MAKE YOUR SHOW AN ANNUAL EVENT


YOU HAVE TWO OPTIONS FOR CREATING AN ANNUAL EVENT:

Annual Fall / Winter / Spring Festival

  • The local Chamber of Commerce's goal is to promote local business.
  • Chambers are seeking fall,winter or spring time events to promote business.
  • Attend a Chamber of commerce " mixer"

    Contact the Chamber of Commerce and ask to speak at the mixer about promoting an annual fall,winter or spring festival. (one or two day event)

    The festival will include the Chamber involving the Elks Club, VFW, Moose ,Library, City Hall or American Legion. Most of these organizations have a large hall which will be needed for this event. Think of your displays and areas like a county fair style.

    At the designated hall, tables can be set for a community "taste of " as well as tables displaying business wears and information. On another day or same day, another hall could be set up mostly for children's games, toys and clothing... with business displays relating to children. Another could be set up for hands-on with tools, sewing, crafts, hand make articles and manufacturing or displaying art work or school projects. There could be a special auto sale parking lot or tent.

  • Remember to tailor your event to a specific community.
  • Business could have raffles or door prizes, or give away refrigerator magnets, specials discounts etc.
  • The chamber should be excited about promoting this festival and the SDCA show will be promoted by them at the same time.
  • The Chamber could advertise on the local radio station for free as a community event.
  • At the festival the chamber could buy show tickets and raffle them or give them as door prizes.
  • Ask the Chamber to pay your corps (host corps) to perform (barn storm) at each hall. Ask a business to sponsor a corps for $100.00 so that each corps has a sponsor. This money will off set the cost of the show
  • At the show this business will be announced as the sponsor of that particular corps.

    Existing Annual community festival

    Most communities have a spring, summer or fall celebration annually. It may include a weekend sidewalk sale, parade, outdoor children's games, movies, taste of,... etc.
    Because many communities held drum crops shows in the past, this might be a great opportunity for those communities to re-establish a drum corps event.
    The benefits to the community are:
  • Additional music units in their parade.
  • Drum Corps members and their fan base will come into their community to shop, eat and seek lodging.
  • The show will entirely be put together by the host corps with out a burden to the festival commitee.

    The benefits to the host corps are:
  • The established festivity will add the drum corps show to their promotion
  • Allowing for maximum community exposure.
  • The host corps' exposure will promote membership
  • Sponsorship
  • Volunteers
  • and a fan base.
    STEP BY STEP for THE HOST CORPS When you host a show SDCA does not ask for any upfront costs. Your only out of pocket costs are what you and the school determine. Usually the cost for the school gym, locker rooms or 6 or 7 class rooms and janitor is $100.00 per hour. School requirements vary. A minimum of 5 hours will be needed. Two hours for set up, two hours for the show and one hour to disperse. SDCA will provide numbered tickets for the show. You will be responsible to account for every ticket. At the end of the show SDCA will check on the number of tickets sold and you will provide SDCA with a check for the gate money. Out of the gate money SDCA will distribute the money to the participating corps in this manor; the host corps will receive $2.00 for each ticket sold; each participating corps will receive $1.00 for every ticket sold. Now follow these steps: 1. Get the name of school contact and phone number 2. Get the seating capacity (Min. 1200 +/-) 3. Get the name of the Band Director and phone number a. Invite the band members to a free brass and percussion clinic with complementary tickets to the performance. (qty) 4. Ask the following questions a. Gymnasium/Arena Rental (5 Hours Minimum) b. Janitor Fee (Name & Phone) c. Security Fee d. PA System e. Concession Area f. Souvenirs Area g. Fire Code Restrictions h. Tables & Chairs available i. Changing Rooms (6 minimum) or Locker rooms j. Warm Up Area (Band Room etc) k. Parking Area (For Bus/Trailer and Guests) l. Phone Numbers For Area Medical Facilities Upon securing a location for the show • Provide all above information to SDCA • Number of Complimentary tickets needed for the band • Contact each invited corps and ask their needs. Contact them often SDCA o Invite the corps o Notifies the performing corps of the show location, time and line up o Will have tickets printed and Delivered to the host corps o Contact Drum Corps World and drum Corps Planet to promote the show o Provide information on SDCA web site to promote the show. o Assist or advise where needed o Provide the Announcer’s sheet o Collect check from host corps for gate receipts. o Distribute funds Staff For Your Show (suggested) 1) Ticket Sales - Minimum 2 2) 50/50 Raffle Sales - Minimum 2 3) Souvenirs Sales - Minimum 2 4) Concession - Minimum 4 5) Performance Coordinator 1 6) Assistant Coordinator 1 7) Announcer 1 8) 1 Brass, 1 Percussion and 1 Visual Evaluator You will need a lot of volunteers that do not march in your corps to help during your show. Some suggestions: in addition to your alumni list, there are the scout troops( they always look for community service projects) as well as church youth groups. Then there are the retirement centers, VFW, American Legion and Elks clubs as well. Performance Coordinator Job description Responsibility: Attend the manager’s meeting receive the finale drill sheet from the manager’s meeting instruct the “exit door” person keep door closed during the performance open door only to allow finished corps out. Instruct the finished corps to move quietly to the locker room. Tell the finished corps they may watch the show but not enter or exit during a performance. Tell the corps to be dressed and ready for the finale. Review the finale DURING THE SHOW be at the entrance door to the arena (staging area) keep the entrance (door to arena) area clear of spectators. have each corps located at the entrance 15 minutes before they perform. at this staging area the waiting corps is to be quiet and be against the wall. listen for the final announcement of the previous corps and send the waiting performing corps into the arena go and get the next performing corps and have them waiting at the staging area. repeat 1-4 until the final corps performs FINALE right after the last corps have the two of three corps that are to enter for the finale at the entrance door or exit door lined up single file, quietly. Count out performers for the files that will be filed onto the arena. 12 max but be flexible. inform the 13th person they will start a new file. rehearse the finale drill with the drum major.