The 130th New Zealand Brass Band Championships will feature 27 bands from around the country.
"The New Zealand brass band champs are the biggest participatory music event in the country," St Kilda Brass president Peter McHenry said yesterday.
He said about 1000 people would take part.
Brass band membership had increased dramatically since the introduction four years ago of the Southern Brass Band Academy, run by St Kilda Brass music director Steve Miles, Mr McHenry said.
"It's getting stronger and stronger. We have 40 or 50 kids learning at various schools, as well as people of all ages. Those results are starting to come through."
New Zealand Brass Band committee secretary Cathy Bennett said the championships, which were being hosted by the Kaikorai Metropolitan, Mosgiel and St Kilda brass bands, had taken a year to organise.
The other Otago bands taking part in the event, which concludes on Sunday, are Oamaru and Roxburgh.
