Seven days after Hawthorn, the cameras point north. The 2026 NSW State Band Championships hit the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre in Penrith on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 August, and Brassbanned is streaming both halls, all weekend, free. Here’s what you’re in for.

The scale of the thing

Seventy-nine bands. Eighteen sections. Two rooms running simultaneously from 8am to after 10pm. NSW’s championship has quietly become the biggest band gathering in the country, and it gets there by throwing open the doors: the Open brass grades, the Open concert grades, four Youth concert grades, two Youth brass grades, three primary school divisions and a non-championship schools section. If you play in a band anywhere in the state, there’s a fair chance you’re on stage in Penrith next weekend.

Brassbanned’s event hub has every section start time. Add the weekend to your calendar here.

Two halls, two streams

The Concert Hall takes the concert bands: the Open B, D and A Grade Concert on Saturday, then Youth D, C, A and B on Sunday. That’s Hall 1 on Brassbanned.

The Q Theatre takes everything with a cornet in it, plus the schools: Open C Grade Concert opens Saturday morning, then D Grade Brass and C Grade Brass through the afternoon and evening. Sunday is primary school divisions until mid-afternoon, then the B and A Grade Brass. That’s Hall 2.

Both streams carry live chat. Both are free. If you can only watch one, we don’t blame you, but we’d gently point out that two browser tabs cost nothing.

The two-session brass format

Worth knowing before Sunday afternoon: the A and B Grade Brass in NSW are contested across two sessions on the same day. Session one runs from mid-afternoon, session two from around 7.45pm, with the Youth brass grades slotted between them. Results for the top grades land late on Sunday night. If you’re planning your viewing, that’s a long, glorious evening in Hall 2.

Last year, for the record

The 2025 championships went to Willoughby Brass No.2 under Dominic Longhurst in the A Grade, on 231 points from Holroyd Brass, with On Alderley Edge the set test. Parramatta City Band took the B Grade, Gosford City Brass the C, Waratah Brass Academy the D, and City of Wollongong Juniors and Catalina Brass the Junior B and C. Every performance from both 2025 halls is still up on that page if you want to do your homework.

The 2026 field and running order will be published on the event hub as soon as BANSW confirms the draw. Until then, no spoilers.

How to watch like a pro

New to this? Start with what a brass band is, the difference between a brass band and a concert band (you’ll be watching both), what actually happens at a contest and how to watch like a pro. Then get comfortable. It’s a big weekend.

See you in Penrith, or in the chat.