While visiting with the Executive Director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau, Teri Schmidt talked about this Saturday's Festival of Bands.

Teri says Sioux Falls will strike up the bands as the 27th Annual Festival of Bands, USA---one of the nation's largest marching band events---gets underway.

Considered one of the premier band festivals in the Midwest, this year's Festival of Bands will feature 39 bands with almost 3,500 students participating in parade and/or field competition.  The event draws as many at 10,000 visitors from South Dakota, Minnesota, and Iowa to Sioux Falls to enjoy a full day of marching activities.

The Parade competition always kicks off the big day.  This year's competition begins at 8:30 a.m. with 31 bands marching on Main Avenue from 14th to 6th Street.

The Preliminary Field competition gets underway at 11 a.m. at Howard Wood Field.

At the Parade and Preliminary Field events, bands compete in four classes for ratings and rankings.  A the evening Finals, the 10 highest scoring bands compete in one class with trophies going to the top five places.

Admission to the Field competitions is by wristband only.  Admission fees are ten dollars for adults, five dollars for students, Senior and children age 5 and under are free.  On the day of the Festival, wristbands can be purchased from volunteers at the Parade and Howard Wood Field.

The Festival of Bands is a continuation of a busy weekend for visitors in Sioux Falls following a sold out Jason Aldean concert a the new Denny Sanford PREMIER Center Friday night.

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