Today WGI Sport of the Arts announced their schedule of events for their 37th competition season beginning in February of 2014. WGI’s most ambitious calendar of 28 color guard events and 19 percussion events spans 23 states culminating in two of the world’s premiere marching arts events otherwise known as the WGI Color Guard and Percussion World Championships to be held in Dayton, Ohio, on April 3-5 and 10-12.
“After a remarkable season this year, we are launching our largest event calendar ever,” said Executive Director Ron Nankervis. “We are excited to bring the WGI experience to more locations across the country and reach fans that come and support their students doing what they do best.”
New and Returning Color Guard Events
Two new events for color guard have been added to the calendar for 2014. On February 8, Bakersfield, California welcomes its first-ever WGI event. San Antonio, Texas, on March 8 is the newly added fourth regional in that state in response to all three regionals last year filled to capacity.
Texas is also the site for WGI’s newest experiment in events. On February 22, Austin, Texas welcomes a new kind of regional solely dedicated to servicing the Scholastic A, Independent A and Regional A classes. Planning is underway to provide added service to WGI’s largest classes in a new and innovative way..
Returning to the calendar are shows in Lansing, Michigan on February 15 and a two-day event in Atlanta, Georgia on March 8-9.
WGI Elite Events
The very popular series of WGI Elite Events are seven of the largest, most exciting events of the season. All are held in major university arenas during the last two weekends of the year and displays color guards and percussion ensembles at their best as they prepare to battle for the world championship in early April.
Bowling Green, Kentucky welcomes back the Mid-South Percussion Championships for its third year while San Bernardino, California hosts the Western Percussion Championships at Cousoullis Arena.
The Cintas Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, will welcome the MidEast Color Guard Championships while San Diego, California will see the West’s best color guards battle it out for the Western Color Guard Championships at San Diego University on March 15-16. The final weekend of competition on March 23-24 will see Elite Events in Orlando, Florida at the University of Central Florida, Kingston, Rhode Island at the University of Rhode Island and Denton, Texas at the University of North Texas.
WGI World Championships
Following two spectacular championship events in 2013, the WGI World Championships again rolls into Dayton, Ohio, looking to once again set records as one of the largest marching arts events in the world. Last year saw 315 color guards and 210 percussion ensembles participate and this year the expectation is even higher. WGI is investigating potential new sites and contest formats in order to accommodate the ever-increasing popularity of indoor marching arts. Two sold-out World Finals events means new arena configurations in order to welcome more fans as they continue to pour into Dayton to see over 800 performances over two weekends.
University of Dayton Arena welcomes the WGI Color Guard World Championships for the 28th time on April 3-5 followed by the WGI Percussion World Championships on April 10-12. VIP tickets go on sale Wednesday, August 21 and single-night ticket sales begin Wednesday, August 28. Be sure to mark your calendars!
Click here to see the 2014 WGI Event Schedule
Stay tuned to WGI.org for more information on the 2014 WGI Event Schedule in coming weeks!