






Thursday, November 12, 2026
8:00 a.m. – Lucas Oil Stadium Ticket Office Opens
8:30 a.m. – East Gate Opens for Spectators | Expo opens – Premium Area
9:00 a.m. – Grand Nationals Thursday Preliminary Competition Begins
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Parent Booster Session 1: Building A Strategic Plan for a Thriving Booster Club | Lucas Oil Stadium – East Club Upper Level
11:45 a.m. – Indianapolis Public Schools Music Showcase
1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Leadership BLAST: Lucas Oil Stadium – East Club
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Parent Booster Session 2: Less Choas. More Volunteers. Better Fundraising. | Lucas Oil Stadium – East Club Upper Level
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Leadership BLAST: Lucas Oil Stadium – East Club
10:45 p.m. – Thursday Preliminary Competition Concludes
Friday, November 13, 2026
6:15 a.m. – Lucas Oil Stadium Ticket Office Opens
6:45 a.m. – East Gate Opens for Spectators | Expo Opens – Premium and Standard Areas
7:15 a.m. – Grand Nationals Preliminary Competition Resumes
8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Leadership BLAST | Lucas Oil Stadium – East Club
11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Parent Booster Session 3: Building A Strategic Plan for a Thriving Booster Club | Lucas Oil Stadium – East Club Upper Level
2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Parent/Booster Roundtable: Lucas Oil Stadium – East Club Upper Level
2:15 p.m. – Preliminary Competition Resumes
4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Parent Booster Session 4: Less Choas. More Volunteers. Better Fundraising. | Lucas Oil Stadium – East Club Upper Level
5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Leadership BLAST | Lucas Oil Stadium – East Club
8:30 p.m. – Friday Preliminary Competition Concludes
Performing in Exhibition: Western Carolina University Pride of the Mountains Marching Band | Special Performance by United Sound
8:45 p.m. – Prelims Awards Ceremony; Sponsor Recognition; Patrick John Hughes Parent/Booster Award Presentation; and Announcement of Grand National Semi-Finalist Bands
Saturday, November 14, 2026
30-mins prior to first performing band:
Lucas Oil Stadium Ticket Office Opens
East Gate Opens for Spectators
Expo Open – Premium and Standard Areas
6:30 a.m.* – Semi-Finals Competition Begins
*Start time will be determined Friday evening after announcement of Semi-Finalists
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. – TeachMusic Experience (Southeast Entrance/Quarterback Suite)
4:30 p.m.* – End of Semi-Finals Competition
Performing in Exhibition: West Chester University Incomparable Golden Rams Marching Band
5:00 p.m.* – Semi-Finals Awards Ceremony; Grand National Class Championship Awards; Announcement of Grand National Finalist Bands
6:30 p.m. – North and East Gate opens for Spectators | Expo re-opens – Premium Area
7:00 p.m. – Grand National Finals Opening Ceremony; Presentation of Scholarships; George N. Parks Leadership in Music Education Award Presentation
National Anthem: West Chester University and Western Carolina University Bands
8:00 p.m. – First Competing Band in Championship Finals
11:00 p.m. – End of Finals Competition
11:15 p.m. – Grand Nationals Class Champion Bands may perform in exhibition at the conclusion of Finals competition if they are not among the 12 Finalist bands
11:30 p.m. – Grand Finale and Awards Ceremony | Expo Closes
Cadence Performed by West Chester University and Western Carolina University Drumlines
*Drum Major attended the 2026 Music for All Summer Camp
*Drum Major attended the 2026 Music for All Summer Camp
*Drum Major attended the 2026 Music for All Summer Camp
"Lovely Day" by Bill Withers
*Drum Major attended the 2026 Music for All Summer Camp
*Drum Major attended the 2026 Music for All Summer Camp
*Drum Major attended the 2026 Music for All Summer Camp
*Drum Major attended the 2026 Music for All Summer Camp
*Drum Major attended the 2026 Music for All Summer Camp
*Drum Major attended the 2026 Music for All Summer Camp
*Drum Major attended the 2026 Music for All Summer Camp
*Drum Major attended the 2026 Music for All Summer Camp
*Drum Major attended the 2026 Music for All Summer Camp
*Drum Major attended the 2026 Music for All Summer Camp
*Drum Major attended the 2026 Music for All Summer Camp
*Drum Major attended the 2026 Music for All Summer Camp
*Drum Major attended the 2026 Music for All Summer Camp
*Drum Major attended the 2026 Music for All Summer Camp
*Drum Major attended the 2026 Music for All Summer Camp
*Drum Major attended the 2026 Music for All Summer Camp
*Drum Major attended the 2026 Music for All Summer Camp
*Drum Major attended the 2026 Music for All Summer Camp
*Drum Major attended the 2026 Music for All Summer Camp
*Drum Major attended the 2026 Music for All Summer Camp
Music Panel
David Carbone - Marietta, GA
Bob Chreste - Spring, TX
Cliff Croomes - Austin, TX
Chris Dessent - Fort Wayne, IN
Wayne Dillon - Dunedin, FL
Martin Griffin - Toms River, NJ
Mark Hoskins - Marietta, GA
Mike Howard - Austin, TX
Brad Huneycutt - McKinney, TX
Jay Kennedy - Chicago, IL
Paul McGarr - Brantford, Ontario, Canada
Max Mullinix - The Woodlands, TX
Drew Shanefield - Drexel Hill, PA
Kim Shuttlesworth - Dallas, TX
Susan Smith - Winter Park, FL
David Starnes - Dallas, GA
Visual Panel
Shannon M. Clark - Lexington, KY
Curtis Costanza - Vancouver, WA
Marie Czapinski - Des Plaines, IL
Michael Gray - Mount Pleasant, SC
Ron Hardin - Kamuela, HI
Ira Jenkins - Atlanta, GA
Chris Moss - Greenville, SC
Randy Nelson - Jacksonville, FL
Juno Orefice - Wyoming, MI
Damon Padilla - Henderson, NV
Tim Pierce - Memphis, TN
Mike Stone - West Hills, CA
Chief Judge
John Phillips - Indianapolis, IN
Assistant Chief Judge
Nola Jones - Nashville, TN







