INDIANAPOLIS, IN
109 high school marching band students from across the country will perform at the Bands of America Grand National Championships, presented by Yamaha, Thursday through Saturday, November 13-15 at Lucas Oil Stadium.
The competing bands will travel to Indianapolis from 21 different states – Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, and West Virginia. Bands of America Championships are the nation’s premier marching band events, showcasing outstanding student musicians and visual performances.
Bands take the field for preliminary competition performances on Thursday as early as 7:45 a.m. Gates will open to the public at 7:00 a.m. Competition will conclude around 10:45 p.m., picking up again Friday at 7:00 a.m. with gates opening at 6:30 a.m.
Times are subject to change, visit marching.musicforall.org for the latest event schedule.
Grand National performances will be evaluated by a panel of nationally recognized music educators and marching band experts. Around thirty bands will advance to the semi-finals on Saturday. The doors will open approximately at 6:30 a.m. with the semi-finals competition beginning at 7:00 a.m. (actual start time to be determined after the conclusion of Friday night’s prelims awards ceremony).
The 12 highest-scoring bands will advance to Saturday evening’s finals, starting at 7:00 p.m., with the top-scoring band to be named Grand National Champion at the end of the night.
Music for All is celebrating its 50th anniversary this season. Since 1975, Bands of America has supported music education and the marching arts. This year, the organization celebrates all the bands who have stepped foot on a marching field and helped create the path for all who will come next. For more information, visit musicforall.org/50
Grand National Special Events
All days – 50 Years of Music for All: An Exhibit located in the East Club
Thursday, Nov. 13 – 11:45 a.m. Indianapolis Public Schools Music Showcase
Friday, Nov. 14 –
- 8:45 p.m. Michigan State University Spartan Marching Band
- 9:00 p.m. Prelims Awards Ceremony
Saturday, Nov. 15 –
- 8:00 a.m. TeachMusic Experience (all day)
- 4:30 p.m. University of Wisconsin-Eau Clair Blugold Marching Band
- 4:45 p.m. University of Wisconsin-Eau Clair Blue Gold Marching Band featuring United Sound
- 5:00 p.m. Semi-Finals Award Ceremony
- 7:00 p.m. Grand Nationals Finals Opening Ceremony featuring the Butler University Wind Ensemble
- 11:30 p.m. Grand Finale and Awards Ceremony featuring the 2026 Bands of America Honor Band in the Rose Parade Drumline
For a look at the full schedule of bands, visit marching.musicforall.org.
The 2025 Bands of America Championships season included 29 events across America, culminating with this Bands of America Grand National Championships.
Tickets
All tickets are digital, and the event is cashless. Spectators can skip the line and buy tickets online at marching.musicforall.org.
Check out the website marching.musicforall.org/boa for all ticket options, including full day passes, tickets for finals and student group tickets, as well as stadium policies to know before you go.
Children 10 years or younger are admitted for free for general admission seating.
