Wheaton North, El Paso-Gridley, Noblesville and more square off at Hersey, while Clinton and Mt. Zion grace the stage at Glenwood.

Mt. Zion, Troy Buchanan, Sparta, Dwight D. Eisenhower and more will show their stuff on one of Illinois' most centrally-located stages.

Illinois’ competition circuit is finally getting its start at Crete-Monee, now the state’s perennial inaugural competition after Mt. Zion’s move to later in the season. Naturally, many choirs are entering their first competitive outing of the 2026 season, however some have competed already and are looking to either continue their success or in some cases, mark a turning point from a rougher first outing. Nonetheless, storylines will converge, and the Illinois circuit will hav

Illinois retains more than its fair share of national powerhouses heading into 2026 and will also see a handful of elite-caliber events within state lines.

Contenders from Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Alabama, and Mississippi will challenge for spots in two different finals rounds.

El Paso-Gridley has historically been a competition for smaller schools to show off, along with occasional larger programs such as...