By Lynn Binnie
Whitewater Banner volunteer staff
whitewaterbanner@gmail.com
Update 7/5/25 @ 11 a.m. – Regarding the threat of storms tonight, David Lofy of the Madison Scouts told the Banner that the show is still a “go,” and any decision to postpone/cancel would probably not be made until the last minute. If, however, a decision is made earlier, it would be announced on the Madison Scouts’ social media, including Facebook.
For many years now, Drum Corps International [DCI] has brought one of their competitions to Perkins Stadium, 910 W Schwager Drive, and this year is no exception. On Saturday, July 5, The Whitewater Classic will bring 13 drum and bugle corps to our city for a stunning evening. Whitewater holds a special place in DCI’s history, as our stadium was the host for their first competition decades ago. The musical performances are top-notch, and the choreography can be very creative. One Fairhaven resident who attended a previous event commented along these lines at the end of a very long and very warm evening, “I enjoyed this more than anything else I’ve attended in this area. In New York City (where she lived for most of her career), my husband and I attended the opera, the orchestra, the ballet, and the like — but I’ve never seen anything like this. It was like ballet on a football field!”
Update 7/5/25 @ 10 a.m. to add information regarding free tickets that have been issued to high school band students:The Madison Scouts are excited to announce that over 1300 Wisconsin area high school band students will be attending The Whitewater Classic with free tickets provided by a grant program through Forward Performing Arts.
“One of our clearly stated mission objectives is service to the marching arts community in the state of Wisconsin,” stated Programs Director David Lofy. “This is the third year we are running this free ticket program and the number of participants has doubled. The chance to see a DCI event with some of the highest caliber groups is an incredibly valuable experience for these young musicians and performers. We hope it provides them some inspiration to take back to their own local band programs.”
“We are again excited to provide Wisconsin high school band students the opportunity to see a Drum Corps International event live and in person,” said Executive Director Chris Komnick. “We reached out to all the band directors in Wisconsin and provided them access to free tickets. We are expecting over 1300 band students and educators to attend The Whitewater Classic as our guests!”
Saturday evening’s schedule is as follows. The show follows the schedule very tightly. The corps with an asterisk, beginning with Crossmen, are the “World Class” ones, which are competing for the DCI World Championship.
| 5:00 PM | Gates Open |
| 6:00 PM | Black Star DrumLine – Madison, WI |
| 6:30 PM | Welcome & National Anthem |
| 6:40 PM | Sound of Sun Prairie – Sun Prairie, WI |
| 6:50 PM | Eclipse – Indianapolis, IN |
| 7:02 PM | Columbus Saints – Columbus, OH [All age corps] |
| 7:20 PM | Colt Cadets – Dubuque, IA |
| 7:38 PM | River City Rhythm – Anoka, MN |
| 7:56 PM | Crossmen – San Antonio, TX * |
| 8:14 PM | Troopers – Casper, WY * |
| 8:32 PM | The Cavaliers – Rosemont, IL * |
| 8:50 PM | Intermission |
| 9:08 PM | Colts – Dubuque, IA * |
| 9:26 PM | Blue Stars – La Crosse, WI * |
| 9:44 PM | Phantom Regiment – Rockford, IL * |
| 10:02 PM | Bluecoats – Canton, OH * [2024 DCI World Champions] |
| 10:20 PM | Madison Scouts – Madison, WI * |
| 10:27 PM | Scores announced |
Tickets may be purchased in advance online for $30-60 plus a $6.95 processing fee per ticket. The website indicates that ticket prices will increase at the gate; however, we do not have details. General admission tickets, which are for the sections on the outer sections of the stands, have previously been sold at a lower price. Those tickets are not available in advance.
Accessible Seating is located in the front row of all sections. Children under three do not need a ticket as long as they are sitting on a lap and not taking up another seat.
Parking:
Spectator Parking – Parking passes ($15) are required in order to park at UW-Whitewater. You can only purchase a parking pass by visiting University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Parking website here. First, accept the terms of service and then click on Whitewater Classic – DCI. You will need to provide your license plate number and vehicle description. Your parking pass will appear as a confirmation email that you can present to the attendant when you arrive, either via your smartphone or printed copy. Attendants will not be taking cash.
Concessions: Concessions will be available behind the stadium.
Souvenirs: The DCI Festival Marketplace will be located behind the grandstand.
The Madison Scouts are excited to announce that over 1300 Wisconsin area high school band students will be attending The Whitewater Classic with free tickets provided by a grant program through Forward Performing Arts.
“One of our clearly stated mission objectives is service to the marching arts community in the state of Wisconsin,” stated Programs Director David Lofy. “This is the third year we are running this free ticket program and the number of participants has doubled. The chance to see a DCI event with some of the highest caliber groups is an incredibly valuable experience for these young musicians and performers. We hope it provides them some inspiration to take back to their own local band programs.”
“We are again excited to provide Wisconsin high school band students the opportunity to see a Drum Corps International event live and in person,” said Executive Director Chris Komnick. “We reached out to all the band directors in Wisconsin and provided them access to free tickets. We are expecting over 1300 band students and educators to attend The Whitewater Classic as our guests!”
