Drums at Appletime 2026

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Drums at Appletime 2026
Murphysboro
Location - StateIllinois
09/12/2026
$10.00 for Adults.
$5.00 Student Admission (Grades 6-12).
Children 5 and Under are Free.

$10.00 for Adults.
$5.00 Student Admission (Grades 6-12).
Children 5 and Under are Free.

On behalf of the Murphysboro Apple Festival Committee, you are cordially invited to participate in the Apple Festival Grand Parade competition and Drums at Appletime Field Show competition on Saturday, September 12th, 2026. As has become the tradition, the parade competition will be open to junior high school, middle school, and high school bands. Drums at Appletime is for high school bands only.

No one can resist the lure of a marching band and Drums at Appletime continues as one of Murphysboro Apple Festival's most popular events, drawing sell-out crowds year after year.

From it's inception, featuring nationally touring Drum Corps like the Black Knights Drum & Bugle Corps, to today, showcasing the region's most talented high school marching bands, the level of competition has not changed!

The Grand Parade is just a taste of the level of performance and musicianship these students possess - Drums at Appletime is where they really shine!

Murphysboro's own Crimson Express began hosting in 1990 and have gone on to compete and win many major competitions throughout the United States and Canada. They continue to welcome marching bands from the area and beyond to this annual event and feature the talents of their members in exhibition at the end of the night.

Concessions will be available around the east bleachers. We will take cashless payments!

The Murphysboro Apple Festival has always sought to provide an event that is responsive to the educational needs of bands that participate. We strive to employ the highest quality adjudicators to evaluate your performances, and we will be using Competition Suite for comments and scores.

Registration is now closed for Drums at Appletime 2026.

Participating Bands/Schedule

Participating Bands:
Waterloo High School
Orchard Farm High School
Cape Central High School
Nashville Community High School
Marion High School
Northwest High School
Pinckneyville Community High School
Granite City High School
Centralia High School
McCracken County High School
Carterville High School
Frankfort Community High School
Anna-Jonesboro Community High School
Kelly High School
Carbondale Community High School
Sparta High School
Murphysboro High School (Exhibition)

Adjudicator Panel:
Music Execution: Philip Carter-Former Assistant Director of Bands, O'Fallon Township High School, O'Fallon, IL
Music General Effect: Jeff Singer-Retired Director of Bands, Potosi High School, Potosi, MO
Visual Execution: Juan Black-St. Louis Metro Area, St. Louis, MO
Visual General Effect: Shannon Jeffreys-Former DCI Caption Head for Music City, Visual Designer for Crimson Express, resides in Alabama
Percussion: Mike Davis-St. Louis Metro Area, Former DCI Judge, Director of Freedom Indoor Percussion, St. Louis, MO
Color Guard: Mark Martin-St. Louis Metro Area, Visual and Color Guard Design, St. Louis, MO
Drum Major: Lindsey Williams-Band Director, Paducah, Kentucky

Contact Name: Nicholas Williams
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