The Iowa High School Music Association celebrates the students, directors, and school communities representing 142 high school marching bands across all four IHSMA classifications in the 2026 State Marching Band Festival.
Held October 10 and October 17 at eight sites across Iowa, the festival brought together student musicians and color guard members to share the results of months of preparation. From summer rehearsals through the final performance, students developed musical skills, strengthened friendships, and worked toward a common goal.
Each performance reflected the contributions of individual students coming together as an ensemble. Behind every musical phrase, coordinated movement, and shared moment on the field were hours of practice, persistence, and encouragement.
Music, Friendship, and a Shared Experience
Marching band gives students the opportunity to make music with friends while contributing to something larger than themselves. The memories come from performances, rehearsals, bus rides, and the satisfaction of working through challenges together.
The State Marching Band Festival extends that experience beyond each school’s own community. Students perform among other Iowa ensembles, encounter different musical and visual approaches, and celebrate the work of peers who share their commitment to music.
Whether an ensemble represents a small school or a large school, every student’s contribution matters. The festival recognizes that collective effort and the place music holds in Iowa’s schools.
Recognizing Achievement and Supporting Growth
The festival also provides an opportunity for students and directors to recognize what is going well and identify where continued growth can occur. Adjudicators offer ratings and commentary to help ensembles assess their performances and guide future instruction.
A rating reflects an ensemble’s performance against established criteria on a particular day. It provides useful feedback within a much larger educational experience that includes preparation, improvement, teamwork, and the enjoyment of making music.
Every ensemble brings its own strengths, goals, and circumstances to the field. The value of the experience includes recognizing progress, taking pride in achievement, and using feedback to move forward.
Recognizing Participating Bands by Classification
Class 1A | 13 Bands
Bellevue; Bishop Garrigan, Algona; Don Bosco, Gilbertville; Gehlen Catholic, LeMars; IKM-Manning; Lake Mills; Lisbon; Madrid; North Linn, Troy Mills; Sibley-Ocheyedan; South O’Brien, Paullina; Wapello; Woodbury Central, Moville.
Class 2A | 38 Bands
Alburnett; Aplington-Parkersburg; Centerville; Central Lee, Donnellson; Chariton; Cherokee, Washington; Clarinda; Crestwood, Cresco; Davis County, Bloomfield; Denver; Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont; Emmetsburg; Estherville Lincoln Central; Forest City; Garner-Hayfield-Ventura; Interstate 35, Truro; Kuemper Catholic, Carroll; Lawton-Bronson; Logan-Magnolia; Louisa-Muscatine; Mediapolis; Mid-Prairie, Wellman; Monticello; North Fayette Valley; Ogden; Okoboji, Milford; PCM, Monroe; Red Oak; Riverside, Oakland; Shenandoah; South Hardin; Sumner-Fredericksburg; Treynor; Tri-Center, Neola; Van Meter; West Central Valley, Stuart; West Lyon, Inwood; West Marshall, State Center.
Class 3A | 46 Bands
ADM, Adel; Algona; Anamosa; Ballard; Benton Community; Bishop Heelan Catholic, Sioux City; Center Point-Urbana; Central DeWitt; Clarke, Osceola; Creston; Decorah; Des Moines Christian; Fort Madison; Glenwood; Grinnell; Harlan; Humboldt; Independence; Keokuk; Knoxville; LeMars; Marion; Mount Pleasant; Mount Vernon; Nevada; North Polk, Alleman; Oskaloosa; Pella; Perry; Saydel; Sergeant Bluff-Luton; Sheldon; Sioux Center; Solon; South Tama County, Tama; Spencer; Spirit Lake; Vinton-Shellsburg; Wahlert, Dubuque; Washington; Waukon; West Delaware, Manchester; West Liberty; Williamsburg; Winterset; Xavier, Cedar Rapids.
Class 4A | 45 Bands
Ankeny; Ankeny Centennial; Bettendorf; Bondurant-Farrar; Cedar Falls; Cedar Rapids, Jefferson; Cedar Rapids, Kennedy; Cedar Rapids, Washington; Clear Creek-Amana; Clinton; Council Bluffs, Abraham Lincoln; Council Bluffs, Thomas Jefferson; Dallas Center-Grimes; Davenport, Central; Davenport, North; Davenport, West; Des Moines, East; Des Moines, Hoover; Des Moines, Lincoln; Des Moines, North; Des Moines, Roosevelt; Dowling Catholic, West Des Moines; Dubuque, Hempstead; Dubuque, Senior; Epworth, Western Dubuque; Fort Dodge; Indianola; Iowa City, Liberty; Johnston; Lewis Central; Linn-Mar, Marion; Marshalltown; Muscatine; Newton; Norwalk; Prairie, Cedar Rapids; Sioux City, East; Sioux City, North; Sioux City, West; Urbandale; Valley, West Des Moines; Waterloo, East; Waterloo, West; Waukee; Waukee Northwest.
Thank You to the People Who Make It Possible
IHSMA thanks the site managers, host schools, staff, and volunteers at Sheldon, Fort Dodge, Cedar Rapids Washington, Western Dubuque in Epworth, Lewis Central in Council Bluffs, Waukee, Pella, and Davenport Central. Their preparation and hospitality make this statewide experience possible.
Thank you to the adjudicators for sharing their expertise and providing feedback that supports student learning. We also recognize the directors, instructional staff, accompanists and support personnel, families, administrators, and communities whose time and encouragement sustain these programs.
To every student musician and color guard member who performed, every director who prepared an ensemble, every adjudicator who supported student growth, and every school community that supported the journey: Congratulations, and thank you for contributing to the outstanding tradition of music education in Iowa.