45th Annual Pioneer Marching Band Festival

Saturday, October 17, 2026 · 2:00 PM

Brooks Field · Somerville High School

Performance Order

Full program book Every band, staff rosters, senior tributes & supporters

Concessions

Following the Competition

What the groups and classes mean

Bands compete against others their own size, so a small school is never up against a large one.

Group I smallest bands
Groups II, III, IV increasing in size
Group V largest bands

The letter after the slash is the competitive level. A is the standard class; Open is the more advanced one, and those bands perform later in the day. So IV/O is a Group IV band competing in Open.

How the judging works

Judges score five captions. On the printed score sheet you circle the one you thought each band did best.

M — Music how well they play
V — Visual marching, drill and formations
OE — Overall Effect how the whole show lands on you
G — Guard the color guard: flags, rifles, dance
P — Percussion drumline and front ensemble

Scores are announced at awards, not after each band.

Good to Know

Where you are

Brooks Field, Somerville High School · 222 Davenport Street, Somerville NJ 08876

Please, no flash photography

Flashes from the stands can disorient performers mid-drill. Shoot with flash off.

Between performances

Hold applause until each band’s final set, and stay in your row while equipment moves on and off the field.

Cheer for everyone

Every band here put in the same hours ours did, and travelled to do it. Send them home feeling it was worth the trip.

Thanks to Our Sponsors

Presenting Sponsor