Competitions Marching Band
T-BIRD Invitational
The T-Bird Invitational is a competition in El Paso TX where bands compete to achieve the Grand Champion title through multi-stage prelims and finals performances. In addition, the competition grants each program the opportunity to earn multiple caption accolades that accentuate the best categories of superior performance (best Colorguard, general effect, etc.). The competition is hosted by Coronado HS and the Thunderbird Marching Band in the Thunderbird Stadium, West El Paso. Upon placing among the finalists in the finals competition will allow each band to take home a banner displaying their overall ranking, and the top bands will receive a trophy for their dominant performance.
EPISD Invitational
The EPISD Invitational is an El Paso Marching Band competition hosted at Franklin HS Stadium, where bands compete among the judges to obtain the First Division achievement. Bands perform in sequential order and attend a retreat after each program has completed their performance to announce each band’s division number.
UIL REGION 22 Marching Contest
The UIL Region 22 Marching Contest is held at the SISD Student Activities Complex (SAC) Stadium, where bands compete to achieve the First Division title from each judge in El Paso, TX. Bands are arranged in set categories known as 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, and every other year, each classification of school ratings has the opportunity to advance to the AREA competition (obtaining the First Division). Each band is given a set amount of time to enter, perform and exit off the field as each performance is timed and under UIL regulations. Upon earning a First Divison, each program will receive a Plaque and advance to the AREA competition (if it’s the school’s state year).
SISD Marchfest
Marchfest is a Marching Band Tournament hosted by the Socorro Independent School District (SISD) in the SAC, where bands across the borderland compete to rank and take home the First Place Plaque. The competition involves a Prelims and Finals performance and all programs have the opportunity to earn caption rewards through superior performance among sections within the program. This competition is among the final two events El Paso bands competitively compete to achieve a local ranking for each program’s success.
UIL AREA A Competition
The UIL Area A Marching Competition is held at the Ratliff Stadium in Odessa, TX, or at the UTEP Sun Bowl in El Paso, TX. Bands from regions 22, 16/17, and 1 compete among the top finalists in the finals round to advance to the State Marching Championships in San Antonio, TX. Many bands who attend the AREA Competition travel to either stadium to as the setting is determined to corroborate with each school’s location across AREA A. The event is comprised of a prelims and finals round where each band performs under UIL’s regulations. Each program will ONLY compete in its school rating category (4A, 5A, 6A, etc.) among other bands in the similar school rating. After each band has completed their finals performance, the final judging will take place, and each band attends a retreat to announce the ranking and the bands advancing to the state competition.
NMSU Tournament of Bands
The TOB Marching Competition is a New Mexico Competition held at the NMSU Aggies Memorial Stadium. Bands from Las Cruces, NM, and El Paso, TX, compete to bring home the first-place trophy. The tournament involves a Prelims and Finals performance where the top bands in each category advance to the finals. Each finalist band will earn a TOB Maroon Banner with the program’s printed ranking in gold. The top bands, through finals performance, will receive a trophy and an engraved title of the ranking placement for the program. In addition, each program can achieve caption accolades through superior performance across the entire program. TOB is considered the final competitive Marching Band Tournament across the borderland and concludes the competitive marching season for El Paso bands.
UIL STATE MARCHING CHAMPIONSHIPS
The UIL State Marching Championships is held at the UTSA Alamodome Stadium in San Antonio, TX. The top bands in every AREA grade (respectful to the school rating) will compete in prelims and finals performance to determine the top bands in the state of Texas! The prelims and finals performance occur on separate days due to the length of bands that perform for the competition. This is the “final stop” of the UIL Marching Band Competitions and bands who are granted the opportunity to perform for this competition are considered the top bands in Texas and show the upmost determination and execution within a band program.