Oct. 8, 2026–The Missouri Western State University School of Fine Arts, the music program and MoWest Bands will celebrate the 40th annual Tournament of Champions. The field show competition for area high school marching bands will begin at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13 on Craig Field at Spratt Memorial Stadium.
More than 600 students representing 16 bands from Missouri and Iowa will compete, with the awards presentation scheduled for 7:15 p.m..
Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for seniors. Children 12 and under are free. Concessions will be open for those wanting refreshments.
The full schedule includes:
2 p.m. Lathrop High School
2:15 p.m. Maysville High School
2:30 p.m. Sherwood High School
2:45 p.m. Lafayette County High School
3 p.m. Richmond High School
3:30 p.m. Break
3:30 p.m. Savannah High School
3:45 p.m. Marshall High School
4 p.m. Harrisonville High School
4:15 p.m. Central High School
4:30 p.m. Liberty High School
4:45 p.m. Break
5:15 p.m. Kirksville High School
5:30 p.m. Raytown High School
5:45 p.m. Lewis Central High School
6 p.m. Break
6:15 p.m. Oak Park High School
6:30 p.m. Staley High School
6:45 p.m. Platte County High School
7:15 p.m. Awards Ceremony
For more information please contact Bob Long at 816-244-5840, or long@missouriwestern.edu.
The Tournament of Champions was started by longtime music professor of woodwinds, Richard Yeager, and former director of bands Jim Cochran. The event was originally scheduled on Saturdays, but due to the increasing number of festivals, it was moved to Tuesdays by former director of bands Jeff Hinton. By 2000 it was hosting 28 bands. After that year it became an invitational, limiting the number of bands. Even with the advent of dozens of other festivals around the state, TOC is still considered one of the most performance friendly venues due to the design of Spratt Stadium.
Missouri Western State University is a student-centered learning community preparing individuals for lives of excellence through applied learning. MoWest is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit missouriwestern.edu.