The Bourbon County High School Marching Band delivered a dominant performance at the prestigious Northern Kentucky Marching Band Festival, securing the highly coveted Grand Champion title and bringing home the Governor’s Cup. Competing against a strong field of talented bands across multiple classifications, the band demonstrated excellence in every facet of their program.
Competition Field and Results
The festival showcased top marching band programs from Kentucky and surrounding areas, ranging from Class A to the largest Class AAAAA. The field is presented below, sorted by classification from smallest to largest, and then alphabetically by school name.
| School | Classification |
| Fairdale High School Marching Band | A |
| Mason County Marching Royals | A |
| Nicholas County Marching Band | A |
| Highlands High School Marching Band | AA |
| Scott High School Eagle Regiment | AAA |
| Bourbon County High School Marching Band | AAAA |
| Bullitt East Marching Band | AAAA |
| Tates Creek High School | AAAA |
| Lakota West High School Marching Band | AAAAA |
The Bourbon County High School Marching Band not only clinched the top spot in their division but also earned the highest overall scores of the day, proving their world-class level of competitive preparation.
Major Awards
The band’s clean sweep of awards highlights the program’s balance of artistic expression and technical mastery:
- First in Class AAAA
- Best Music in Class AAAA
- Best Visual in Class AAAA
- Best General Effect Overall (Highest score across all classes)
- Best Auxiliary Overall (Color Guard)
- Best Percussion Overall
- Grand Champions Overall
- Governor’s Cup
Source: Myra Miller
Source: Myra Miller
Source: Myra Miller
Source: Myra Miller
Source: Myra Miller
Source: Myra Miller
Source: Myra Miller
Source: Myra MillerUnderstanding the Competitive Landscape: MSBA and KMEA
For those unfamiliar with the high school marching band scene in Kentucky, two major organizations govern competition: the Kentucky Music Educators Association (KMEA) and the Mid States Band Association (MSBA).
KMEA (Kentucky Music Educators Association)
KMEA is the primary governing body for music education and high school band competition within Kentucky. It organizes the official State Marching Band Championships, which are classified based on school size (enrollment). Success in local and regional festivals is often a prerequisite for a successful KMEA State run.
MSBA (Mid States Band Association)
The Mid States Band Association (MSBA) is an independent organization that sanctions competitive marching band events primarily in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. MSBA contests, such as the Northern Kentucky Marching Band Festival, are highly regarded and draw top bands from the tri-state area, regardless of their official KMEA or Ohio/Indiana state classifications.
Relationship: MSBA offers an additional, high-level competitive circuit that bands in Kentucky can participate in alongside the state-sanctioned KMEA system. Unlike KMEA events which often include preliminary and finals rounds, this MSBA festival was a single-performance contest, meaning the bands had only one shot to impress the judges for the final scoring and awards. Winning an MSBA event like this festival is a significant indicator of a band’s strength, often confirming their status as a frontrunner for the KMEA State Championships. By winning the Grand Champion title at this MSBA event, the Bourbon County High School Marching Band has signaled they are a major contender this season.
Source: Myra Miller
Source: Myra Miller
Source: Myra Miller
Source: Myra Miller
Source: Myra MillerLooking Ahead: The Road to KMEA State
With the momentum of the Northern Kentucky Grand Championship firmly behind them, the Bourbon County High School Marching Band is now focused on the Kentucky Music Educators Association (KMEA) State Marching Band Championships.
The Bourbon County High School Marching Band, competing in KMEA Class AAAA, will begin their state series journey at the 1A/4A East Regional Quarterfinals on Saturday, October 18, 2025. This crucial performance will take place at Madison Southern High School. The band must place among the top six groups at the Quarterfinals site to earn a berth in the State Semifinals, the final step before the State Finals competition. The dominant performance at the MSBA festival suggests the band is well-positioned for a deep run in the KMEA playoffs this year.