Photo courtesy Kelly Malek Photography The Warren Dragons Marching Band is pictured at the 2024 annual Music in Oil Country Band Festival. The band will perform Saturday at the 2025 festival.

Marching bands from 12 high schools in nine counties, including Warren Dragons, along with Westminster College, will showcase their talents to a specific audience that highlights music first and foremost.

The 2025 Music in Oil Country marching band festival will take place at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Oil City High School athletic complex. The gates will open at 5 p.m. Admission is $5.

High school bands scheduled to perform include the Warren Marching Dragons, Oil City Oiler Marching Band, Franklin High School Black Knight Marching Band, Titusville Rocket Marching Band, Keystone Panther Marching Band, Lakeview High School Sailor Band, Cambridge Springs Marching Blue Devils, Conneaut Area “Rock n’ Roll” Marching Band, Fort LeBoeuf Stampede of Sound Marching Band, Brockway Rover Marching Band, Mercer 5M Marching Band and Central Clarion Wildcats Marching Band.

The Westminster College Titan Marching Band will be the featured band of the night.

This festival was started by Daniel Cartwright in 2009. It has been successful each year (with one year missed during covid pandemic). It has since doubled in the number of bands participating. The Marching Dragons have been a participant from its start.

Several things will be offered including concessions, raffles, a bake sale, t-shirt sales, candy grams and air grams.

Proceeds from the festival will help fund the ongoing costs of the Oiler Marching Band.

In the event of inclement weather, the event will be held in the Oil City High School gymnasium.