The Cornhusker Marching Band will hold its annual exhibition concert at 7 p.m. Aug. 18 in Memorial Stadium. The event is free and open to the public.

Fans attending the exhibition should enter Memorial Stadium through Gate 3 (southwest entrance) and Gate 11 (northwest entrance). The gates will open at 6 p.m.

“The Cornhusker Marching Band Exhibition takes place at the end of our band camp in Memorial Stadium,” said Tony Falcone, senior lecturer and associate director of bands and director of the Cornhusker Marching Band. “It’s an opportunity for the students to display the things they’ve been working on during camp and for friends, family and fans to get a first glimpse of the Pregame Spectacular, some halftime music and many Husker favorites.”

One highlight of the exhibition is the annual Drill Down, a contest in which band members follow rapid marching instructions to try to be the last person on the field.

“I think the interest in the Drill Down comes from the competitiveness and the intensity displayed by the students,” Falcone said. “They must be totally in the moment and at full concentration to hear, process and execute the commands nearly instantly. Although it is competitive, the students cheer each other on and celebrate the ‘winner.’ It’s all in good fun.”

This year’s football season features a lot of anticipation with a new coach, Matt Rhule.

“The relationship with the new football staff is still developing, and we’ve yet to define the exact nature of our participation during game play,” Falcone said. “We’re hoping we’ll be able to contribute more than in recent years. We will be celebrating the centennials of Memorial Stadium and the song ‘Dear Old Nebraska U’ in our halftime shows. The team entrance is still a work in process.”

The Huskers are celebrating the 100th anniversary of Memorial Stadium this season.

“We’ll be celebrating Memorial Stadium’s 100th birthday in our Homecoming presentation,” Falcone said. “The stadium is a very special place for the band. We’re one of the precious few programs throughout college football that has the privilege of rehearsing in the same space in which we perform. That means the ‘real’ time in band, the hours and hours spent in preparation, take place almost entirely on that field. This makes it a hallowed place for the students.”

The Cornhusker Marching Band resides in the Glenn Korff School of Music.