Local bands to march for the 79th year at Jackson festival

The annual Jackson Band Festival, featuring high school bands from throughout the region, will be held Tuesday, Oct. 3.

This is the 79th year the festival has been held.

The day's event will start with the Parade of Bands through Jackson at 4 p.m. The parade will go through the uptown Jackson area along High, Main and Russell streets. According to the City of Jackson, much of South High and West Main streets will be closed as the parade heads north and west to and from the high school campus.

The evening band festival will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Jackson High School Stadium. The cost for the show is $2 for adults and $1 for students. The money will be collected at the gate.

There will be a dozen marching bands participating, according to the city. Southeast Missouri bands schedule to participate include Chaffee Marching Red Devil Band, Scott City Marching Rams, Kelly Marching Hawks, Cape Central Marching Tigers and Jackson Chiefs Band. The Southeast Missouri State University marching band will also make an appearance in the evening.

The festival started in 1945 when Jackson Band director LeRoy Mason wanted a noncompetitive marching event for Southeast Missouri area bands, according to the school district Facebook page. It has been held in Jackson on the first Tuesday in October ever since, and has grown to include schools from all over the region.