BOA Grand National Championships 11/9-11/11

Our final competition of the season will be the Bands of America Grand National Championships in Indianapolis Thursday, November 9 through Saturday, November 11. Our schedule is as follows:

Thursday

6:45 a.m. – Arrive to the high school to load and for bag inspection

8:00 a.m. – Depart high school

10:00 - 10:30 a.m.’ish’ – Stop for rest room break

12:30 - 2:30 p.m.’ish’ – Stop at Main Event for lunch provided (students may want money for activities)

4:00 - 4:30 p.m.’ish’ – Stop for restroom break

5:30 – 7:30 p.m. –LOCAL TIME Fast food dinner (will need money)

8:30 p.m – Arrive at the Hampton Inn, unload, check-in, and report to rooms for inspection

10:00 p.m. – Lights Out

Friday

4:00 a.m. – Wake up, get ready (change into uniform), and eat a light breakfast (snack bags provided)

4:50 a.m. – Load the bus

5:00 a.m. – Depart hotel

5:30 a.m. – Arrive at Lucas Oil Stadium, check-in, park, and unload trailer

6:30-7:15 a.m. – Band Warm-up (different schedules for different sections TBA)

7:20 a.m. – Band report to gate

7:30 a.m. – WILDCAT PRIDE MARCHING BAND PERFORMANCE!

7:50 a.m. - 8:45 a.m. – Pictures and load

9:45 a.m. – Depart stadium parking lot

11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. – Golden Corral Brunch Buffet

12:30 p.m. – Return to hotel for downtime/nap

2:00 p.m. – Load the bus

2:15 p.m. – Depart hotel and head downtown

2:30 - 7:30 p.m. – Sightseeing/activities in chaperone groups

(dinner will be in chaperone groups - students will need money)

7:45 p.m. – Return to Lucas Oil Stadium, watch bands and awards ceremony

9:45 p.m. ‘ish’ – Load the bus and depart stadium after the awards ceremony

10:30 p.m. – Return to hotel

10:45 p.m. – Students report to their rooms for inspection

11:00 p.m. – Lights Out

Saturday

7:00 a.m. – Wake up, get ready, and eat breakfast (provided at the hotel)

9:00 a.m. – Check-out and load the bus

9:15 a.m. – Depart hotel

9:45 a.m. – Arrive at Lucas Oil Stadium

9:45 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. – Watch bands in small groups with chaperones, visit exhibition center, eat lunch in your small groups on your own (will need money for food)

4:30 p.m. – Depart Lucas Oil Stadium

6:30 - 7:30 p.m.’ish’ – Stop for fast food dinner (will need money for food)

1:30 a.m. ‘ish’ LOCAL TIME – Return to Neosho

The hotel we are staying at Thursday, and Friday night is the Hampton Inn Indianapolis-NE/Castleton 6817 E. 82nd St., Indianapolis, IN (317) 576-0220. Chaperones and teachers will be on site. Rooms will be checked and doors will be taped by lights out.

The performance is at Lucas Oil Stadium – 500 S. Capitol Ave., Indianapolis. The box office at the dome will open at 6:15 a.m. on Friday. General admission ticket prices for Friday are $35 plus fees, and on Saturday $45 plus fees. You could also order a webcast of the event through Box 5 TV. The link is: https://box5tv.com/bands-of-america/

What you need to bring: your uniform, gloves, shoes, black socks, black athletic shorts, your band shirt, your instrument, mallets, sticks, harness, reeds, flags, rifles, sabres, money for concessions/meals/etc., clothes to change into, an overnight bag, extra pillows and blankets if you prefer for sleep, swimsuit if you intend to swim in the short time available at the hotel to do so, etc. Bring something to snack on if you will get hungry during the ride there or back. You will need money for food, and any activities or shopping you intend on doing.

Lunch Thursday, breakfast and lunch Friday, and breakfast Saturday will be provided. Students will need money for dinner Thursday, Friday and Saturday as well as lunch on Saturday. We will be looking for donations for snack bags on the bus ride up as well as their light breakfast. Small groups can determine where they would like to eat from fast food restaurants or nicer restaurants as well as the option of just eating at the stadium and watching bands. Lunch Thursday will be provided at Main Event in St. Louis. If students would like to participate in the activities at this location then activity cards can be purchased and range in cost depending on the number of activities students wish to do. Students interested in these would purchase on site from a cashier. Lunch/Brunch on Friday will be provided at the Golden Corral in Indianapolis.

Each adult chaperone will be responsible for 6-8 students for shopping and sight-seeing as well as during meal times. All students will have a bag inspection before we depart as well as a brief room inspection both nights and will be taped in after inspection. If a student is using prescription medication that is not listed on their medical form, then please have the pill bottle with the student’s name on it with medication directions or contact a director. Please personally contact a director via email or ParentSquare to make us aware of any medication a student might have as well as with any medication you may be sending with your student that is not included on their medical form.

Be courteous to other groups and to each other over this three-day event! Remember, you are representing the band, the music department, the school, and all of Neosho in addition to the state of Missouri! Please conduct yourselves accordingly!

Thank you!

Mr. Duffield

Director of Instrumental Music