Northeast Mississippi Community College to host largest-ever Northeast Regional Marching Band Championships
Forty-one (41) marching bands will take part in the one-day event with over 47 performances slated for Tiger Stadium
BOONEVILLE, Miss. -- (09/25/2023) — Change is a good thing.
Especially when it comes to the 40th Annual Northeast Regional Marching Band Championships on the campus of Northeast Mississippi Community College.
This year's event will see a notable change in the schedule, shifting from the traditional first Saturday in October to the last Saturday in September at Tiger Stadium.
However, with the change, more marching bands have entered the field of competition and made the 2023 Northeast Regional Marching Band Championships the largest in school history.
Forty-one (41) marching bands are set to take part in the 40th Annual Northeast Regional Marching Band Championships, which will see bands take the field at 8:45 a.m. and perform until the Caption Portion awards at tentatively 10:35 p.m.
In addition to having one of the largest fields in school history, the 40th Annual Northeast Regional Marching Band Championships has drawn schools from three states and all around into the Magnolia State.
Cherokee, Ala., Lamar County, Ala., and Florence, Ala., all make the trek to the City of Hospitality from the Yellowhammer State while Hardin County, Tenn., and Houston, Tenn., both volunteer to drive to Booneville from Tennessee.
While competition regulars mark the schedule of events, new schools to the Northeast Regional Marching Band Championships are part of the day as well with Strayhorn, J.Z. George, Southeast Lauderdale, Lake Cormorant and Center Hill all coming to the Booneville event.
Strayhorn, Lake Cormorant and Center Hill make a drive across the state while J.Z. George comes up from the Mississippi delta and Southeast Lauderdale treks nearly three hours to compete.
Twenty-one (21) marching bands will take part in the Ratings Portion of the day while 25 performances will mark the Caption Portion of the contest.
Booneville High School and Northeast Mississippi Community College are both slated to perform in an exhibition during the day.
Northeast's Showband from Tigerland will perform at 2:40 p.m. as the judges' scores from the Ratings Portion of the event are tallied and the Showband from Tigerland will return almost eight hours later at 10:10 p.m. to cap the day's events.
Booneville High School will perform in exhibition right before Northeast's second performance at 9:45 p.m.
During the Ratings Portion, marching bands are assessed on various aspects, including drum major, guard, percussion, dancers/drill, and majorette performances along with a Band Rating score contributing to their overall band score.
However, the Caption Portion of the contest adds an extra layer of competition.
Bands not only vie for class honors but also strive for Sweepstakes Awards, individual awards (including scholarships to NEMCC), and the coveted 6-foot-tall Grand Champion trophy.
In total, 39 high school bands are set to compete in either the ratings, caption, or a combination of both, resulting in 44 performances. Northeast's two performances and Booneville's solo performance that night will bring the performance count to an impressive 47 marching band performances in a one-day span.
Caption Portion awards are tentatively scheduled for 10:35 p.m.
Schools in the 2023 Northeast Regional Marching Band Championships include:
(3) Class 1A: Baldwyn, Cherokee, Ala., Strayhorn*
(6) Class 2A: Bruce, Calhoun City, Hamilton, Hatley*, J.Z. George*, Water Valley
(9) Class 3A: Aberdeen, Alcorn Central, Independence, Kossuth, Lamar County, Ala., Mantachie*, Mooreville, Nettleton, Southeast Lauderdale*
(9) Class 4A: Amory, Byhalia, Caledonia*, Itawamba AHS, New Albany, Ripley, Senatobia, South Pontotoc, Tishomingo County
(3) Class 5A: Corinth, Hardin County, Tenn., New Hope
(4) Class 6A: Center Hill, Columbus, Lake Cormorant*, Saltillo
(3) Class 7A: Florence, Ala., Houston, Tenn., Oxford
Total Competing Schools: 39 high schools
Exhibition: Booneville High School, Northeast Mississippi Community College*
Total Schools: 41 schools
* -- Represents bands that will be performing during both the Ratings and Caption portions of the 2023 Northeast Regional Marching Band Championships
2023 Northeast Regional Marching Band Championships
RATINGS PORTION
Class 1A
Strayhorn, 8:45 a.m.
Class 2A
Water Valley, 9 a.m.
Calhoun City, 9:15 a.m.
Hamilton, 9:30 a.m.
Hatley, 9:45 a.m.
J.Z. George, 10 a.m.
Class 3A
Alcorn Central, 10:15 a.m.
Lamar County, Ala., 10:30 a.m.
Southeast Lauderdale, 10:45 a.m.
Aberdeen, 11 a.m.
Mantachie, 11:15 a.m.
Mooreville, 11:30 a.m.
**30-MINUTE BREAK**
Class 4A
New Albany, 12:15 p.m.
Amory, 12:30 p.m.
Tishomingo County, 12:45 p.m.
Byhalia, 1 p.m.
Itawamba AHS, 1:15 p.m.
Caledonia, 1:30 p.m.
Class 6A
Columbus, 1:45 p.m.
Lake Cormorant, 2 p.m.
Class 7A
Florence, Ala., 2:15 p.m.
Exhibition
NEMCC 2:40 p.m.
RATINGS AWARDS CEREMONY 2:55 p.m.
**30-MINUTE BREAK**
CAPTIONS PORTION
Class 6A (Special Schedule Exemption)
Saltillo, 3:30 p.m.
Class 1A
Cherokee, Ala., 3:45 p.m.
Baldwyn, 4 p.m.
Strayhorn, 4:15 p.m.
Class 2A
Bruce, 4:30 p.m.
J.Z. George, 4:45 p.m.
Class 3A
Kossuth, 5 p.m.
Southeast Lauderdale, 5:15 p.m.
Independence, 5:30 p.m.
Nettleton, 5:45 p.m.
Mantachie, 6 p.m.
**15-MINUTE BREAK**
Class 4A
South Pontotoc, 6:30 p.m.
Caledonia, 6:45 p.m.
Ripley, 7 p.m.
Senatobia, 7:15 p.m.
Class 5A
New Hope, 7:30 p.m.
Hardin County, Tenn., 7:45 p.m.
Corinth, 8 p.m.
**15-MINUTE BREAK**
Class 6A
Lake Cormorant, 8:30 p.m.
Center Hill, 8:45 p.m.
Class 7A
Oxford, 9 p.m.
Florence, Ala., 9:15 p.m.
Houston, Tenn., 9:30 p.m.
Exhibition
Booneville, 9:45 p.m.
NEMCC 10:10 p.m.
CAPTIONS AWARDS CEREMONY 10:35 p.m.
Media Attachments
Northeast Mississippi Community College’s Tiger Stadium will become the Mecca for marching bands on Saturday, September 30 as the college and the rest of the City of Hospitality play host to the 40th Annual Northeast Regional Marching Band Championships. Forty-one (41) marching bands will take part in the one-day event with over 47 performances slated for Tiger Stadium. Bands will enter the field of competition at 8:45 a.m. and Captions Portion Awards are tentatively scheduled for 10:35 p.m. Booneville High School’s Blue Devil Marching Band is slated for exhibition at 9:45 p.m. and the host Showband from Tigerland will put on two exhibitions at 2:40 p.m. and 10:10 p.m.