The 2023 National Festival will take place at:
Royal Northern College of Music
Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th April 2023
The National Festival 2023 will feature over 34 Wind Bands and Big Bands performing throughout the weekend with additional performances by the Band of the RAF College.
Saturday 15th April 2023
Sunday 16th April 2023
Ticket Information
Early Bird Day Tickets (until Mon 10 April 2023):
£6 (Full)
£4 (Under 18s/65 +)
Early Bird Family Day Tickets (until Mon 10 April 2023):
£18 (2 adults + 3 children)
Day Tickets (from Tue 11 April 2023):
£8 (Full)
£6 (Under 18s/65+)
Family Day Tickets (from Tue 11 April 2023):
£25 (2 adults + 3 children)
Regional & National Festival 2022/23 Dates
| NCBF Festivals | Band Spaces Available | ENTRY CLOSING DATE |
|---|---|---|
| Sunday 6th November 2022 |
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| WARWICK - Warwick Hall | Completed | Closing date: 5th October |
| Saturday 12th November 2022 |
||
| LONDON - The Muse, Watford Grammar School | Completed | Closing Date: 11th October |
| Sunday 20th November 2022 |
||
| TELFORD - Haberdashers' Abraham Darby Academy | Completed | Closing Date: 19th October |
| Sunday 27th November 2022 | ||
| OLDHAM - Crompton House Academy | Completed | Closing Date: 26th October |
| Sunday 15th January 2023 |
||
| NORTHAMPTON - Cripps Hall, Northampton | YES | Closing Date: 18th December |
| Sunday 22nd January 2023 | ||
| SCOTLAND - Garnock Community Campus, Glengarnock | YES | Closing Date: 21st December |
| NCBF Festivals | Wind Band Slots Remaining | Big Band Slots Remaining |
|---|---|---|
| Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th April 2023 | ||
| NCBF National Festival RNCM Manchester | By Invitation Only | By Invitation Only |
Regional Festival Finder
Bands enter into their local ncbf regional festival where they perform in front of their peers, parents, audience, and ncbf adjudicators who offer feedback based on the ncbf Award Criteria. Bands are not competing against each other but are critiqued against the various aspects of performance and are awarded a certificate signifying their success: Platinum, Gold Silver or Bronze. Read more about the ncbf festival here
About NCBF
Since its modest beginnings over 30 years ago, NCBF - National Concert Band Festival has developed and grown in size and prestige until now it is recognised as the largest, most active, enterprising Festival for wind instrument musicians who play in wind bands or big bands throughout the UK.
The ncbf celebrates and promotes the music and activities of wind bands / jazz bands by holding regional festivals across the UK and a National Festival. The organisation aims to provide unique performing opportunities in a friendly, welcoming and musically enriching environment.
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We are pleased to announce four new initiatives to widen the participation in ncbf.
Introducing
ncbf Digital | ncbf at Home | ncbf Youth Ambassadors | ncbf Young Composers Scheme
Festival Information
Repertoire Lists
Festival Classes
A Festival, Not a Competition
What Students Get Out of NCBF
Why Band Leaders Get Involved
Regional Festival Results
