Bands of America, one of America’s most spectacular and prestigious marching band events, is set to march in McAllen this weekend.

A Bands of America Regional Championship, one of just 16 across the United States this fall, will be Saturday, Sept. 30, on UnitedMix Pharmacy Field at McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium. The event is co-hosted by McAllen ISD and the City of McAllen.

The Bands of America offer the nation’s most exciting marching band shows held at major stadiums across the country. The BOA is presented by Yamaha.

The first of 27 marching bands will take the field at 8 a.m. The gates will open at 7:30 a.m. The preliminaries run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with the finals beginning at 7:45 p.m.

“McAllen ISD is proud to co-host this event with the City of McAllen,” McAllen ISD Superintendent J.A. Gonzalez, Ed.D., said. “It will feature top bands from across the Valley, south and central Texas. We invite the public to come out and see these hard-working and talented kids perform.”

Tickets are $9 for the preliminaries and $9 for the finals. Fans wishing to see both can get a Day Pass and pay just $12. Tickets will be available at the stadium ticket booth. Parking is on the north side of the stadium.

“The City of McAllen is proud to host and sponsor, along with McAllen ISD, Music for All’s Bands of America Regional Marching Contest,” McAllen City Manager Roel “Roy” Rodriguez, P.E., said.  “The role of music and the arts to the education and development of our youth has been proven to be a positive one. Additionally, the marching band portion of Friday Night Football in Texas is as much a part of the school spirit and traditions that our local and Rio Grande Valley high schools proudly demonstrate as the game itself.”

Saturday’s schedule

7:00 a.m. - Box Office Opens

7:30 a.m. - Stadium Gates Open

8:00 a.m.   - Weslaco East H.S.

8:15 a.m.   - San Benito H.S.

8:30 a.m.   - NIkki Rowe H.S.

8:45 a.m.   - McAllen Memorial H.S.

9:00 a.m.   - McAllen H.S.

9:15 a.m.   - Roma H.S.

9:30 a.m.   - Del Rio H.S.

9:45 a.m.   - Hidalgo Early College H.S.

10:00 a.m. - Rio Grande City H.S.

10:15 a.m. - Pioneer H.S.

10:30 a.m. - Grulla H.S.

LUNCH

11:30 a.m. - Sharyland H.S.

11:45 a.m. - Palmview H.S.

12:00 p.m. - Lopez Early College H.S.

12:15 p.m. - Robert Vela H.S.

12:30 p.m. - John B. Alexander H.S.

12:45 p.m. - Homer Hanna H.S.

1:00 p.m    - Edinburg North H.S.

1:15 p.m.   - Santa Rosa H.S.

BREAK

2:00 p.m.   - James Madison H.S.

2:15 p.m.   - Valley View H.S.

2:30 p.m.   - Harlingen South H.S.

2:45 p.m.   - Robert E. Lee H.S.

3:00 p.m.   - Juarez-Lincoln H.S.

3:15 p.m.   - Douglas MacArthur H.S.

3:30 p.m.   - Edinburg H.S.

3:45 p.m.   - Dripping Springs H.S.

4:00 p.m.   - Preliminary Competition Ends

4:15 p.m.   - Presentation of Awards

6:45 p.m.  -  Gates Open

7:45 p.m.  -  First Performing Finalist Band

10:15 p.m. - Finals Competition Ends

10:30 p.m. - Finale- Presentation of Awards

For more information, go online to …

http://www.musicforall.org/what-we-do/boa-marching-championships/regionals/mcallen-tx-regional