WEST JOHNSTON PRESENTS:
COMPASS CLASSIC
OCTOBER 10, 2026
The Compass Classic Marching Band Competition is a North Carolina Bandmasters Association-sanctioned event hosted during the early-to-mid portion of the marching band season. Designed to provide a high-quality educational and performance experience, the competition follows a Prelims/Finals format, allowing participating ensembles multiple opportunities to perform and receive valuable feedback from adjudicators throughout the day.
A total of eight bands will advance to Finals competition, with the possibility of additional exhibition performances. Awards and recognitions are presented during both the Preliminary and Finals portions of the event, celebrating achievement across a variety of performance categories.
The event concludes with the presentation of the prestigious “New Direction Award,” honoring the marching band that the judging panel believes is pushing the activity forward through creativity, innovation, and fresh design concepts. For programs exploring new ideas, musical approaches, visual concepts, or performance styles, the Compass Classic provides an outstanding opportunity to showcase students and their creativity on the field.
A warm welcome and a huge THANK YOU to all of the bands who have signed up to join us for this year’s competition!
We are excited to have you with us and look forward to celebrating the incredible talent, hard work, and dedication of each of your programs.
We wish every band the very best of luck as you take the field and take your band in a whole new direction!
Schedule for the day. Times are always subject to change throughout the day due to unforeseen circumstances.
Cash and Card are accepted
We want to say a special thank you to the incredible vendors on site!
Make sure you stop by at the top of the stadium to experience all the deliciousness they have to offer.
The Button Lady
We are incredibly grateful to our generous sponsors for helping make Compass Classic special by sponsoring trophies for our participating marching bands. Your support allows us to recognize the hard work, dedication, and achievements of these talented students. Thank you for investing in music education and supporting the marching arts in our community!
* Adam's Integration, LLC
* Carolina Kneading Therapeutic Massage, LLC
* Crossroads Ford
* LVM Fitness
* The Swindell Family
* The Powell-Wilson Family
* The Miller Family
* The Dunn Family
* The Sorrell Family
* The Goodman Family
* The Stoneburger Family
If you have any questions about the event, please contact:
Jessica Leighton & Elijah Collingwood | directors@westjohnstonband.com
Jenny Dunn, Compass Classic Chair | compassclassic@westjohnstonband.com