afternoon by taking grand champion in the Water Carnival Grand Day Parade in Hutchinson.

The Marching Dragons earned 78.1 points to claim the grand champion mantle, in addition to winning best color guard recognition.

Dassel-Cokato scored a 74.9 to win Class AA and finished second overall at Hutchinson.

Litchfield was scheduled to hit the street again Tuesday in the inaugural Parade of Bands. As the host band the Marching Dragons were not eligible to compete, but they were to be the final band in the 11-band event.

Competition returns Thursday when Litchfield travels to Milaca. The Marching Dragons also are scheduled to perform 6:15 p.m. Friday at Relay For Life in Litchfield, and again at 11 a.m. Saturday in Glencoe, before they wrap up the competitive season Monday in Roseville.

The Marching Dragons marathon parade week started Thursday in Paynesville, where they took first place in the Town & Country Days Parade. Litchfield edged Milaca 77-76.4, earning a bit of revenge for their runner-up finish to Milaca in the first parade of the season at Princeton.

Litchfield headed to Benson Friday and put together one of its best performances of the season, winning grand champion and People’s Choice awards. Litchfield earned 77.7 points, after a one-tenth penalty was subtracted. The Marching Dragons also took best winds and best color guard honors.

Dassel-Cokato won Class A and finished second overall with 74.4 points, while Champlin Park won Class AAA and was third overall with 71.7 points. Dassel-Cokato also captured best percussion section honors.

Just 12 hours after returning home from the Benson parade, the Marching Dragons were back on the street, this time in Owatonna for the Harry Wenger Marching Band Festival.

Litchfield finished second in Class AA with 74.9 points, behind grand champion Henry Sibley, which earned 79.7 points.

Litchfield drum majors Anni Rogness and Ruby Radunz were named best in Class AA.

Litchfield, along with most of the bands from the Owatonna parade, headed to the Lake Waconia Band Festival to finish the day Saturday.

There, the Marching Dragons earned second place in Class AA with 74.9 points, behind Henry Sibley’s 81.5 points. Henry Sibley also finished as grand champion at Waconia, along with garnering the “Owatonia” trophy with the best cumulative score from the Owatonna and Waconia parades.

Litchfield’s 74.9 points was second-best overall among 13 competing bands at Waconia.