The Pacific Northwest once supported scores of drum and bugle corps that competed throughout the summer.  Those days are gone and now only two represent the region at shows throughout the country: The Columbians and the Seattle Cascades.  Then COVID hit and prices for food and fuel skyrocketed, causing the Cascades to curtail plans to continue its 50-plus years of performing and competing.  But now we are back, revived and reinvigorated.  That is the resilience of the activity.

Drum Corps International (DCI), the activity’s governing body, decided that there would be no Northwest competitions in 2023.  As an organization, we decided to sponsor Cascades and Friends to showcase not only the drum corps but a diverse array of other performing groups.  Following these “send-off” shows, the Cascades will embark on a 10,000-mile national tour and compete in some of the country’s most iconic venues, including the Alamodome in San Antonio, Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta and finally in Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis for the DCI World Championships.

Our young musicians and performers come from throughout the Northwest but also from many other states.  We begin the process of selecting members in November with a series of experience camps to introduce performers to the drum corps activity and our outstanding staff.  Those you will see perform this evening represent the best of those who desire to be a part of our organization.  They give up a summer of work and other activities to perfect a show what will be performed more than 20 times in competition.  Imagine rehearsing in the July heat in a southern state and then performing that night under the lights before an audience of drum corps fans.  That’s dedication.  Then we load the buses and hit the road to the next destination.

We travel self-contained with buses, support vehicles and two tractor trailers, one with instruments, uniforms and props and the other with a fully equipped kitchen that feeds some 200 people four times each day.  As you can imagine, this is an expensive enterprise.  Our budget for 2023 is close to $1,000,000.  Your attendance this evening is a big help toward attaining that goal.  You can help even more by purchasing one or more raffle tickets.  They are $25 each.  First prize is a DCI World Championship package for two August 9-12 that includes roundtrip flights for two to Indianapolis on Alaska Airlines, four nights of hotel and three days of championship drum corps (value $5000) OR roundtrip air anywhere Alaska flies (US, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica or Belize) plus $1,000 (value $3500).  Second prize is $500, third prize is $350 and fourth prize is a custom checker/chess wood table (value $250).  The drawing will be held in Boise on July 11th.  You do not need to be present to win.

Thank you for joining Cascades and Friends this evening.  We hope that by the final notes of our 2023 production “Revival” you will fully understand why we say LOUD AND PROUD, WE ARE STILL DRUM CORPS.