The ILMEA Large Group Festival Series!

Join us for the 2026 ILMEA Large Group Festival series! We invite all participating middle and high school band, orchestra, instrumental jazz and chorus programs to join us in this unique event designed to bring our musical community together for world-class performance venues, invaluable feedback from renowned adjudicators, inspiring performances, and the opportunity to support fellow educators and students from around the state!

The Large Group Festival is a non-competitive adjudicated event featuring performance opportunities in high-quality venues and also feedback (audio and written) as well as clinic experiences with well-respected/well-known music educators and practitioners. This festival is open to ensembles at any level - we strive to make this a positive experience for any ensemble that wishes to participate, so beginning ensembles all the way through to selective, experienced ensembles can all have a top-quality experience at our Large Group Festivals.

Pricing

One (1) Ensemble/School = $350.00, each additional ensemble from that school is $25.00 off!

ILMEA will send an electronic invoice/payment link to the email address listed on the form; payment will be due six weeks prior to the event or the ensembles may forfit their performance slot.

Registration

*Registration will open on Tuesday, September 2, 2025 at 10:00am CST*

Ready to register? Click the date you’d like to register for to submit your information! You’ll input one ensemble registration per submission; if you have multiple ensembles you’d like to take, please click the “Submit Another Response" prompt upon submission!

If the location is full, please fill out the waitlist form.


Olivet Nazarene University

Bourbonnais, Illinois

  • March 11, 2026 - Bands

  • March 12, 2026 - Orchestras, Choirs


Northeastern Illinois University

Chicago, Illinois

  • March 17, 2026 - Bands

  • March 18, 2026 - Choirs


Moraine Valley Comm. College

Palos Hills, Illinois

  • TBA


MARIACHI FESTIVAL

District 9
(open to participants from any district!)

  • TBA

Eastern Illinois University

Charleston, Illinois

  • March 14, 2026 - Bands


Five Points Washington

Washington, Illinois

  • April 21, 2026 - Bands



Northern Illinois University

DeKalb, Illinois

  • Schedule TBA


Guitar Festival

District 1
(open to participants from any district!)

  • TBA

Questions? Please contact [email protected] or call 708-479-4000 x1