2007 New Waterloo Band Festival
The Juno Beach Centre Association is pleased to announce the 2007 NEW Waterloo Band Festival. This year’s event, scheduled for 6:45 pm. Saturday, August 18th at Kitchener’s Centennial Stadium, marks the third year of the return of this renowned music festival of the 1940’s & ‘50’s.
Six drum & bugle corps will “strut their stuff” demonstrating their musical talents while performing marching and maneuvering on the stadium’s field. In the end, proceeds will support the JUNO BEACH CENTRE VETERANS’ MEMORIAL BRICK PROGRAM.
Participants include Kitchener’s Dutch Boy Drum & Bugle Corps who will be fresh off their Drum Corps International (DCI) tour and championships. This will be the first appearance of the Dutch Boy Corps in the Festival and it will provide local drum & bugle corps fans an opportunity to experience the contemporary drum & bugle corps style.
Five Alumni corps will comprise the majority of the show participants. The Toronto Signals Band will return for their third appearance adding the traditional precision of a military trumpet band. Also from the GTA will be the Optimist Alumni Drum & Bugle Corps, perennial Canadian Junior Champions from the ‘60’s & ‘’70’s.
The Simcoe United Alumni Corps and local favourites, “Canada’s Famous” Preston Scout House Alumni Bugle Band will be featured corps as well. To round out the ’07 lineup will be special guests, “Mighty St. Joseph’s Alumni” from Leroy, NY.
Three of the corps appearing at the Waterloo Festival, Optimist Alumni, Scout House, and Mighty St. Joseph’s will also be appearing at the DCA Alumni Spectacular in Rochester, NY on the Labour Day weekend.
Plans for Opening Ceremonies, although not complete at press time, will include a fly-past of four Harvard Trainers in the “missing man” formation, compliments of the Harvard Association of Canada. The show will conclude with presentations to participating corps during the colourful “retreat ceremonies” which will feature the traditional “Act of Remembrance” including the Last Post, words from “For the Fallen”, and Reveille.
The show’s main objectives are to raise funds in support of the Veterans’ Memorial Brick Program and to raise public awareness of the Juno Beach Centre, its educational focus, and to honour Canadians who served and died while serving our Nation during the Second World War.
Each year since the Festival’s return, organizers have included participants from the United States to recognize and to honour the 8 000+ US citizens who served in the Canadian Forces during the Second War and the 704 who died wearing a Canadian uniform. Other US participants have included Prime Time Brass from Rochester, NY, and the Hawthorne Caballeros Alumni, from Hawthorne, NJ.
Ticket prices are $15.00/Adult; $12.00 Adult. Tickets may be ordered online or purchased at various outlets in Guelph, Kitchener, and Waterloo. For ticket outlets & orders, more information, advertising & sponsorship opportunities, go to: www.newwaterloobandfestival.ca
