The NSW School Band Festival is currently in its 50th year.

Each year we have over 220 bands and in excess of 6500 students from Sydney, Regional NSW, interstate and overseas perform at the Festival whcih runs over 4 weekends in August.

The Festival provides Development Grants to schools for each event. The Development Grant allows the school to engage a professional music educator in order to assist the develpment of the music porgram in the school. For example, internationally acclaimed jazz drummer, John Morrrison, works with the big bands to assit the develpment of the genre.

Music making in schools is a most valuable activity. It assists in building communities, keeping children activiely engaged in education and, as Festival Patron, Richard Gill, will attest to, has a positive influence on the academic development of the students.