Holly Springs (NC) High School Marching Band Wins Grand Champion at Fuquay-Varina Festival of Bands
Holly Springs earned Grand Champion honors at the 36th Annual Festival of Bands, sweeping all Class AAA categories. Felton Grove also took home top awards, winning Class A overall.
Holly Springs, NC, Oct. 21, 2025 — The Holly Springs High School Golden Hawks Marching Band won Grand Champion at the 36th Annual Festival of Bands (website), held this past Saturday, at Fuquay-Varina High School. The band placed first in every judged category in Class AAA —Music, Visual, General Effect, Percussion, and Color Guard —and took the overall title among all divisions.
More photos from the Festival of Bands are available at www.mickstewartphotography.com
The Festival of Bands is one of North Carolina’s longest-running marching band competitions. Hosted annually by Fuquay-Varina High School, the event brings together student musicians from across the state for a day of judged performances.
Chief Judge Matthew Pellas, a veteran North Carolina music educator and Director of Bands at F.J. Carnage Middle School in Raleigh, led the judging. A National Board Certified Teacher and member of the American School Band Directors Association, Pellas is known for his technical emphasis on tone quality, ensemble balance, and musical precision, all key evaluation areas in the competition.
The Felton Grove High School Marching Band also achieved strong results, winning Class A Overall Champion in its division. The band placed first in Music, Visual Effects, General Effects, and Percussion.
The performance marked another milestone for the Felton Grove program, which continues to show rapid growth and competitive strength within its first year.
Now in its 36th year, the Festival of Bands remains a major fixture in the state’s high school marching circuit. The event highlights musical performance, precision marching, and coordinated visual design, allowing students to showcase their skills before judges, competitors, and fans.
Overall Results
Grand Champion: Holly Springs
Reserve Grand Champion: Sanderson
CLASS A
Overall- Felton Grove
Music- Felton Grove
Visual- Felton Grove
General Effect- Felton Grove
Percussion- Felton Grove
Color Guard- Wheatmore
CLASS AA
Overall- Sanderson
Music- Sanderson
Visual- CE Jordan
General Effect- Sanderson
Percussion- CE Jordan
Color Guard- CE Jordan
CLASS AAA
Overall- Holly Springs
Music- Holly Springs
Visual- Holly Springs
General Effect- Holly Springs
Percussion- Holly Springs
Color Guard- Holly Springs
Class AAAA
Overall- Enloe
Music- Enloe
Visual- Enloe
General Effect- Enloe
Percussion- Enloe
Color Guard- Enloe
More photos from the Festival of Bands are available at www.mickstewartphotography.com