Reviewed by: Nathan Watson
Miles College Band heads to 2027 HBCU National Battle of the Bands
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Miles College’s Purple Marching Machine, the two-time reigning HBCU national band champ, is heading to the 2027 Pepsi National Battle of the Bands (NBOTB) this coming MLK Weekend on January 16, 2027 at Flagler Credit Union Stadium in Palm Beach, Florida.
Last year, Birmingham metro’s own Miles College notched its second national title in a row when it won the ESPN 2025 Red Lobster HBCU Division II Band of the Year championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Their championship journey was documented in a YouTube film about the extraordinary students and band. See it below:
Confirmed HBCU Battle of the Bands participants
Joining the Purple Marching Machine at the prestigious national event is The Mighty Marching Hornets from Alabama State University.
Three other HBCU bands have confirmed their participation:
- Bethune-Cookman University, The Marching Wildcats
- Edward Waters University, Triple Threat Marching Band
- Florida A&M University, The Marching “100”
“Bringing these incredible programs together in The Palm Beaches represents everything the National Battle of the Bands was created to celebrate: the talent, tradition, excellence and cultural influence of HBCU marching bands.”
Derek Webber, Creator and Executive Producer of the National Battle of the Bands and CEO of Webber Marketing
In addition to the Battle of the Bands on Saturday, the weekend will include an entrepreneur conference, jobs fair and fan experience.
For tickets, event information, registration updates and additional details about the 2027 Pepsi NBOTB in The Palm Beaches, visit NationalBattleoftheBands.com
