Categories

• Musicians and jazz choirs compete in four categories: high school jazz band, combo and choir competition and middle school jazz band competition. Registration for each group competition is due about three weeks before the competition. More than 25 schools competed in the 2010 Festival.
  
  

Performance

• Competitors are allowed 25 minutes to perform for the judges. Bands are limited to three songs. Choirs may sing more than three songs if there is time within the 25-minute limit. The judges' ratings are posted shortly after each performance ends.
  
  

Equipment

• Because setting up individual sets of drums is too time-consuming, one configuration of drums is used by all groups. Drummers must supply their own bass drum pedal, drum throne, cymbals and felts and complete hi-hat. Guitar players must bring their own amplifiers.
  
  Jazz choirs are provided with 12 microphones, floor monitors and risers.
  
  

Warm-Up

• Practice is allowed 25 minutes before performance in the warm-up room. No bass amplifiers, pianos or drums are provided in the band warm-up room. A piano is provided in the jazz choir's warm-up room, however.
  
  

Finals

• Four high school bands, two high school choirs and two middle school bands with the highest scores advance to the finals competition. Winners are announced during the awards ceremony at the end of the day.
  
  

Trophies

• Trophies are awarded for first through fourth place in each division. Solo awards are given immediately after a performance, solely at the discretion of the judges.