ASHLAND – Five high school marching bands from across the region will perform along with Ashland University’s Eagle Marching Band on Saturday, Oct. 17, during the annual Festival of Bands at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field.
Performances begin at 7 p.m. (concessions open at 6 p.m.), and admission is free and open to the public.
This year’s festival features the Lucas Cubs Marching Band from Lucas, directed by Katie Johnson; the Crestview Marching Band from Ashland, directed by Evan Robinson; the East Knox Bulldog Band of Pride from Howard, directed by Brian Dodd; the Tuslaw Marching Band from Massillon, directed by Anna Puster; and the Mount Vernon High School Marching Yellow Jackets, directed by Julia Misel Haller.
As host, the Eagle Marching Band, directed by Slade Denman, will close the evening’s performances.
The Festival of Bands opens with all six bands combining for a massed performance of the national anthem, followed by each band’s field show. The night concludes with an awards presentation for the participating bands and a jam session featuring all six bands.
Denman, AU’s director of bands, said the festival is one of the highlights of the fall for the band program.
“Festival of Bands puts some of the hardest-working young musicians in our region on the same field for one night, and it is one of the best things we do as a band program,” said Denman. “Our visiting students get to perform in a college stadium in front of an enthusiastic crowd, and our AU students get to serve as hosts and role models for the next generation of band members.
“We hope families, alumni and community members will come out, fill the stands and cheer for every band on the field.”
Members of AU’s chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi, the national honorary band fraternity, will host the visiting bands throughout the evening, escorting each group to its seating area and providing water after each performance.
Founded in 1923, the Ashland University Eagle Marching Band performs at home football games throughout the fall. The band will close its 2026 season with the annual “Sounds of the Stadium” concert on Sunday, Nov. 1, at 6 p.m. at The Ashland Theatre (212 Center St., Ashland).