Marching Band Travel

Marching Band 2023 Travel

Overview

We are looking forward to another wonderful year of amazing competitive and travel experiences with the William Mason High School Marching Band!  Our marching band will be competing on two circuits this year: the local Mid-States Band Association (MSBA) circuit as well as two exciting Bands of America competitions complete with stays in a hotel, the Super Regionals and Grand Nationals in Indianapolis.  

If you have any questions about travel, you may contact Shannon Wielinga at travel@masonbandboosters.com

BOA Indianapolis Super Regional @ Lucas Oil Stadium

October 20 & 21, 2023

Bands of America Super Regional competitions are currently two day events.  The Band will be traveling to Indianapolis on Friday, October 20th and performing in the preliminary round at 4:15pm.  Following the Preliminary performance we will be returning to Mason on Friday evening in preparation to rehearse on Saturday morning at Let's Play Soccer (formerly Wall 2 Wall).  Pending preliminary results, Mason will perform a second time in the evening on Saturday, October 21st.  We will not know the performance time until after Finalists are announced in the late afternoon on Saturday.

Super Regional Finals competition usually runs from 7pm-11pm, therefore we will be have an overnight stay in Indiananpolis on Saturday night at the Indianapolis Marriott-Downtown (NOT the JW Marriott), returning to Mason around 1pm on Sunday, October 22nd. 

Students will travel by charter buses to and from Mason. Meals will be provided to sustain our musicians and guard members! Students are required to bring their water jugs to keep hydrated and are always welcome to bring along their own snacks.

The exact itinerary for the three days will be communicated soon. 

On Saturday night, parents are able to check their students out at the conclusion of the event if they wish to stay near the performance venue overnight or to transport their child home. Families will need to complete a simple online transportation waiver that will be shared in advance of the competition.  We ask that they return to Mason on Friday night with the Band as they will be rehearsing in Mason on Saturday.

We encourage family and friends to make the drive to the Indianapolis Super Regional to cheer on the band!  This is a ticketed event and tickets may be purchased on the Bands of America website.  See links to purchase tickets below:

Super Regional Tickets: Friday,10/20 Prelims

Super Regional Tickets: Saturday, 10/21 Finals

BOA Grand Nationals
Indianapolis, IN

November 9-12th, 2023

This Bands of America competition is the grand finale of our marching band season!   Students will travel by charter bus round trip to and from Mason on Thursday to their preliminary performance at Lucas Oil Stadium. Our tentative preliminary performance time is 4:45pm Thursday, 11/9.   Students, Directors and chaperones will return after the performance Thursday to Mason.  

On Friday morning, 11/10/23, the band will gather to rehearse then return to Indianapolis in the afternoon.  The Band will stay two nights in Indianapolis. All meals will be provided on this trip. Students will be performing, rehearsing, watching other bands and celebrating a successful season throughout the weekend event. 

Mason Band Boosters manage on-the-ground operations for this trip.  Families are responsible for paying their student experience fee directly to Mason Band Boosters.   

Performances and Tickets

This is a ticketed event and families and friends are encouraged to make plans in advance to see the band in action at Lucas Oil Stadium.    There are two days of preliminary competition and we know Mason will perform Thursday, 11/9/23 at 4:45pm.

Pending scores, Mason hopes to perform a second time in the semi-finals on Saturday 11/11/23 during the day.   Based on the results of the semi-finals, bands have the opportunity to perform in the finals Saturday evening.

PLEASE NOTE:  Each round is a separate ticketed event!  Mason's Preliminary performance is on Thursday, November 9th at 4:45pm.  Any Semi-Finals or finals performance times will not be known until Preliminary competition has concluded.  The links to purchase tickets are below:

Prelims - Thursday, 11/9/2023 - Mason Performs at 4:45pm!

Prelims - Friday, 11/10/2023- Mason does NOT perform this day, but plan is for students to watch bands and semi-finals annoucement at LOS.

Semis - Saturday, 11/11/2023 - Mason Semis performance time TBD (announced Friday evening).

Finals - Saturday, 11/11/2023 - Mason performance NOT guaranteed.  Performance and time slot contingent on score in semi-finals and results.

Making Travel Plans

Indianapolis is a busy place during Grand Nationals so families are encouraged to book hotels early if they plan to stay overnight.  Any hotel within walking distance of the Lucas Oil Stadium is very convenient.   There is parking around the stadium if you select a hotel outside of the downtown area. 

The band is required to use the Bands of America Housing Bureau and we have secured the Indianapolis Marriott - Downtown (Not the JW Marriott) for the students, directors, staff and chaperones.  Typically Grand Nationals finals run until midnight and our students will stay overnight Saturday night and return to Mason Sunday morning (11/12).  Parents who complete a transportation waiver in advance may check their students out after the finals performance at our staging venue near the stadium.