The NCI Marching Band Contest is hosted by Fort Dodge Senior High every fall, inviting schools from across the region to compete.

“It’s a little smaller this year,” said FDSH band Director Al Paulson. “Next year we should be a little bigger, we’re just regrouping and coming back out after a year of absences.”

This will be the FDSH band’s first competition of the year.

In class 2A will be Aplington-Parkersburg and Carroll Kuemper. In class 3A will be Carroll, Estherville-Lincoln Central, Humboldt and Saydel. In class 4A will be Council Bluffs Lewis Central and FDSH.

-Photo by Jen Lane
Members of the Fort Dodge Senior High Marching Band rehearse during band camp earlier this summer. FDSH will be hosting the annual North Central Iowa Marching Band Contest at Dodger Stadium this Saturday.

The Iowa Central Community College Marching Band will perform an exhibition on Saturday night as well.

“It’s exciting that the bands are able to go back out and compete this year after a year of absence,” Paulson said. “The kids have worked their backsides off to create the program that we have right now. I’m excited with where we are — I think we’ll have the strongest band we’ve had since I’ve been here.”

Bands will take part in clinics with contest judges throughout the day at three sites — FDSH, Dodger Stadium and Fort Dodge Middle School. The bands will then come back to perform at the stadium at 5 p.m.

Gates at Dodger Stadium will open at 4 p.m. Admission is $7 for kindergarten and up.

The Fort Dodge Senior High All-American Dodger Marching Band will be performing selections from the musical “Moulin Rouge.” On Saturday, the band will have its clinic from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the stadium and their performance at 7 p.m.