It’s a momentous opportunity to display their special musical talents in front of their home audience.

Northern Lehigh School District and the Northern Lehigh Band Boosters will host a Tournament of Bands band competition Saturday in Bulldog Community Stadium.

Northern Lehigh will perform at the conclusion of the competition in a judged exhibition performance. Gates open at 5 p.m., and the first competitor will perform at 6:30 p.m.

The event will feature 11 competing schools from two states: Northern Lehigh, Schuylkill Haven, Catasauqua, Pen Argyl, Blue Mountain, Pottsgrove, Northampton, Shamokin Area, Wilson Area, and Berwick Area, along with Clearview Regional and Governor Livingston from New Jersey.

Northern Lehigh band director David Carroll spoke of the role of the marching bands.

“Over the past half century, marching band performances have evolved into an art form that is entertaining, artistically dynamic, and educational,” Carroll said. “They have become a unique blend of music and movement that is often both concert and theater.”

Carroll explained why the competition is such a significant event.

“The band programs at our competition have chosen to elevate the level of their performances through advanced design elements that require the maximum mental, physical, and artistic contributions from the student performers,” he said. “This creates a dynamic educational environment that engages multiple domains of learning for the young people who bring this art to life.”

Carroll described what it means for the district to have the honor of hosting the event.

“I view Northern Lehigh’s annual Marching Band competition as a great opportunity for our school community and our music program to showcase our commitment to the educational process through the arts,” he said. “At the most basic level of participation, marching band requires a strong commitment by the band team members, which is the reason band families are usually close knit groups within the larger school community.”

The Tournament of Bands encompasses member bands from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, West Virginia, Virginia, New York, and North Carolina. Those nine states are divvied into regional subdivisions called Regions.

Region 2 is the greater Lehigh Valley Region that extends west to Reading and Northern into the Poconos. Each team/bands competes against bands of the same approximate size.

For more information on the Tournament of Bands, contact www. njatob.org.