Annual Jackson Marching Band Festival to be held Tuesday

About 1,000 musicians will crowd onto Jackson Senior High School's football field Tuesday for the annual Jackson Marching Band Festival.

With that many instrument-toting students on the field at once, Jackson director Scott Vangilder doesn't anticipate much room for marching. That will happen earlier when bands from 12 to 15 schools perform in a parade at 4 p.m. through uptown Jackson. At 6:30 p.m., individual bands will begin performing their half-time routines at the stadium. The evening will conclude with all the bands together performing the national anthem and "America the Beautiful."

This is the 63rd year of the event, started in 1945 by Jackson band director LeRoy Mason to have a day for bands to gather under friendly terms -- not in competition. Bands will not be judged.

There is a reduced cost for students.