Dancing, flag twirling, marching and music were the order of the day as 26 high school bands with several hundred musicians from every corner of Louisiana as well as East Texas and Arkansas converged on Northwestern State University’s Turpin stadium for the 2026 Classic on the Cane High School Band Competition. The competition, a longtime tradition among band programs in Louisiana and elsewhere, is in its 37th year. The Classic on the Cane is a superb opportunity for the bands to showcase their abilities and spend a day in friendly competition with fellow musicians.
Each marching band gave a half-time type performance and was graded on several factors relating to marching, performing and musicality. The east side of Turpin stadium was packed end to end with the band members’ families and supporters who enthusiastically waved signs and cheered their favorite bands.
The 265 members of NSU’s Spirit of Northwestern band gave the last performance of the evening, a high energy production that drew repeated applause from the crowd. It is a sign of both NSU’s excellence and service to our state that many of the band directors at the competition are NSU alumni.
The Classic on the Cane has been a fixture of the high school marching band scene for the past 37 years. The Natchitoches Parish Journal is looking forward to seeing some of the superb young musicians at the competition coming to NSU to continue their education. We are looking forward to next year’s contest!
