A hello and a question

[ShainaBassoon]

Hello drum corps fans, my name is Shaina.

I've been into music for as long as I remember. I taught myself how to play basic piano in elementary school and when instruments started in 4th grade I never looked back. I marched competitively in my high school marching band for four years in the Cavalcade of Bands circuit in south central PA. I first found out about DCI when we met our drill instructor, he marched Madison Scouts in the late 70's, but it wasn't until 2005 or 2006 when my band instructor told us after a practice that the Championships were going to be on ESPN that night. I watched and was hooked. It helped that my junior year marching in 2006 our show was based on the Millennium music from the Cadets 2000 show and the Cadets also came out to our neck of the woods once and played with us. I had a fascination with it ever since.

A part of me regrets not learning a brass instrument and marching when I had the chance. I have since gone on to college for music and graduated. The other part of me also knows with my finances the way they were, I couldn't have given up those summer's of work to be able to march. The fascination I had that started with Youtube binges on a regular basis through college have deepened and I can't get enough of DCI. I'm going to my first ever show in August at Allentown. I'm not sure why it has taken me this long to head up to that show, since it's not that far away but I couldn't be more excited this is the year I'm going.

That leads me into the question. As I said, this would be my first show and I'm going both Friday and Saturday nights. However, I have no idea how early I should go, where to find the corps warming up (more than anything I want to hear Phantom play that Canon in warmups), or what the best thing to do each day is. I'd appreciate any help you could send my way and I'm looking forward to the 2013 season of DCI!

[Fred Windish]

Hello, Shaina!

I'm glad you will be "getting the Allentown experience." Until we know the local housing location for Phantom, it will be impossible to tell where you can enjoy them in practice. Also, you will very likely need to have a car. Sometimes the corps house 1-2 hours away from Allentown. Check the Phantom Regiment website for more info. You could also catch them warming-up outside the stadium in the parkway about an hour before their performance, but first check the in/out policy at the gate. You could leave the stadium and have to pay to re-enter. Don't know for sure.

The local committee staffs travel trailer outside Gate 1 during both days. They are very helpful providing info and schedules. That's the gate at the bottom of the hill behind the Hamilton Family diner.

As for what to do, it all depends on where you are staying and if you have a car. There isn't much public transportation in Allentown. There's lots of shopping throughout the area, but almost none in downtown Allentown. About 5 miles south of Allentown, there's a huge, upscale lifestyle center (The Promenade) with great restaurants and a huge L.L. Bean. North of Allentown is the Lehigh Valley Mall area. Virtually every retailer can be found there and adjacent centers. The Allentown Art Museum downtown is world class.

For years, Carolina Crown has housed about 3 blocks south of Crum Stadium at Raub Middle School. They'll spend most of the day practicing in the adjacent park. Hundreds of fans turn out to watch.

The most unique and charming shopping is found in downtown Bethlehem, the city next door. MANY good restaurants there, too. Also, the old Moravian community..

Bethlehem's South Side features a Sands Casino complex, indoor shopping mall, hotel, wonderful restaurants. Interestingly, Bethlehem is hosting one of America's biggest music festivals (Musikfest) over the same weekend as DCI. There are performance stages everywhere.

On Allentown's western edge (about 3 miles from the stadium) is Dorney Park, a huge theme park, water/park. A little further West that same weekend (Macungie, PA) is one of America's biggest antique and specialty auto shows.

The DCI Weekend is the Lehigh Valley's busiest tourism time of the year. Because of this, hotels are priced higher than normal, parking is tight. More than 100,000 visitors will be in the area each of those days.

If I were to create the best DCI weekend possible, I would stay in downtown Bethlehem (if anything is still available). From there you can walk throughout Musikfest and over the bridge to the South Side. Remember, though, it's a VERY busy time.

Hope this helps!

Edited June 22, 2013 by Fred Windish

[Buick Dad]

There is no parking lot at the stadium. We use handicapped parking which is along the blocked off street next to the stadium stands. Normal parking is along the streets and I think there is a lot 3-4 blocks away.

Pretty much all corps warm up somewhere in the park next to the stadium. Look at a a web map with a satellite view to get an idea of where it is. You need to hunt for where Phantom will be. Last year they were near the ramp up to the gate that all corps use to get in/out of the stadium.

If you go to see warm ups, you will miss seeing several of the earlier corps. Also, there is no guarantee that PR will use the Cannon in their warm up. They use it a lot, but not always.

[Liahona]

Hi Shaina and welcome to DCP!

I found a relevant thread from 2010 for you discussing Allentown with a lot of great advice in it...

http://www.drumcorpsplanet.com/forums/index.php/topic/136448-allentown-tips/page__p__2802232__hl__%2Ballentown+%2Bwarmup+%2Bareas__fromsearch__1#entry2802232

Hope this is helpful.

[JimF-LowBari]

Another one from South Central PA

Welcome from someone just west of Harrisburg, hope you enjoy Allentown.

[Busterdad]

What a great venue. You are so lucky. My family has made the trek from Ohio for the last few years but have chosen to see some other shows this season. We always had good luck parking in the lots off of Hamilton. I think it was 21rst street. But the guys doing those lots only start maybe an hour or so before the show. Lots of corps each night and some like Phantom that would go on later may delay their warmups until after the earlier corps have already performed. Unfortunately, with the open stadium, you can sometimes catch the sounds of these warmups during an early performance. But it all seems to just be part of the whole Allentown experience and you get used to it.

Love the stadium. You can almost feel the tradition. Not a bad seat view in my opinion. But bleachers so take your cushions if you have them. If you walk up from the Hamilton side, you have a fairly intimidating hill to climb to see the souvies. Restrooms both at the bottom of the hill and at the top of the stadium so don't think you have to do the hill each time. Speaking of Hamilton, many make it a tradition to stop in at the Hamilton Family Restaurant or "Ham Fam". Just a block from the stadium on Hamiltion. It will most likely be a hot day and a shaved ice from one of the vendors in the stadium is also a real treat. Oh and since the park has a lake which has geese, you usually get one or more corps getting some added general effect from a line of geese that come sailing over the performance. With the geese and the sunset behind them and a drumcorps beneath, it will take your breath away.

Many consider this to be the real finals as it has most of the corps, pretty much at their peaks, and in an outdoor stadium. So rain can still be a problem. But then I can remember sitting in pouring rain watching the Bridgemen alumni corps perform. Being Bridgemen bad####s, they just started playing. And I mean it was pouring. And typical Allentown audience, they sat and cheered them on.

You're gonna have a great time.

[barigirl78]

I usually go on Saturday and get there mid-afternoon. There is a place in the park where the Crossmen alumni usually gather and have a picnic all day by the tennis courts. They also schedule a Crossmen Hall of Fame ceremony in the late afternoon. Thus, the Crossmen will be over by that part of the park when they arrive. Several corps warm up in the park. I always park near the picnic inside the park, but that lot fills by 3 or 4PM because of the Crossmen event.

[ShainaBassoon]

Thanks to all of you for the helpful responses!! I hadn't even thought about parking so some of your tips are invaluable. I'm very much looking forward to my time there. I'm not that far removed from my marching days (wait... it's over 5 years now. Crap.) so I can't believe I didn't remember that warmups for some corps would be after the show starts and I'm not interested in skipping the early corps. Again thanks for your responses and welcome and I find myself even more excited than before if that's even possible.

[CrunchyTenor]

Hi, Shaina!

Here's a little more Regiment info for show day in Allentown...

Show 26: Allentown, PA

When: Friday, Aug 2, 2013

Description----- H O U S I N G I N F O -----

Conrad Weiser High School

44 Big Springs Road

Robesonia, PA 14701

----- S H O W I N F O -----

J. Birney Crum Stadium

Linden Street & 20th Street

Allentown, PA 18105

The two days before the weekend they will be at Frostburg State University in Frostburg, MD. Not sure how far that is from Allentown. Everything east seems close together for me, especially being a westerner.

Garry in Vegas