Battle of the Bands takes center stage ahead of Florida Classic weekend

ORLANDO, Fla. — As the Florida Classic weekend rolls into Orlando, the spotlight isn’t just on the football field — it’s on the music.

Friday, the Kia Center will fill with the thunder of drums, the blast of brass, and the energy of 10 high school and college marching bands in the Florida Blue Battle of the Bands; a sold-out showcase that’s as much a celebration of culture as it is of talent.

At the heart of it all is Ocoee High School’s 250 student band, led by director Bernie Hendricks, preparing for a performance unlike any other.

Hendricks, a proud alumnus of Florida A&M University’s famed Marching 100, has spent weeks reworking his full-field show to fit the smaller arena stage.

“We’ve taken our 100-yard show, and figured out a way to condense it into a 50-yard show… When you have 250 kids, it is a challenge,” Hendricks said.

But for him, it’s more than logistics. It’s legacy.

His father marched in the FAMU band in 1958 — a clarinet player who learned tuba, served in the Army, and carried the spirit of HBCU music home. Now, Hendricks is passing that same pride to his students.

“There is a sense of… it’s a little bit of a heightened intensity, just because you want to perform well for home,” he said.

The entire Florida Classic weekend, from the golf tournament to the game to the battle, pumps an estimated $30 million into Central Florida’s economy, according to Florida Citrus Sports CEO Steve Hogan.

“Historically, we’re pumping about $100 million a year in economic impact into this community,” Hogan said. “It’s not just money it’s family. Food. Faith. Football. Music.”

For students like those at Ocoee High, this isn’t just a performance. It’s their chance to stand in the spotlight, not as athletes, not as spectators, but as artists, leaders, and heirs to a rich tradition.

And when the final note fades Friday night, the real game begins Saturday at Camping World Stadium.

Tickets are still available but limited for Battle of the Bands at the Kia Center and Saturday’s Florida Classic football game at Camping World Stadium.

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