Band Day will return to downtown Fayette and the Central Methodist University campus for its 56th year on Saturday, following a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hundreds of students from 33 high schools in Missouri will come to CMU to participate in competitions between bands, drum lines, and color guards, as well as to perform in a parade.

The day will kick off with the parade at 9:30 a.m. in front of Swinney Conservatory. It will go down Church St., turn left at the bandstand, left again onto Main St., and end at the entrance to CMU at Main and Elm.

The parade will be followed by field competition at Davis Field at 11:30 a.m. Indoor competitions will take place in Puckett Fieldhouse with drum line starting at 10 a.m. and color guard starting at 11:30 a.m. in the turf room. Due to spacing issues, only people associated with each performing group may be allowed in the turf room.

The field and indoor competitions are free to enter for CMU students, faculty, and staff. There is a $3 fee for any other adult visitors. Guests must wear masks indoors at all times per CMU protocol.

The participating schools and their classes are listed below:

Class 1: Brunswick, Chamois, Glasgow, Norborne, North Shelby, and Orrick

Class 2: Fayette, Gallatin, Harrisburg, Linn, Marceline, Mid-Buchanan, New Franklin, Salisbury, Smithton, Stover, Sweet Springs, and Westran

Class 3: Blair Oaks, Boonville, Eldon, Hallsville, and Macon

Class 4: Fulton, Grandview, Kirksville, and Oak Grove

Class 5: Troy-Buchanan and Waynesville

Many of the schools above are led by directors who are CMU alumni. They include Dominik Lehman (Glasgow), Daniel Long (Norborne), Casey McDonald (Eugene), Kevin Fearn (Harrisburg), Nick Vick (Linn), Lisa Dobbs (New Franklin), Michael Williams (Salisbury), Tiffany Hankins (Blair Oaks), Alec Fields (Boonville), J. West (Hallsville), Kelly Neudecker (Fulton), Jim Stockmann (Waynesville).