Dozens of marching bands from across the South Plains competed in the UIL Region 16 marching band contest Saturday in Lubbock, aiming to earn a Division 1 rating and advance to the next round of competition.
Musicians from 43 South Plains schools of all sizes braved the cool, drizzly weather and overcast skies above Lowrey Field at PlainsCapital Park. The 13-hour contest day started with a performance from 1A O’Donnel at 8:50 a.m. and ended with 6A Frenship just before 10 p.m.
In the regional contest, bands do not compete for a ranking against each other. Instead, they perform their 5-8 minute shows for an evaluation from a panel of three judges and an opportunity to advance to the next level of competition. Bands are judged on criteria such as musical tone quality, technical proficiency and precise marching drill execution.
The judges then assign each band a final rating: Division 1 — Superior; Division 2 — Excellent; Division 3 — Average; Division 4 — Below Average; or Division 5 — Poor. Bands that received a Division 1 rating advance to the area contest for their classification, with a shot at state after that.