CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The 11th annual West Virginia Marching Band Invitational (WVMBI) Championship will feature 47 high school bands from 33 counties around the state on Saturday, Oct. 29, at the University of Charleston Stadium, Laidley Field. Milton Middle School and Barboursville Middle School will open the event at 8:50 a.m. with the National Anthem.
The invitational also will feature the finals for the 2nd annual Governor’s Cup Series for a total of 53 on-field performances. The Governor’s Cup Series consisted of 12 preliminary competitions. Bands collected points by competing in at least four local competitions along with the upcoming WVMBI Championship and Governor’s Cup Series finals to be eligible to win the overall Governor’s Cup and more prize money. The Governor’s Cup final will award $3,250 to the grand champion; $2,000 to the 1st runner-up; $1,000 to the 2nd runner-up; $750 to the 3rd runner-up; and $500 to the 4th runner-up.
In 2017 the West Virginia State Legislature proclaimed this invitational “The Official State Marching Band Championship of West Virginia.”
“We are pleased to have such a good turnout of high school marching bands from across the Mountain State attending this year’s invitational,” West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History Curator Randall Reid-Smith said. “For the last several years, the department has partnered with Save The Music Foundation and generous donors around the state to provide musical instruments to middle schools throughout the state. Now, these students are moving into high school where they are helping to grow those marching bands. This invitational is a way for us to highlight that growing interest in music.”
The invitational includes competition judging for music, music effect, general effect, marching, percussion, drum major, color guard, majorettes and twirlers. A Miss Majorette competition is also held at the event, along with a drumline competition. The preliminary rounds of the drumline competition will begin at 2 p.m. on the State Capitol Complex and will feature drumlines from 14 schools. A full schedule of the marching band and drumline competitions is listed below.
The invitational will begin at 9 a.m. and continue throughout the day, culminating in an awards program that evening. Admission is $8 for ages 12 and older and $7 for 11 and younger.
The Marching Band Invitational at Laidley Field schedule for the day is:
- 8:50 a.m. National Anthem – Milton and Barboursville middle schools
- 9 a.m. Chapmanville High School – Class D
- 9:15 a.m. Sissonville High School – Class C2
- 9:30 a.m. South Charleston High School – Class C1
- 9:45 a.m. Independence High School – Class D
- 10 a.m. Poca High School – Class C2
- 10:15 a.m. Lincoln County High School – Class C1
- 10:30 a.m. Clay County High School – Class D
- 10:45 a.m. Scott High School – Class C2
- 11 a.m. Wayne High School – Class C1
- 11:15 a.m. Wirt County High School – Class D
- 11:30 a.m. Braxton County High School – Class C2
- 11:45 a.m. Bluefield High School – Class D
- 12 p.m. Lunch
- 12:30 p.m. Calhoun Middle High School – Class D
- 12:45 p.m. Ravenswood High School – Class C2
- 1 p.m. North Marion High School – Class C1
- 1:15 p.m. St. Marys High School – Class D
- 1:30 p.m. Parkersburg High School – Class C2
- 1:45 p.m. Paden City High School – Class C1
- 2 p.m. Wyoming East High School – Class D
- 2:15 p.m. Greenbrier West High School – Class C2
- 2:30 p.m. Williamstown High School – Class C1
- 2:45 p.m. Westside High School – Class D
- 3 p.m. Petersburg High School – Class C2
- 3:15 p.m. James Monroe High School – Class C1
- 3:30 p.m. Hall of Fame – Gail Kennedy
- 3:45 p.m. Liberty High School (Raleigh) – Class D
- 4 p.m. Webster County High School – Class D
- 4:15 p.m. PikeView High School – Class C1
- 4:30 p.m. Shady Spring High School – Class C1
- 4:45 p.m. Nitro High School – Class B
- 5 p.m. Saint Albans High School – Class B
- 5:15 p.m. Elkins High School – Class A
- 5:30 p.m. Miss Majorette
- 6 p.m. Doddridge County High School – Exhibition
- 6:15 p.m. Robert C. Byrd High School – Class B
- 6:30 p.m. Martinsburg High School – Class A
- 6:45 p.m. Oak Hill High School – Class B
- 7 p.m. Woodrow Wilson High School – Class B
- 7:15 p.m. Richwood High School – Class A
- 7:30 p.m. Capital High School – Class B
- 7:45 p.m. Greenbrier East High School – Class B
- 8 p.m. Parkersburg South High School – Class A
- 8:15 p.m. Hall of Fame – Thomas Eschbacher
- 8:30 p.m. Princeton High School – Class B
- 8:45 p.m. Hurricane High School – Class B
- 9 p.m. Musselman High School – Class A
- 9:15 p.m. Philip Barbour High School – Class B
- 9:30 p.m. Buckhannon-Upshur High School – Class B
- 9:45 p.m. Liberty High School (Harrison) – Class B
- 10 p.m. Cabell Midland High School – Class A
- 10:15 p.m. Drum Finals
- 10:45 p.m. Awards
Drums at the Capitol Schedule:
- 2 p.m. North Marion High School
- 2:15 p.m. Capital High School
- 2:30 p.m. Ripley High School
- 2:45 p.m. Wayne High School
- 3 p.m. Moorefield High School
- 3:15 p.m. Parkersburg High School
- 3:30 p.m. James Monroe High School
- 3:45 p.m. Break
- 4 p.m. Paden City High School
- 4:15 p.m. Williamstown High School
- 4:30 p.m. Martinsburg High School
- 4:45 p.m. Princeton High School
- 5 p.m. Greenbrier East High School
- 5:15 p.m. Buckhannon-Upshur High School
- 5:30 p.m. Philip Barbour High School
