The McNeese State University Cowboy Marching Band will host the “Showdown at Cowboy Stadium” High School Marching Band Festival on Saturday, Oct. 29.

Gates will open at 12:30 p.m. and the event begins at 1:15 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children under age 12.

Eleven high school marching bands from Louisiana and Texas will participate in the early season festival, according to Dr. Jay Jacobs, conductor of bands at McNeese. Bands will be adjudicated by a panel of music educators from Louisiana, Illinois and Texas in the areas of music, marching, percussion, color guard and drum majors. Ratings for each band will be announced in an awards ceremony at the conclusion of the festival.

Participating Louisiana high schools are Barbe of Lake Charles, Westlake, Jennings, Iowa, Sam Houston of Moss Bluff, Erath and Kinder while Texas high schools include Orangefield and Little Cypress-Mauriceville High School, both in Orange, and Sam Rayburn in Houston and Hudson.

The Pride of McNeese Cowboy Marching Band will perform before the awards presentation at 5 p.m.