High school bands from across the state of Iowa will be performing at Decker Auditorium during the annual Triton Jazz Festival.

The Jazz Festival will begin on Jan. 11 with classes 1A and 3A performing starting at 8:30 a.m. Some of the bands performing include St. Edmond, Webster City, Storm Lake, and Humboldt.

The awards for 1A will be given out at 11 a.m. and the 3A awards will be given out at 5:30 p.m.

The festival will continue on Jan. 12 with classes 2A and 4A performing beginning at 9 a.m. Some of the bands performing include Fort Dodge, Manson Northwest Webster, Pocahontas, and Southeast Valley.

The awards for 4A will be given out at 11:30 a.m. and the awards for 2A at 4:30 p.m.

“Our jazz festival is a way for bands to get travel experience as well as work with a clinician before the IHSMA state contest, which is 10 days later,” said Jeremy Smith, director of athletic bands. “We also want to give students the opportunity to perform in our auditorium and see our college facilities. Many of the bands will eat lunch in our cafeteria. It’s also a great way to see other bands in action.”

The Triton Jazz Festival was started to add more festivals to central Iowa and attracts bands to Fort Dodge and Iowa Central. The Instrumental Music Department of Iowa Central Community College is sponsoring the event.

“Independent festivals like ours serve as preparation events for state and district events, as well as the Jazz Championships in April,” Smith said. ”There’s much tradition in hosting a festival. Traveling to a festival also has a social component that students enjoy and will remember for years to come.”

Admission is free for spectators.

“Bands love to have an audience,” Smith said.