Fifty Michigan high school marching bands are set to fill Ford Field in Detroit on Saturday, Nov. 7, competing from 8 a.m. until the final awards are announced at 10:20 p.m. The daylong event wraps up the marching season for nearly every band on the field, with five separate state champions to be crowned before the night is over.
The bands were divided into five enrollment-based flights by the Michigan Competing Band Association, with Flight I made up of the largest-enrollment schools and Flight V reserved for the smallest. Each flight is judged separately, meaning five titles are up for grabs rather than one overall winner, according to MLive.com. Every band gets 14 minutes on the field to make its case to the judges.
How the Day Breaks Down by Flight
Flight IV takes the field first, starting at 8 a.m. and wrapping with awards at 10:20 a.m. That group includes Lamphere, Godwin Heights, Carleton Airport, Ionia, Sparta, Linden, Edwardsburg, Spring Lake, Ferndale and Lakeshore high schools, per the outlet's report. Flight III follows at 11 a.m., with awards at 1:20 p.m., featuring Southgate Anderson, Gull Lake, Fenton, Mt. Pleasant, Plainwell, Carman-Ainsworth, Cedar Springs, Holland, DeWitt and Reeths-Puffer.
Flight II steps up at 2 p.m., with its awards ceremony set for 4:20 p.m. That bracket includes Flushing, Wayne Memorial, East Lansing, South Lyon East, Northview, Portage Northern, Lakeview, L’Anse Creuse, Byron Center and Jenison. Flight V — home to the smallest-enrollment schools — competes at 5 p.m. and gets its awards at 7:20 p.m., with Coloma, Kent City, Buchanan, Tri County, Comstock Park, Newaygo, Allegan, Belding, Watervliet and Grant rounding out that group.
Flight I, carrying the largest-enrollment schools, closes out the night at 8 p.m., with final awards at 10:20 p.m. That lineup features Clarkston, Dakota, Grand Ledge, Hudsonville, Grandville, Lake Orion, Plymouth-Canton Educational Park, Novi, Walled Lake and Rockford.
Getting to Ford Field and What to Expect
Doors and ticket booths open at 7 a.m., an hour before the first band performs, the same MLive.com report notes. Tickets are sold day-of only, at $32 for adults and $29 for students and senior citizens, and the price covers admission for the entire day regardless of what time fans arrive. Ford Field confirms cash and credit cards are both accepted at the gate, per the Michigan Competing Band Association.
Parking at Ford Field facilities runs $10 for the day. Guests can park in the Ford Field Parking Deck, Lot 4 or Lot 5, with spots available on a first-come, first-served basis, according to Ford Field. ADA parking is also available in the Parking Deck, the venue notes.
Bag Rules and Prohibited Items
Ford Field’s bag policy allows small, clear bags but bars strollers, car seats and diaper bags from entry, the report states. Specifically, the venue permits clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags no larger than 12 by 6 by 12 inches, according to Ford Field’s own bag policy. Balloons, flashlights, knives, laser pointers, seat cushions and umbrellas are also prohibited, the same account notes.
For the vast majority of the 50 bands taking the field Saturday, this performance marks the final show of the 2026 season. Six Michigan marching bands, however, will carry on to perform at the Bands of America Grand Nationals in Indianapolis the following weekend, extending their season a little longer than the rest of the field.
