Tickets are on sale for the 2012 Kentucky Music Educators Association (KMEA) State Marching Band Championships to be held Oct. 27 at Western Kentucky University’s Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium.

The event is the culminating performance for more than 8,500 students from 122 high school bands from 84 of Kentucky’s 120 counties.

To qualify for the state championships, bands must perform in at least two of the 56 KMEA-sanctioned contests held throughout the state this fall.

Each qualifying band will then compete in the Regional Quarterfinal competition on Oct. 20 in the following six locations, three in the eastern part of the state and three in the western part of the state:

• Class A East and AAAA East – Madison Southern High School

• Classes AA and AAA East – Bourbon County High School

• Class AAAAA East – Montgomery County High School

• Class A and AAA West – Hopkinsville High School

• Class AAA West – Hart County High School

• Class AA and AAAAA West – Muhlenberg County High School

Tickets for the Oct. 20 regional competitions are $10 and can be purchased at each event site.

The top eight bands from each regional competition – a total of 16 bands in each class – will meet for semifinals competition Oct. 27 at the following locations in the Bowling Green area:

• Class A – Warren Central High School

• Class AA – Greenwood High School

• Class AAA – Allen County-Scottsville High School

• Class AAAA – Barren County High School

• Class AAAAA – WKU’s Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium

The top four scoring bands in each class will move on to the finals competition that begins at 6 p.m. Oct. 27 at WKU. The event will conclude with the naming of a state champion in each class.

Tickets are $10 for semifinals and $12 and $17 for the finals and can be purchased in advance through KMEA or at the event sites; finals tickets also will be available at 10 a.m. Oct. 27 at WKU’s Houchens Industries-L.T. Smith Stadium.

For information or to purchase tickets, contact KMEA at 859-626-5635 or visit www.kmea.org.