INDIANAPOLIS — More than 100 marching bands will be competing in the Bands of America Grand National Championship in Indianapolis.
The competition will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium from Nov. 14-16.
Bands of America Championships showcases "outstanding student musicians and visual performances," event officials said.
The preliminary competition will start the morning of Thursday, Nov. 14 at 7 a.m. and finish on Friday with a special exhibition performance by Missouri State University Pride Marching Band at 8:45 p.m.
Every band's performance will be evaluated and out of the record-high 113 bands competing, 30 bands will advance to the semi-finals on Saturday morning. Out of those bands, the 12 highest-scoring bands will advance to Saturday night's finals. The winner will be crowned at the end of the night. Click here for a full schedule of bands.
The students will be competing from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
"Marching band is even more than music and performance; it's a powerful experience that builds discipline, teamwork, and lifelong memories,” said Jeremy Earnhart, president and CEO of Music for All, the parent organization for Bands of America. “The Grand National Championships is the pinnacle of performance opportunities for high school marching bands. Participation takes the benefits of participating in music to the next level, challenging high school students to strive for excellence, showcase their talents on a national stage, and feel the pride of being part of something truly extraordinary. The benefits developed by participation in school music are the soft skills that employers point to as skills required for their workforce."
Tickets are available for purchase online here or at the Lucas Oil Stadium box office.
