Friendship Cup

The Friendship Cup is a competitive circuit for high school marching bands in the Rocky Mountain Region. Unlike CBA Sanctioned shows, The Friendship Cup competitions allow bands to compete with other similarly-sized bands, not based on school classification (meaning the bands compete with similarly sized bands as opposed to similarly sized high schools). Ralston Valley falls into the AAA Class (71-100 performers) according to the Friendship Cup classification system for 2026. 

The Friendship Cup is offering three different events in 2026. RV is attending the Eaton High School event, which is a traditional prelims/finals format. Only twelve bands will advance from prelims to finals.   

TENTATIVE RV Competition Day Schedule:

Time TBD: Students arrive at RV

Time TBD: Drop off food donations at RV

Time TBD: Props/Pit Volunteers and Uniform/Water Helpers arrive at Eaton High School

Time TBD: Prelims Performance

Time TBD: Hospitality Lunch Servers meet at the hospitality trailer immediately after the prelims performance

Time TBD: Lunch

1.5 hours before finals performance: Props/Pit Volunteers and Uniform/Water Helpers meet at RV trailers

Finals Performance will likely start sometime between 4:00 and 6:15 p.m. The exact time depends on the prelims score and won't be published until after 12:45 p.m.

Time TBD: Dinner

Time TBD: Drum Major Retreat (Finals)

Time TBD: Students arrive back at RV

Time TBD: Parents to pick up students at RV

Ticketing Information (previous season info, but should be similar for this year):

Tickets may be purchased at the gate. Cash and credit cards are accepted. Tickets for prelims and finals are sold separately. A combination ticket for admission to both prelims and finals is available at a reduced rate; however we don't know for sure that we will move on to finals.

Ticket pricing is as follows:

Competition Schedule  (previous season info):

Parking and Other Information (previous season info, but should be similar for this year):

• Please use County Road 35 to access the spectator parking lot, which is just west of the stadium (see map below).

• Concessions will be available. Cash and credit card payments are accepted.

• There will be a festival merchandise table. Cash and credit card payments are accepted.