Alexandria, Minnesota

Always the last Sunday
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Vikingland Band Festival to present 2018 Minnesota Drum Corps Premiere

ALEXANDRIA, MN (March 16, 2018) — The exciting sounds of drum and bugle corps will again join the beat of marching bands in Alexandria during the two-day Vikingland Band Festival marching music weekend. The Saturday night field show and Sunday afternoon parade will take place June 23-24, 2018.

Article updated April 30 and June 5, 2018: In late April, Minnesota Brass announced they are not fielding a competitive drum corps in summer 2018. In early June, Govenaires withdrew from the show after discovering a large number of members would be absent for this performance. These corps will not be appearing as originally announced and we wish them a speedy return!

The third annual "Minnesota Drum Corps Premiere" will be held at the Alexandria Area H.S. football field at 7:00 PM on Saturday, June 23, and will feature a total of five marching ensembles. River City Rhythm and Chops drum and bugle corps will make their season debut by presenting their 2018 field show productions for the first time. The corps will be joined by three high school marching bands that will perform their summer parade competition music.

"The Minnesota Drum Corps Premiere is now an established tradition," according to committee chair Greg DeGier. "The drum corps love coming together early in their season to unveil their field shows for a supportive audience of family, friends and marching fans. The marching bands love performing their parade music in front of a stadium packed with cheering fans and other band members. It all adds up to a great evening of entertainment for the enthusiastic crowd."

FIELD SHOW LINEUP
The event will feature field shows plus extra musical performances by River City Rhythm (Anoka) and Chops (Minneapolis). River City Rhythm competes on the Drum Corps International (DCI) circuit for members age 21 and under while Chops competes on the Drum Corps Associates (DCA) circuit for members of all ages. The event will kick off with special musical performances by the Mankato 77 Lancers Marching Band, 728 Cadets Marching Band and local host Alexandria Marching Band.

Prior to the show, band members in attendance are invited to participate in an afternoon educational clinic with River City Rhythm.

RCR WILL APPEAR IN SUNDAY'S PARADE
The Vikingland Band Festival parade will march down Broadway beginning at 1:30 PM on Sunday, June 24. The lineup will include high school marching bands competing for awards, the local host Alexandria Marching Band, and special honor unit River City Rhythm.

SAVE BY PURCHASING FIELD SHOW TICKETS IN ADVANCE
Tickets for the Minnesota Drum Corps Premiere will go on sale Monday, April 16. Advance prices are $9 for the premium center section (between the 43 yard lines) and $6 for the standard sections, with tickets $3 higher on the day of the show. Special child rates in the standard sections are $5 for ages 4-12 and free for ages 3 and under. Tickets may be ordered online at VikinglandBandFestival.com or purchased in person at Martinson Insurance, 518 Hawthorne Street in Alexandria.

The field event will be held on the campus of Alexandria Area High School located at 4300 Pioneer Road SE, Alexandria, MN 56308.

For ongoing updates about the 2018 Vikingland Band Festival parade and the Minnesota Drum Corps Premiere, visit VikinglandBandFestival.com and follow the Vikingland Band Festival on Facebook.

Get Minnesota Drum Corps Premiere Tickets >>