All schools in Upshur County will close at 1 p.m. today. All B-UHS sporting events today are canceled.

Thirty-three bands to compete in West Virginia Marching Band Invitational Oct. 21

PHILIPPI — The 12th annual West Virginia Marching Band Invitational (WVMBI) Championship will feature 33 high school bands from 25 counties around the state on Saturday, Oct. 21, at Philip Barbour High School in Philippi. West Virginia Wesleyan College will also perform during the competition as an exhibition band.

The invitational also will feature the finals for the 3rd annual Governor’s Cup. The Governor’s Cup Series consisted of nine preliminary competitions. Bands collected points by competing in the local competitions along with the upcoming WVMBI Championship and Governor’s Cup Series finale to be eligible to win the overall Governor’s Cup and more prize money. The Governor’s Cup final will award $5,000 to the grand champion; $3,000 to the 1st runner-up; $1,500 to the 2nd runner-up; $1,000 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.  A full schedule of the marching band and drumline competitions is listed below.

Two individuals will be inducted into the Band Directors Hall of Fame during the competition. Dr. Scott Woodard is currently the director of instrumental music, interim associate provost and associate vice president for academic affairs at West Virginia State University; and the associate conductor of the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra and music director of the Charleston Chamber Orchestra. Deborah Westbrook taught for Preston County Schools for 40 years and became the head band director at Preston County High School in 1995, where she held that position until her retirement in June 2023.

The invitational will begin at 10:15 a.m. and continue throughout the day, culminating in an awards program that evening. Admission is $10. Five years old and younger enter for free.

The Marching Band Invitational schedule for the day is:

10:15 a.m.       National Anthem                

10:30 a.m.       Preston High School – Class B

10:45 a.m.       Hall of Fame – Deborah Westbrook       

11 a.m.            Ritchie County High School – Class D2

11:15 a.m.       North Marion High School – Class D1

11:30 a.m.       Williamstown High School – Class C2

11:45 a.m.       Buckhannon-Upshur High School – Class C1

Noon              St. Marys High School – Class D2

12:15 p.m.      Petersburg High School – Class D1

12:30 p.m.      Shady Spring High School – Class C2

12:45 p.m.      LUNCH        

1:15 p.m.        Liberty-Harrison High School – Class C1

1:30 p.m.        Webster County High School – Class D2

1:45 p.m.        Doddridge County High School – Class D1

2 p.m.             Paden City High School – Class C2

2:15 p.m.        Parkersburg High School – Class   C1

2:30 p.m.        Calhoun County High School – Class       D2

2:45 p.m.        Ravenswood High School – Class D1

3 p.m.             Wirt County High School – Class C2

3:15 p.m.        Liberty-Raleigh High School – Class D2

3:30 p.m.        Braxton County High School – Class C1

3:45 p.m.        Berkeley Springs High School – Class D2

4 p.m.             Greenbrier West High School – Class D1

4:15 p.m.        Poca High School – Class C2

4:30 p.m.        Tyler Consolidated High School – Class C1

4:45 p.m.        Westside High School – Class D2

5 p.m.             James Monroe High School – Class C2

5:15 p.m.        Princeton High School – Class C1

5:30 p.m.        West Virginia Wesleyan College – Exhibition

5:45 p.m.        Miss Majorette        

6:05 p.m.        Hall of Fame – Scott Woodard                 

6:15 p.m.        Hurricane High School – Class D1

6:30 p.m.        Elkins High School – Class A

6:45 p.m.        Robert C. Byrd High School – Class B

7 p.m.             Woodrow Wilson High School – Class B

7:15 p.m.        Greenbrier East High School – Class B

7:30 p.m.        Philip Barbour High School – Class A

7:45 p.m.        Richwood High School – Class A

8 p.m.             Cabell Midland High School – Class A

            DRUM COMPETITION   

8:20 p.m.        Greenbrier East High School         

8:26 p.m.        James Monroe High School           

8:32 p.m.        Paden City High School     

8:38 p.m.        Parkersburg High School

8:44 p.m.        Poca High School

8:50 p.m.        Princeton High School

8:56 p.m.        Webster County High School       

9:02 p.m.        Westside High School        

9:08 p.m.        Elkins High School

9:14 p.m.        Braxton County High School        

9:20 p.m.        North Marion High School 9:30 p.m.        AWARDS     

Share this story:

Local Businesses

RECENT Stories

Moon Flower opens first satellite store at Delmonte Market in Elkins

Moon Flower Hemp, a woman-owned craft cannabis shop, is opening its first satellite location inside Elkins’s Delmonte Market, offering exclusive products, infused drinks, educational support and special perks for early customers.

Buckhannon Community Theatre’s ‘The Lion King Kids’ set to roar at Colonial Arts Center this weekend

Buckhannon Community Theatre will present Disney’s The Lion King Kids on June 20 and 21 at the Colonial Arts Center, showcasing young local talent in a family-friendly production directed by Ella McNeish.

Buckhannon Consolidated Public Works Board Agenda: June 26, 2025

The City of Buckhannon Consolidated Public Works Board has released the agenda for its upcoming June 26, 2025, meeting.

B-U’s Landon Marple earns All-State baseball honors

Buckhannon-Upshur senior Landon Marple, who led his team in multiple offensive categories, was named to the West Virginia Sports Writers Association Class AAAA All-State Baseball Team as an Honorable Mention.

WVU Medicine St. Joseph’s Hospital’s Kelly Povroznik earns certification in integrative and functional nutrition

Kelly Povroznik, Director of Food and Nutrition Services at WVU Medicine St. Joseph’s Hospital, has earned certification as an Integrative and Functional Nutrition Certified Practitioner, bringing advanced holistic nutrition expertise to her patients and community.

Upshur County Sheriff Mike Coffman says numerous community complaints led to vape shop raids

Community complaints about Upshur County vape shops selling to minors prompted a months-long investigation that led to multi-agency raids, seizure of $500,000 in illegal products, and an ongoing probe with arrests likely.

Buckhannon Banter: Get the local lowdown for June 19, 2025

Argo Books is launching a community co-op, the Upshur County Library has won a grant for new computer classes, Meals on Wheels needs volunteers, and Fish Hawk Acres has resumed ‘grab & go’ service but paused breakfast.

Weese family legacy burns bright as Brandon coaches Flame 304 to new growth

Brandon Weese is continuing his family’s Buckhannon-Upshur basketball legacy by coaching the Flame 304 girls travel team, which now features players from multiple counties and emphasizes both athletic and personal growth.

Upshur County pool splashes back from repairs, continues busy summer with activities, parties and night swims

After a multi-day closure for repairs, the Upshur County Pool is reopening with a packed summer schedule featuring lessons, parties, night swims, and new event packages, positioning it for one of its busiest seasons yet.