Marching Band Competitions

When our son joined the high school band, I had visions of Friday night lights and a rousing drum beat calling to the crowd at our high school football games. I imagined the tattoo accompanying the cheerleaders and the military precision of a halftime show. I didn’t envision countless hours of summer practice and daily practices once school resumed. Not having a background in music, I didn’t understand why all the fuss.

Now with a year under my belt as an official “band mom,” I get it. His band isn’t JUST a spirit band- it’s a competitive band (and a darn good one, too!). Just as the football team practices and prepares for a shot at the playoffs, the band trains for its big dance at the Bands of America regional competition. Our high school participates in the southeast regional, but there are marching band competitions across the country. This fall, 22 Bands of America (BOA) Championships will be held throughout the U.S.

What is Bands of America?

Bands of America is a Music for All program with more than one million alumni. It was created in 1976 as “Marching Bands of America” and renamed in 1984. In 2006, it merged with the Music for All Foundation to become the program we know today. Music for All’s mission is “to create, provide, and expand positively life-changing experiences through music for all.” Bands of America plays a huge part in reaching this lofty goal!

What are the Bands of America Events?

BOA offers several participation levels for bands of different sizes. All are exceptional venues for amazing performances and are evaluated by experts.

Regional Championships

Regional Championships are complete, one day championships with educational events. As many as 32 bands can compete, with 10 advancing to the evening finals.

Super Regional Championships

Super Regional Championships are two-day, amped up events that allow up to 84 bands to compete (52 on Friday and 32 on Saturday). Two panels judge the preliminaries followed by a 14-band final competition on Saturday evening.

Grand National Championship

The BOA Grand National Championships is a three-day, preliminary, semi-finals and finals event held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. It is touted as the nation’s most exciting marching band event open to all high school bands on a first-come, first-served basis.

Where and When are Bands of America Events Held?

There are 22 marching band competitions from September 21st through November 9th across the country, so chances are good there’s a BOA event near you. States include:

• Arizona
• California
• Florida
• Georgia
• Iowa
• Indiana
• Kentucky
• Maryland
• Missouri
• Ohio
• Texas
• Utah
• Virginia

How Much Does it Cost to Participate in Bands of America?

The short answer is, it depends on which competition you choose and if you want to include extras. Regional championships have an early season base price of $700 and a regular season price of $875. Super Regional Championships have a base price of $875. The Grand National Championships base price is $975. Sunday clinics may be available for an additional cost of $275.

Why Should Our Band Apply for Bands of America?

Bands of America Championships are nationally recognized as premier high school marching band competitions and listed on the 2019-2020 National Association of Secondary School Principals as an approved program for students. They are stunning displays of skill and pageantry. Beyond all of this, they are the playoffs for which our kids have trained so hard. Find the BOA event that makes sense for your band and showcase your students’ incredible talent on a national stage!