Drum Corps Associates Championships Going to Williamsport, PA

[HED] Drum Corps Associates Championships Going to Williamsport, PA

In 2018 and 2019, the Drum Corps Associates (DCA) World Championships will take place in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

DCA as an organization remains headquartered in South Orange, New Jersey; however, every two years, cities are able to bid for the opportunity to host the championship event.

Allen Buell, president of DCA, met with Jason Fink, executive director of the Lycoming County Visitors Bureau, and says he was blown away after two or three visits. “It will fit DCA almost better than Rochester, New York, because the stadium is smaller,” Buell says. “I’d like to see our corps come around the corner and see packed stands rather than some people sitting in the middle and the ends wide open.”

While DCA is excited about the opportunity to be in Williamsport, the organization will miss performing at Rochester, which will host DCA championships for the 19th time—more than any other city during its 53-year history. “For people coming to Rochester, it’s almost like they’re coming home,” Buell says.

In Williamsport, DCA World Championships will take place after the Little League Baseball World Series, which Buell says is a very exciting opportunity. “Literally as the Little League series moves out, we move in,” he says. “The Little League parade is nationally televised, and we’re going to have one of our drum corps lead the parade. It’s huge publicity we could never afford.”

Williamsport is equally excited to host DCA. “We’ve been welcomed with open arms by the city, county, and media,” Buell says. “We’re going to be a big deal.”

About author

Liz Neidich

Liz Neidich is a freelance writer for Halftime Magazine. She graduated from the University of Cincinnati (UC) in 2015 with a B.A. in creative writing, a B.A. in communications, and a certificate in journalism. She marched trumpet for five years in the Kenston High School Marching Band in Bainbridge, Ohio, and for three years in the UC Bearcat Marching Band. Liz currently serves as an Americorps VISTA on the communications and events team at CityLink Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.