The Lafayette Band program will be holding their annual Lancer Marketplace fundraiser on Dec. 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Dec. 7 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Lafayette High School.

The fundraiser is a craft fair where vendors can sell their merchandise. The band program makes money by charging the vendors rent for space at the fair.

The band program has been holding the fundraiser for nearly 20 years.

“It’s a little smaller this year than it has been in the past but it’s still a good fundraiser for the band program,” band director Brad Balog said.

In addition to the Lancer Marketplace, the band program holds several other fundraising activities each year, including a 5k run, hosting a marching band festival, mattress sales and running the concession stands at football games.

“We try to steer away from candy sales and wrapping paper sales and all those little tiny things,” Balog said, “We put all our energy into bigger events that make more money.”

The money funds extra staff and private tutoring for the band programs and it supports the winter color guard team. The fundraising also helps pay for the band’s travel costs for competitions.

Balog believes the fundraising efforts help the program immensely.

“The booster organization and all their fundraising efforts have a major impact on the success of the program,” Balog said.