43rd Annual Stagg HS Marching Band Jamboree Promotes Camaradarie

PALOS HILLS, IL — More than 20 of the area’s top high school marching bands will compete for top honors next weekend when Stagg High School hosts the 43rd annual Jamboree, the school announced on Friday.

The show is a showcase for local marching bands, which will perform their respective competition shows at the event, which begins at 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 9 at Stagg High School’s football field, which is located at 8015 W. 111th St. in Palos Hills.

The bands are judged by adjudicators who then hand out rankings for performances based on precision, style, and musical quality. Stagg’s entry, the Marching Chargers, will perform their competition show at 9:30 p.m. before the final awards are handed out.

“While these competitions are about the excellence and showcasing talent, they’re also about camaraderie and mutual respect among different schools,” said Stagg choir teacher Chris Betz.

He added: “Music at the high school level not only nurtures students’ emotional and creative growth but also fosters essential life skills such as discipline, teamwork, and resilience. By integrating music into education, we empower our youth with a universal language that promotes understanding, self-expression, and a deeper connection to the world around them.”

Entrees in this year’s Jamboree include bands representing Evergreen Park, Streator Township, Bloom Township, Bremen, Glenbrook North, Providence Catholic, Eisenhower, Kaneland, Joliet West, Sandburg, Fremd, Plainfield Central, Oak Park River Forest, Downers Grove South, Plainfield East, Andrew, Reavis, East Aurora, Romeoville, Lincoln-Way, Lockport and Stagg.

Awards will be handed out in three competitive classes with ceremonies taking place after each grouping finishes, organizers said. Bands will begin performing at 3 p.m. and the first class (A) will be recognized in the late afternoon before the AA awards will be handed out in the early evening before the final group of bands (AAA) will be honored at the end of the evening.

Classifications are based on the size of the bands.

Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for students with a valid ID, and for customers who are over the age of 50. Children between the ages of 6 and 17 will be admitted for $5. Children under the age of 7 will be admitted free of charge. Tickets can be purchased by clicking here.

For participants, the event represents a chance to get involved in a school activity that promotes teamwork and the ability to put their musical talents on display.

“Color guard changed my life,” said Evelyn Dalton, a junior at Stagg who has performed with the Marching Chargers for the past two years and who also participated in the school’s winter guard for two years. “It has given me courage, dedication, and a team that is like family.”

She added: “It has taught me life skills and given me a love for the marching arts. I cannot wait to show my love and dedication for the activity when Stagg performs for their Jamboree.”