First SW Florida Band Jam-boree makes historic debut at Dunbar High School, Dec. 4-5

LEE COUNTY, Fla. – The Lee County Visitor & Convention Bureau (VCB) is partnering with the SW Florida Band Jam-boree, the first of its kind event bringing the sights and sounds of some of the best show-style marching bands to Fort Myers.

The VCB is supporting the event through its Events Marketing program which fosters multi-day event development in Lee County.

“The excitement surrounding the SW Florida Band Jam-boree brings participants from outside our area, which stimulates our economy through overnight hotel stays,” said Tamara Pigott, VCB executive director. “We are happy to support what will become an annual event during a weekend that is normally slow for our hotel partners.”

The two-day event shines a spotlight on the Dunbar community and the Dunbar High School marching band. The weekend kicks off Saturday, Dec. 4, with a college expo at Dunbar High School, 3800 Edison Ave., Fort Myers. Invited colleges will share scholarship opportunities with local students. The expo is open to the public.

The marching band exhibition will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5, at North Law Firm Stadium, 3800 Edison Ave., Fort Myers. Curtis Akeem McCullough “Dolla Watson” will be the special guest emcee. The event will be live streamed on BandTubeHD.com.

Florida high school marching bands participating include Lakewood High School, St. Petersburg; Dunbar High School, Fort Myers; Spoto High School, Tampa; and Tampa Tech High School, Tampa.

Guest bands scheduled to perform include the Marching Maroon Typhoon Band of Coahama Community College, Clarksdale, Miss., and The ROAR Marching Band of Florida Memorial University, Miami Gardens, Fla. 

Tickets are $10 in advance; $12 at the gate and available at Eventbrite.com.

For more information, please contact Dr. LeRoy Irving Jr., director of music at Dunbar High School at 239-461-5322, 404-246-4858 Ext. 2026 or leroyHI@Leeschools.net.

SW Florida Band Jam-boree sponsors include North Law Firm, Fort Myers Community Redevelopment Agency, Fort Myers Mayor Kevin B. Anderson, Lee County VCB, Lee Pitts Live, Blended Cultures, Dunbar High Band Boosters and BandTubeHD.com.