Our MHS Band and higher-level Middle School Band participate in Band Festival every year. We spend the time in between our Holiday Concert and March preparing 3 concert pieces to perform in front of the public, as well as three veteran musicians, for feedback and a rating. This has been a long-standing tradition at Mancelona, with a history of second and first division ratings spanning back to the 1960s.

The Mancelona Ironmen Marching Band participates in the Thirlby Marching Expo every year. This showcase is hosted in Traverse City at Thirlby Field, where Mancelona and other marching bands in the area attend and show their halftime shows to the public and two veteran music educators, who provide feedback for the students. After the students perform, they get to spend the rest of the evening enjoying other schools' halftime shows and seeing what their peers across Northern Michigan are doing in their band programs.

The Mancelona Ironmen Marching Band has been participating in CMU Band Day since 2023. The students get to go to CMU, work with the Chippewa Marching Band (CMB), and perform at halftime with the CMB and other high schools who attend. They also get to experience a college football game! Fire Up Chips!

Last year, the Mancelona 7th/8th Grade Band watched the St. Olaf College Band from Northfield, Minnesota perform at Traverse City West High School. The students were able to meet the director and some of the ensemble members after the show. As more opportunities like this arrives, it is our hope to be able to bring our students on more field trips such as this.