Festival History

1976

Concert Band (11 bands) and Jazz Band (5 bands) @ Sturgeon Creek School

The inaugural Optimist Club of Assiniboia Band Competition was held on May 1 and featured 11 concert and 5 jazz bands at Sturgeon Creek Regional School. Don Green chaired the festival.

1977

Concert Band (44 bands) and Jazz Band (18 bands) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre

Festival registration quadrupled as 65 concert and jazz bands registered. The festival relocated to the Winnipeg Convention Centre and was held in February. The three day event included a Sock Hop social. George Douglas joined Don Green as festival co-chairmen.

1978

Concert Band (65 bands) and Jazz Band (23 bands) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre

A 40% increase in registrants necessitated that three concert band and three jazz band adjudicators be invited.

1979

Concert Band (101 bands) and Jazz Band (24 bands) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre Registration was up another 40% as 126 bands registered. A fourth day was added. The final concert featured the South Dakota Symphonic Band and the inaugural performance of the Manitoba Honour Band.

1980

Concert Band (148 bands) and Jazz Band (31 bands) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre

For the third consecutive year registration increast by 40%! Invitations were extended to groups in the United States and the festival expanded to six days. Iowa State University Concert Band joined the Manitoba Honour Band for the Awards Program Concert.

1981

Concert Band (139), Jazz Band (32), and Orchestra (8) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre

Eight orchestras entered the new orchestra class on Sunday afternoon.

1982

Concert Band (139), Jazz Band (30), and Orchestra (17) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre

Dr. Tom Frazier, Optimist International Vice President and Don Green, Governor of the Dakotas, Manitoba, Minnesota District of Optimist International attended the Awards Program. The final concert featured the University of Saskatchewan Wind Ensemble and the Phil Nimmons Jazz Quartet.

1983

Concert Band (151), Jazz Band (41), and Orchestra (9) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre The final concert was cancelled in favour of finding room for the 201 concert bands, orchestras, jazz bands and combos.

1984

Concert Band (151), Jazz Band (44), and Orchestra (11) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre 8,000 performers took part in the festival.

1985

Concert Band (169), Jazz Band (41), and Orchestra (11) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre The Junior C concert band class (Level One) was shortened to 12 minutes to accommodate all 221 entries. A second jazz band day was added and scheduled in the Convention Centre cinema on the last day of the concert band festival.

1986

Concert Band (165), Jazz Band (35), and Orchestra (7) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre A fourth concert band adjudicator was added.

1987

Concert Band (171) & Jazz Band (51) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre

While the orchestra class was discontinued due to declining registration, jazz band registration increased by 45%. The record of 51 jazz registrations was not broken for 14 years.

1988

Concert Band (194) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (39) @ Grant Memorial Church

The jazz festival relocated to Grant Memorial Church and Grant Shaw became the jazz festival's sound technician.

1989

Concert Band (179) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (43) @ Grant Memorial Church

The guest concert band was the Winnipeg Wind Ensemble - Orvin Anderson, conductor.

1990

Concert Band (175) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (42) @ Grant Memorial Church

The concert band class designations (Junior A, B, C, & Senior A, B, C), age and grade criteria were used for the last time.

1991

Concert Band (178) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (33) @ Grant Memorial Church

Concert band classes were renamed and matched with the difficulty of music. Stage time for Level 1 (formerly Junior C) was shortened to 11 minutes and Level 2 to 13 minutes.

1992

Concert Band (184) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (37) @ Grant Memorial Church

A fifth concert band adjudicator and a second stage were added to allow for a post performance workshop. Level 1 class time returned to 15 minutes.

1993

Concert Band (179) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (46) @ Grant Memorial Church

225 bands attended.

1994

Concert Band (180) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (38) @ Grant Memorial Church 218 bands attended.

1995

Concert Band (188) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (46) @ Centre cultural franco-manitobain

The festival celebrated its 20th anniversary by adding a fourth jazz festival adjudicator, introducing post performance jazz workshops, and relocating the jazz festival to the Centre cultural franco-manitobain. Festival registration eclipsed the 1988 record by one.

1996

Concert Band (172) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (43) @ Glenlawn Collegiate

After 20 years of stewardship by the Assiniboia Optimist Club, the festival became a joint project of the Optimist Clubs of Assiniboia, River East, St. James, Seven Oaks, South Winnipeg, and Transcona. The jazz band event moved to Glenlawn Collegiate and took place one week after the concert band festival.

1997

Concert Band (186) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (48) @ Glenlawn Collegiate

Festival registration matched the previous high (234) and 1997 was the first of 6 consecutive years in which the festival registration increased.

1998

Concert Band (208) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (40) @ Glenlawn Collegiate

Staggered meal breaks and a sixth concert band adjudicator were required to accomodate the record 208 concert band registrants. The featured concert band was The Band of 1 Canadian Air Division.

1999

Concert Band (235) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (49) @ Glenlawn Collegiate Guest bands at the concert and jazz band award presentations were the University of Manitoba Wind Ensemble and the University of Manitoba Jazz Orchestra respectively, both under the direction of Richard Gillis.

2000

Concert Band (226) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (59) @ Glenlawn Collegiate; Level One (34) @ Calvary Temple Church

A concert band conductor's video adjudication was introduced and the jazz festival added a third day. John Griffiths was the featured soloist at the Awards Concert. Concert band scheduling pressures were alleviated as a two-day Beginning Band Festival was started in April for Level 1 bands.

2001

Concert Band (225) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (68) @ Glenlawn Collegiate; Level One (43) @ Calvary Temple Church 303 bands registered including a record 68 jazz bands, and the festival had its first waiting list. The addition of a fifth jazz festival adjudicator brought the total number of adjudicators to 12.

2002

Concert Band (212) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (68) @ Glenlawn Collegiate; Level One (78) @ Calvary Temple Church

To make room for the Level 2 through 6 groups, Level 1 was no longer offered at the Convention Centre. Attendance at the festival (including the three-day Beginning Band Festival) totalled 358 ensembles, a 61% increase over 6 years and a registration record that remains unsurpassed.

2003

Concert Band (210) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (60) @ Glenlawn Collegiate; Level One (63) @ Calvary Temple Church

To take the pressure off the visiting jazz adjudicators, local band directors adjudicated the Sunday morning session.

2004

Concert Band (206) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (63) @ Glenlawn Collegiate; Level One (55) @ Calvary Temple Church

The A101 through A701 jazz class designation was used for the last time.

2005

Concert Band (201) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (54) @ Glenlawn Collegiate; Level One (61) @ Calvary Temple Church

The festival celebrated its 30th anniversary by adding a fifth grading option and redefining the jazz band categories. The Manitoba Band Association and Optimist Clubs amalgamated operations. The clubs provided volunteers and a financial contribution, and the MBA assumed financial and administrative responsibility.

2006

Concert Band (198) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (54) @ Glenlawn Collegiate; Level One (64) @ North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren Church

The festival renamed its two major awards to recognize the 30 years of vision, leadership and dedication provided by retired festival co-chairmen, Don Green and George Douglas. John Balsillie took over as chairperson. The Level One Festival (formerly the Beginning Band Festival) relocated to North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren Church.

2007

Concert Band (180) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (60) @ Glenlawn Collegiate; Level One (100) @ North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren Church

CD recordings were introduced and class time for Level 2 was lengthened. The Level One Festival offered a Level 1B option and expanded to five days (including a day in Brandon) to accommodate the 100 registrants.

2008

Concert Band (181) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (66) @ Glenlawn Collegiate; Level One (98) @ North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren Church

Strong jazz festival registration necessitated that the festival begin on Friday afternoon.

2009

Concert Band (162) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (56) @ Glenlawn Collegiate; Level One (108) @ North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren Church The introduction of the Louis Riel holiday necessitated that the concert band festival week be held in one less day. Space on the Convention Centre's second floor, a third stage and two adjudicators were added. Two additional adjudicators were also brought in to meet the demands of the jazz festival.

2010

Concert Band (177) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (64) & Level One (108) @ North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren Church

Clinic time at the jazz festival was doubled and the event was expanded to three full days. Starting the festival on Thursday necessitated a venue change to North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren Church.

2011

Concert Band (163) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (61) & Level One (108) @ North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren Church

A record 29 adjudicators were needed to meet the needs of the Optimist Concert Band, Optimist Jazz Band, and Level One Festivals.

2012

Concert Band (169) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (51) & Level One (108) @ North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren Church

More than 100 volunteers were required to staff the festival. A combination of Optimist Club members, New Horizon Band members, and band parents help fill the positions.

2013

Concert Band (170) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (63) & Level One (112) @ North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren Church

A blizzard resulted in a record single day number of cancellations (11). Two adjudicators did not arrive until the afternoon of the first day.

2014

Concert Band (166) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (63) & Level One (112) @ North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren Church

A new method of recording bands was tested at the Jazz & Level One Festivals, improving the recording for the bands. This was expanded to the Concert Band Festival in 2015.

2015

Concert Band (154) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (62) & Level One (120) @ North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren Church

The Level One Festival hit a record high of 120 ensembles and required the addition of a second day in Brandon. Bill Kristjanson stepped in as Festival Chairperson. New recording method on SD cards was implemented at all festivals. New partnership including community and financial support from Winnipeg's classic 107 Radio was established.

2016

Concert Band (166) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (69) & Level One (112) @ North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren Church

New Beginning Jazz Class for the younger groups was created and an increase in Jazz Registration corresponded. Second floor added at the Winnipeg Convention Centre adding a performing stage and increased clinic time.

2017

Concert Band (166) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (78) @ Centre culturel franco-manitobain; Level One (113) @ North Kildonan Mennonite Brethren Church

Jazz venue changed to the Centre culturel franco-manitobain and jazz classes shifted to expand to evening performances for older groups.

2018

Concert Band (170) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (70) @ Centre culturel franco-manitobain; Level One (121) @ Canadian Mennonite University & Brandon University

Second year in the new Jazz venue, and the Level One Festival moved to Canadian Mennonite University. Increased performance on Winnipeg's Classic 107 organized by Vanessa Nowostawski.

2019

Concert Band (158) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (67) @ Centre culturel franco-manitobain; Level One (128) @ Canadian Mennonite University & Brandon University Record number of registrations received for the Level One Band Festival at 128 groups.

2020

Concert Band (167) @ Winnipeg Convention Centre; Jazz Band (64) @ Centre culturel franco-manitobain; Level One (122) @ Canadian Mennonite University & Brandon University

All festivals began to use Dropbox instead of CDs to share recorded adjudications.

2021 (11 small ensembles) Virtual - Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, all in person festivals were cancelled, and the Flexible Family of Festivals was born.

2022 (25 small ensembles) Virtual for a second year.

2023

Concert Band (105) @ RBC Convention Centre; Jazz Band (41) @ Centre culturel franco-manitobain; Level One (92) @ My Church Winnipeg & Brandon University

Following two years of virtual Flexible Family of Festivals due to Covid-19, all festivals joyfully returned in person.

2024

Concert Band (111) @ RBC Convention Centre; Jazz Band (38) @ Centre culturel franco-manitobain; Level One (85) @ My Church Winnipeg & Brandon University

The Family of Festival Awards Night, sponsored by St. John's Music & Yamaha Canada, was moved offsite following the conclusion of the Level One Festival in order to recognize and celbrate all festival participants.

2025

Concert Band (135) @ RBC Convention Centre; Jazz Band (43) @ Centre culturel franco-manitobain; Level One (107) @ My Church Winnipeg & Brandon University

The Concert Band Festival added a third stage to accommodate growing registration.

2026

Concert Band (132) @ RBC Convention Centre; Jazz Band (46) @ Centre culturel franco-manitobain; Level One (101) @ My Church Winnipeg & Brandon University