Russellville High School will host the Northwest Alabama Marching Classic Sept. 28 at the RHS football stadium, featuring an array of talent from across the area along with an exhibition performance by Russellville’s Marching Hundred and North Alabama’s Pride of Dixie.

The first band is scheduled to take the field at 11:30 a.m., but Russellville band director Jeremy Willis said that could change, depending on whether more bands sign up. There are 26 bands registered to compete, with the deadline for registration set for Friday. 

Willis said competing bands range from large bands with an array of experience and awards, to small county bands for which this will be their first competition. 

There will be bands with more traditional halftime shows and bands with different styles.

“We want band directors and their students to feel safe, but we also want to treat them the way we want to be treated when we go places,” Willis said. “Manners are on point, and we do everything to try and make everything go smoothly for them. We want this to be the place that they can’t wait to come back to every year.”

Entrance fee will be $5, and the additional $5 to park will include a program. 

The Russellville Marching Hundred will work the competition before getting ready to play in exhibition. 

The Pride of Dixie is scheduled to perform around 9 p.m., with awards to follow. Willis said the Pride of Dixie is traveling directly from their homecoming game that night to perform at the Marching Classic.

“It’s a long day,” Willis said, “but it’s totally worth it.”