The Quakertown Music Promoters Organization hosted their 39th annual Spaghetti Dinner on March 15, 2025. A day full of noodles and music to set the mood, over 800 people attended this well-received event, from parents and teachers to fellow performers. While the day is highly praised, many of the student body at QCHS know little about the event.
The Spag Din (nicknamed lovingly by the students and teachers) occurs every year, typically in the middle of March. Held at Quakertown Community High School, the fun
draiser raises money to pay for the music programs, including band, choir, theater, and any music extracurriculars, such as the musical and marching band. The volunteers work all day to prepare pounds upon pounds of spaghetti. They also prepare different kinds of sauces, cut loaves of bread, and plate all different types of desserts; all of which are devoured by patrons. QMPO volunteers don’t just cook; they also work in the front of the house to sell raffle baskets. “While it is a busy event with lots of moving parts – I love volunteering for the Spag Din, and all the other fun events,” says Kimberlee Bell, QMPO’s Vice President of Choir. “It is so worthwhile to know what whatever small task I am doing to make the evening a success. Everything directly benefits the music students so they can have what they need to do what they love to do!”
The work from QMPO isn’t the only work that’s put into the Spag Din; the student performers prepare for the event tirelessly all school year. There are many different acts to see, some held in the school’s gym, and others performing live in the cafeteria where the patrons eat. This year in the gym, the color guard put on their show, SYNESTHESIA, decked out in rainbow colors and artistic choreography. The Quakertown Drumline presented their 2025 show, One Small Step, which was a musical take on the first moon landing. The band program showcased their award-winning jazz band at the end of the night, creating a restaurant-esque ambience while people shoveled the last bites of spaghetti into their mouth.
The high school’s choir program performed as well. The vocal lesson students of Mr. Jonathan Lechner, Mrs. Marcia Vanderslice, and Mrs. Cynthia Rasmuessen, sang solo pieces, ranging anywhere from classical, operatic arias to modern musical theater. For example, sophomore Elena Ritter sang Think of Me from The Phantom of the Opera alongside senior Otani Ekpe. To contrast, senior Abby Black sang Slipping From My Fingers from the Mamma Mia!, a fan-favorite musical. The choir’s Varsity Singers performed as well, and senior A.J. Lightbourne showcased his Acapella group. No matter what kind of music was performed, the students’ work always pays off.
Including the donations, raffle ticket sales, and the cost to eat, the event made approximately $10,000. This money will be split between all of the QMPO branches to possibly go towards new equipment, musical theater rights, and payments for events and fundraisers in the near or distant future. The Spaghetti Dinner has always been a fantastic event raising lots of money, and every year the students and staff go above and beyond to out-do the year before. As the music program expands, we can only hope that the marketing efforts and pure effort put in behind the scenes and on stage brings in more and more audience members.
