Alexandria, Minnesota

Seven different bands have claimed the Grand Champion title in the Festival's 22-year history. Join us to see who rises to the top in 2008!

The 2008 Vikingland Band Festival Parade Marching Championship and Root Beer Float Concert are part of the "ALEX-150" Alexandria Sesquicentennial celebration.

Future Dates:
June 28, 2009
Always the last Sunday
in June

Photos are now online!
2008 PHOTO GALLERY
It's our largest photo gallery ever ... 155 images! Relive the excitement of the Vikingland Band Festival Parade Marching Championship and Root Beer Float Concert with the 2008 photo gallery.

Reserve your copy now!
ORDER THE 2008 PARADE DVD
Fantastic aerial shots and multi-camera views make the 2008 Vikingland Band Festival DVD great. The television-style DVD is professionally produced by Excellent Multimedia. You'll see each band's performance along with highlights from the awards ceremony. The price is only $24.95 and will be ready to ship about one month after the Festival. Place your order now »

2008 RESULTS
Sunny skies and moderate temperatures greeted competing bands as they delivered spirited performances during the 2008 Vikingland Band Festival. Park Center earned the Grand Champion title and Waconia was named the People's Choice. Mankato Lancers rounded out the trio of bands that led the lineup of 21 units. View complete results »

Concert was a hit!
1,000 ATTEND "ROOT BEER FLOAT CONCERT"
The Festival weekend started strong with a full house for the new Saturday night concert featuring Alexandria's Jefferson High School Marching Band and the Stabekk School Band from Oslo, Norway. The event began with both bands combining for a mass band performance of the anthems from both countries. The Stabekk senior and junior bands played a concert of Norwegian and American music, then Alexandria presented a stand-still performance of its summer marching music.

Note new location of DVD cameras!
PARADE ROUTE HAS FOUR VIEWING ZONES
The Vikingland Band Festival parade travels south on Alexandria's main street (Broadway) from 4th Avenue to 15th Avenue. New for 2008, there are four performance zones (near 6th, 8th, 11th and 14th Avenues) which provide the best opportunity for you to hear every band play their music. Parade route details »

BAND FROM NORWAY TO PERFORM IN 2008
The Stabekk School Band from Oslo, Norway will perform as the Honor Band of the 2008 Vikingland Band Festival. The Festival committee is thrilled to welcome our international guests!

The band includes 60 students ages 11-18. They are traveling to Alexandria to help celebrate Minnesota's sesquicentennial and to provide their students a cross-cultural experience with American band students. For the past four years the Stabekk School Band has won either the street or field marching event at the Norwegian Masters Competition.

GRAND MARSHAL ANNOUNCED
Ken Martinson, co-founder of the Vikingland Band Festival and founder of the popular website Marching.com, will lead the 2008 parade as Grand Marshal. He served as the Festival's coordinator for more than ten years and continues to play an important role in the vision of the event.

View the band list!
2008 PARADE ENTRIES
What a great lineup! The 2008 event will feature 21 marching bands from across Minnesota in four classes of competition, plus a very special Honor Band from Oslo, Norway. View the list of participating bands by class or in parade order with estimated step off times. Thanks to all the band directors who registered for the 2008 Festival.

FESTIVAL TURNS "25" IN 2009
It's still a year away, but the committee is already getting energized for the Festival's upcoming 25th anniversary milestone. A big thanks to the band directors, performers, spectators and sponsors who have played a part in the Festival's ongoing success.

SUBMIT YOUR FAVORITE TRADITIONS
Do you know about Park Center's pre-parade buffet? Many wonderful traditions have developed around the Vikingland Band Festival. We've listed some of our favorites, and we invite you to tell us about YOUR favorites. More »

PAST RESULTS
Did you know that 79 different bands have appeared in the Vikingland Band Festival since its inception in 1985? (Three first-time bands are coming in 2008, so the new total will be 82 bands.) Step into the Festival archives to access scores and participants from previous Festivals.

Festival Scenes: View past photo galleries »

EXPERIENCE THE FESTIVAL IN PERSON
Join the 20,000 spectators and 2,000 performers for this spectacular event. Look here for the parade route and maps of Alexandria. More »

2008 PLATINUM SPONSORS



GOLD SPONSORS
EMBARQ
Bernick's Pepsi
Holiday Station Stores
Pete's County Market
Alexandria Technical College

SILVER SPONSORS
First State Bank
Martinson Insurance
West Central Sanitation
Marching.com
Indigo Signworks
AgCountry Farm Credit
Alexandria Golf Cars

Hear every band play!
PEOPLE'S CHOICE VIEWING ZONES
This year's Festival will have more than 30 People's Choice judges, and many of them will be seated in two special "People's Choice" viewing areas: one near 8th Avenue and the other near 11th Avenue which is also the DVD recording area. The public is invited to view the parade in these festive zones.

Eleven different bands have been named People's Choice since we launched the award in 1989, and the Mankato Lancers have won it a whopping five times! Previous People's Choice award winners:
• 2007 Waconia
• 2006 The Patriots
• 2004-05 Waconia
• 2000-01-02-03 Mankato Lancers
• 1999 Albert Lea
• 1998 Champlin Park
• 1997 Fergus Falls
• 1996 Long Prairie
• 1994-95 Irondale
• 1993 Mankato Lancers
• 1991-92 New Richmond, WI
• 1990 Henry Sibley
• 1989 Hibbing

PLACEMENT TROPHY AND PRIZE MONEY FOR EVERY BAND
The Vikingland Band Festival continues to make improvements, and once again every competing band is guaranteed to earn at least $200 in prize money. This change was implemented last year and had a positive impact on the awards ceremony because each band also receives a placement trophy. For example, in a class of five bands, trophies will be awarded for first through fifth place. This replaces the former structure of trophies for the top three places and participation plaques for the remaining places.

DID YOU KNOW...?
Three bands have appeared in every Vikingland Band Festival to date. Congrats and thanks to Bertha-Hewitt, Long Prairie and Alexandria for this long run. Even more impressive ... Ken Nelson of Bertha-Hewitt is the only band director to appear every year!

Through 2007 these bands have appeared at least 15 times: Litchfield (22), Fergus Falls (20), Park Center (19), Waconia (19), Henry Sibley (18), Mankato Lancers (18), Winona Cotter (18), St. Cloud All-City (17), Albert Lea (16). Osseo has appeared 14 times, so 2008 will mark their 15th appearance.