Cavalcade of Bands
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| Abbreviation | CoB, CMB |
|---|---|
| Established | 1958 |
| Founder | Arlen R. Saylor |
| Type | 501(c)(3) organization |
| 23-3068775 | |
| Legal status | Active |
Region | Mid-Atlantic, U.S. |
| Membership | 94 bands (2025) |
President | Adam Nobile (Big Spring HS) |
CEO | Justin McAdams |
Judging Coordinator | John Keane |
Parent organization | Cavalcade of Bands Association, Inc. |
| Revenue |  US$189,000[1] (2024) |
| Expenses | US$177,000[1] (2024) |
| Website | cavalcadeofbands |
The Cavalcade of Bands is one of many competitive band organizations in the United States and is one of several major circuits in the mid-Atlantic states (other circuits include Tournament of Bands and USBands). Cavalcade was founded in the late 1958 by the members of the Mid-Atlantic Judges Association and its member high schools. The organization currently has over 145 member schools. It provides competitive performance opportunities for marching bands and jazz ensembles. Cavalcade sanctions approximately 42 field band events as well as about 25 jazz ensemble events annually.
From 1971 to 2020 Cavalcade sanctioned color guard, percussion ensemble, and dance team competitions via the CIDA (Cavalcade Indoor Drill Association), later the CIA (Cavalcade Indoor Association).[2]
Marching Band
[edit]The Cavalcade of Bands sanctions about 42 high school marching band competitions throughout each fall from September to mid-November. Bands are judged on a 100-point linear scale by judges both on the field and in the press box. Bands are placed into one of five classes based on their size, and judged only within their class.[1][1]
The five classes are:
- Independence (0-35 members)
- American (36-50 members)
- Liberty (51-70 members)
- Yankee (71-95 members)
- Patriot (96+ members)
During championship week, bands are divided once more within their class based on their average score throughout the season. Bands with the higher scores are placed into the "Open" division and bands with the lower scores are placed into the "A" division.
On January 1, 2019, the Cavalcade of Bands Honor Band performed in the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. The band included over 100 students from 20 high schools in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Indoor activities
[edit]Cavalcade of Bands has discontinued indoor activities (winter guard, dance, percussion ensemble and indoor marching bands) in 2019.[2] Prior to the COB's reorganization the early 2000s, the indoor season was organized by the independent Cavalcade Indoor Drill Association (CIDA), later known as Cavalcade Indoor (CIA).
Past champions
[edit]Open Class (1959–present)
[edit]The first Cavalcade of Bands Championships were hosted in 1970 at the Farm Show Arena in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Prior to 1970, members would designate a competition in October or November as the de facto championship event, but not all member bands would attend. Champions from 1959 to 1969 were included in lists of Open Class Champions after 1970.
| Year | — | — | — | Yankee | — |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 (—) |
Boyertown | ||||
| 1960 (—) |
Wilson Boro | ||||
| 1961 (—) |
Lebanon | ||||
| 1962 (—) |
Wilson Boro | ||||
| 1963 (—) |
Boyertown | ||||
| 1964 (—) |
Boyertown | ||||
| 1965 (—) |
Wilson | ||||
| 1966 (—) |
Wilson | ||||
| 1967 (—) |
Wilson | ||||
| 1968 (—) |
Wilson | ||||
| 1969 (—) |
Wilson | ||||
| Year | — | American | — | Yankee | — |
| 1970 (1st) |
Salisbury | Wilson | |||
| 1971 (2nd) |
Plymouth Whitemarsh | Wilson | |||
| 1972 (3rd) |
Salisbury | Wilson | |||
| Year | Independence | American | — | Yankee | — |
| 1973 (4th) |
Danville | East Pennsboro | Wilson | ||
| 1974 (5th) |
Phoenixville | CB West | Plymouth Whitemarsh | ||
| 1975 (6th) |
Hanover | Hatboro Horsham | Plymouth Whitemarsh | ||
| 1976 (7th) |
Phoenixville | Shikellamy | Abington | ||
| 1977 (8th) |
ELCO | Shikellamy | Plymouth Whitemarsh | ||
| Year | Independence | American | Liberty | Yankee | — |
| 1978 (9th) |
Upper Merion | Hanover | Warwick | Plymouth Whitemarsh | |
| 1979 (10th) |
South Western | Upper Dublin | Shikellamy (tie) Williamsport Area |
Plymouth Whitemarsh | |
| 1980 (11th) |
Ephrata | Manheim Township | Cumberland Valley | North Penn | |
| 1981 (12th) |
Downingtown | Wissahickon | Northern Lebanon | North Penn | |
| 1982 (13th) |
Phoenixville | Archbishop Ryan | Manhiem Township | North Penn | |
| 1983 (14th) |
Upper Dublin | Hanover | Upper Moreland | Archbishop Ryan | |
| 1984 (15th) |
Upper Dublin | Lake Lehman | Manheim Township | North Penn | |
| 1985 (16th) |
Conrad Weiser | Abington | Downingtown | Shikellamy | |
| 1986 (17th) |
Upper Dublin | Wissahickon | Upper Moreland | North Penn | |
| 1987 (18th) |
Upper Dublin | Lake Lehman | Upper Moreland | North Penn | |
| 1988 (19th) |
Upper Dublin | Hatboro Horsham | Spring Grove | North Penn | |
| 1989 (20th) |
Upper Dublin | Upper Moreland | Manheim Township | North Penn | |
| 1990 (21st) |
Archbishop Wood | Spring Grove | Hatboro Horsham | North Penn | |
| 1991 (22nd) |
Archbishop Wood | Penn Manor | Manheim Township | Shikellamy | |
| 1992 (23rd) |
Upper Dublin | South Western | Manheim Township | North Penn | |
| 1993 (24th) |
Upper Dublin | Penn Manor | Hatboro Horsham | North Penn | |
| 1994 (25th) |
Upper Dublin | South Western | Manheim Township | North Penn | |
| 1995 (26th) |
Upper Dublin | Reading | Manheim Township | Downington | |
| Year | Independence | American | — | Yankee | — |
| 1996 (27th) |
Methacton | Hatboro Horsham | North Penn | ||
| 1997 (28th) |
Lancaster Catholic | Upper Moreland | Hatboro Horsham | ||
| 1998 (29th) |
Plymouth Whitemarsh | Penn Manor | Lampeter Strasburg | ||
| 1999 (30th) |
Upper Dublin | Spring Grove | Lampeter Strasburg | ||
| 2000 (31st) |
Bishop McDevitt | Lancaster Catholic | South Western | ||
| 2001 (32nd) |
Lebanon | South Western | Manheim Township | ||
| 2002 (33rd) |
Bishop McDevitt | Phoenixville | Manheim Township | ||
| Year | Independence | American | Liberty | Yankee | — |
| 2003 (34th) |
Lakewood | Phoenixville | Hatboro Horsham | Reading | |
| 2004 (35th) |
Cinnaminson | Phoenixville | Burlington City | Spring Grove | |
| 2005 (36th) |
Greencastle-Antrim | Kingsway Regional | Oakcrest | South Western | |
| 2006 (37th) |
Penns Grove | Hatboro Horsham | Warwick | South Western | |
| 2007 (38th) |
Henderson | Susquehannock | Warwick | Manheim Township | |
| 2008 (39th) |
Pittston | Hatboro Horsham | Warwick | Spring-Ford | |
| 2009 (40th) |
Pittston | Hatboro Horsham | New Oxford | Spring-Ford | |
| 2010 (41st) |
Pittston | Greencastle-Antrim | Southern Regional | Spring-Ford | |
| 2011 (42nd) |
Pittston | Haverford | Southern Regional | Upper Darby | |
| 2012 (43rd) |
E. Stroudsburg North | Susquehanna Township | Hatboro Horsham | Upper Darby | |
| 2013 (44th) |
E. Stroudsburg North | Plymouth Whitemarsh | Hatboro Horsham | Spring-Ford | |
| Year | Independence | American | Liberty | Yankee | Patriot |
| 2014 (45th) |
Pittston | East Pennsboro | New Oxford | Marple Newtown | Spring-Ford |
| 2015 (46th) |
Blue Mountain | Sun Valley | Hatboro Horsham | Marple Newtown | Upper Moreland |
| 2016 (47th) |
Littlestown | Sun Valley | Susquehannock | Marple Newtown | Spring-Ford |
| 2017 (48th) |
E. Stroudsburg North | Whitehall | Susquehannock | Hempfield | Spring-Ford |
| 2018 (49th) |
Cinnaminson | Whitehall | Susquehannock | Hempfield | Spring-Ford |
| 2019 (50th) |
Cinnaminson | Whitehall | Camp Hill | Hempfield | Nazareth Area |
| 20201 (—) |
No champions[a] | ||||
| 2021 (51st) |
Whitehall | Susquehannock | Phoenixville | Nazareth Area | Spring-Ford |
| 2022 (52nd) |
Haddon Heights | Williamsport Area | Susquehannock | Warwick | Nazareth Area |
| 2023 (53rd) |
Biglerville | Sun Valley | Susquehannock | Nazareth Area | Upper Moreland |
| 2024 (54th) |
Donegal | Williamsport Area | Susquehannock | Nazareth Area | Hempfield |
A Class (1996–present)
[edit]Also known as Associate or Beginner class. Rules changes in 2003 and 2004 increased participation in the class.
| Year | Independence | American | — | Yankee | — |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 (27th) |
No champions | South Western | No champions | ||
| 1997 (28th) |
West Chester EAST | York Suburban (tie) Hempfield (tie) | |||
| 1998 (29th) |
No champions | Hempfield | |||
| 1999 (30th) |
York Suburban | ||||
| 2000 (31st) |
Lebanon Catholic | No champions | |||
| 2001 (32nd) |
Phoenixville | Conestoga Valley | |||
| 2002 (33rd) |
Lebanon Catholic | Burlington City | Marple Newtown | ||
| Year | Independence | American | Liberty | Yankee | — |
| 2003 (34th) |
Pitman | Oakcrest | West Chester EAST | South Western | |
| 2004 (35th) |
Upper Dauphin | Wissahickon | Coatesville | OJ Roberts | |
| 2005 (36th) |
ChiChester | Lenape | Burlington City | Boyertown | |
| 2006 (37th) |
Pottsgrove | Annville Cleona | Conestoga Valley | Hempfield | |
| 2007 (38th) |
Bermudian Springs | William Penn | Archbishop Wood | Coatesville | |
| 2008 (39th) |
Upper Perkiomen | Blue Mountain | Unionville | Red Lion | |
| 2009 (40th) |
Bermudian Springs | Phoenixville | York Suburban | OJ Roberts | |
| 2010 (41st) |
Crestwood | Blue Mountain | Manheim Central | Cheltenham | |
| 2011 (42nd) |
Archbishop Wood | Rustin | Red Lion | Wilson | |
| 2012 (43rd) |
Bermudian Springs | Pottsgrove | South Western | Avon Grove | |
| 2013 (44th) |
Northern Lebanon | Blue Mountain | South Western | Downingtown West | |
| Year | Independence | American | Liberty | Yankee | Patriot |
| 2014 (45th) |
Sissonville | Great Valley | South Western | Upper Dublin | Red Lion |
| 2015 (46th) |
Sissonville | Northampton | Daniel Boone | Kennett | Downingtown West |
| 2016 (47th) |
Cumberland Regional (tie) Palisades |
Northampton | Cheltenham | Upper Darby | Manheim Central |
| 2017 (48th) |
Palisades | Loyalsock Township | Great Valley | Coatesville | Downingtown East |
| 2018 (49th) |
Dieruff | Shikellamy | Northern York | Upper Darby | Cumberland Valley |
| 2019 (50th) |
York Catholic | Loyalsock Township | Washington Township | Red Lion | Neshaminy |
| 20201 (—) |
No champions[a] | ||||
| 2021 (51st) |
Shikellamy (and) York Catholic |
South Western | Upper Moreland | Red Lion | Cedar Crest |
| 2022 (52nd) |
Biglerville | Hazleton Area | Eastern York | Pennridge | Cedar Crest |
| 2023 (53rd) |
Donegal | Pottsgrove | Greencastle-Antrim | South Western | Red Lion Area |
| 2024 (54th) |
Plymouth Whitemarsh | Shamokin Area | Bloomsburg | Cumberland Valley | No champion |
Notes
[edit]- ^ a b The 2020 outdoor marching band season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Cavalcade of Bands Association Inc - Nonprofit Explorer". ProPublica. June 30, 2025. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
- ^ a b "Closing Cavalcade Indoor" (PDF). www.cavalcadeofbands.com. August 17, 2019. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 26, 2019. Retrieved August 7, 2025.