2026 Festival Dates

Beginning in 2026, Kern County Schools will receive priority in Kern County Festivals. If there are openings available, then groups from Tulare County north may be accepted. The same goes for groups from Kern County wishing to participate in northern festivals.

Please contact Rob Bentley at cmeacentralsection@gmail.com for questions.
For Kern County Festivals please contact Geoffrey Ruud

FESTIVAL	DATE(S)	LOCATION	HOST
MS & HS Choirs in Auberry		Sierra Lutheran Church	Carly Vasquez
MS & HS Bands & Orchestras in Porterville	March 4, 5, & 6	Porterville HS	Clark Keele
MS & HS Bands in Visalia	Host Needed
MS & HS Choirs in Porterville	March 17	Porterville HS	Josh Sutherland
MS & HS Bands in Reedley	March 10 & 11	Reedley HS	Sam Gipson
MS & HS Bands in Kingsburg	March 11 & 12	Kingsburg HS	Michael Schofield
MS Choirs in Visalia	March 11	1st Presbyterian Church	Mel Carrillo
HS Choirs in Visalia	March 12 & 13	1st Presbyterian Church	Mel Carrillo
MS & HS Choirs in Bakersfield	March 17(MS) 18 - 19 (HS)	Bakersfield HS	Amanda Isaac
HS Orchestras in Bakersfield	March 12	East Bakersfield HS	Regina Montano
MS Orchestras in Bakersfield	Host needed
MS & HS Choirs at Reedley	March 12	Reedley HS	Sam Gipson
MS & HS Choirs in Fresno	March 17 & 18	Central East HS	Michael Ogdon
HS Bands in Bakersfield	March 18 & 19	Stockdale High School	Amanda Sproul
MS & HS Orchestras in Tulare	March 25 & 26	Tulare Union HS	Mario Capote
MS Bands in Bakersfield	March 19 & 20	West High School	Ben Horton
MS & HS Bands in Merced	March 20	Golden Valley HS	Mike Vasquez
MS & HS Orchestras in Fresno	April 14, 15, & 16	Fresno HS	Beverly Moorehead
HS Bands in Fresno	March 24 & 25	Washington Union HS	Robert Madrid
MS Bands in Fresno	April 9th & 10th	Fresno HS	Corey Reynolds
MS & HS Bands in Madera	March 26 & 27	Matilda Torres HS	Ryan Dirlam
All Section Jazz Festival in Lemoore	16 & 17	Liberty MS	Rob Bentley
CMEA "On The Go!"	By Reservation	You Decide	You!

Welcome to the 2025

CMEA Central Section

Large Group Festivals

You must be a NAfME/CMEA member to attend a CMEA Central Section Festival. 2025 Registration fees are $225 per ensemble, per festival. Please carefully read specific information for the festival you are registering for in the Opus registration portal. If you have not registered in Opus yet, you will be prompted to do so before continuing with registration.
CMEA Central Section is including a Classification System for our ensembles registering for festivals. This classification helps our adjudicators and determines the level of music in the Sight-Reading room. Directors have the discretion to determine the classification under which their groups will be evaluated. Please read the descriptors to choose the classification that best fits your ensemble. The RUBRIC may also help you to decide. It is acceptable to register multiple groups within the same classification.
All ensembles are expected to participate in the sight reading portion of the festival. Groups wishing to be considered for an overall "Unanimous Superior" rating must participate in sight reading. If a "Unanimous Superior" rating received in performance, it will be reduced to a Superior if sight reading is not attempted.The Sight-Reading rating is not included in the overall rating. The Sight-reading rating is recorded for Central Section records but never distributed to anyone. CMEA Central strives for the sight-reading experience to be positive and encouraging.
All directors of performing ensembles must be a current member of NAfME/CMEA. You can renew or join at www.nafme.org/join
Festival Handbook

For further questions regarding festival policies & procedures, please contact your Festival Coordinator Rob Bentley

WATCH THE VIDEO TUTORIAL

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Welcome to the 2025

CMEA Central Section

Large Group Festivals

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All directors of performing ensembles must be a current member of NAfME/CMEA. You can renew or join at www.nafme.org/join

Festival Handbook

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