IOWA LAKES COMMUNITY COLLEGE ANNOUNCES RESCHEDULED 2026 JAZZ BAND CONTEST

February 10, 2026
Iowa Lakes Jazz festival

(Estherville, Iowa) – The Iowa Lakes Community College Music Department is excited to announce the rescheduled dates for the 2026 Jazz Band Contest, which was postponed due to weather. The contest will now take place Thursday, February 19, and Friday, February 20, 2026, at the Janice K. Lund Performing Arts Center on the Iowa Lakes Estherville Campus.

The event is open to the public and free of charge. Designed as a purely educational experience, the festival provides participating bands with the opportunity to perform in a formal contest setting.

This is a judged contest in which participating bands will be ranked based on their performances. In addition to receiving ratings, each band will take part in an educational clinic, where judges provide constructive feedback to help students and directors continue to develop their musical and performance skills.

Judges for the 2026 contest are Kevin Linder and Rod Shedenhelm, both retired band directors who spent their entire teaching careers in Northwest Iowa. Their extensive experience in music education brings valuable perspective and insight to the evaluation and clinic process.

Festival Schedule

Thursday, February 19, 2026 – Iowa Lakes Jazz Contest

1A Bands

  • Newell-Fonda
  • George-Little-Rock

2A Bands

  • Estherville Lincoln Central
  • Emmetsburg
  • Sioux Central
  • South Central Calhoun
  • Okoboji
  • Rock Valley

Awards: Class 1A & 2A

Friday, February 20, 2026 – Iowa Lakes Jazz Contest

Class 3A

  • Spencer Jazz II
  • Spencer Jazz I
  • Le Mars
  • Storm Lake

Class 4A

  • Lewis Central Jazz II
  • Lewis Central Jazz I
  • Urbandale

Awards: Class 3A & 4A

Please visit the Iowa Lakes Music Department Facebook Page for the most up-to-date schedule, as last-minute changes may occur.

For more information, please contact Lincoln Larsen at llarsen@iowalakes.edu or 712-362-7962.

Posted in Music, News