2023 LowCountry Invitational Marching Band Festival

The Wando High School Band Boosters are pleased to announce the 2023 Lowcountry Invitational Marching Band Festival.

LCI will be held on the campus of Wando High School in Mount Pleasant, SC on Saturday, September 30, 2023.

Read below for more details.

The 2023 LCI Marching Band Festival is exclusively run by the Wando Band Boosters.

We are pleased to invite you to perform at the 2023 Lowcountry Invitational Marching Band Festival.  We take pride in offering a festival that is well run and based on the educational welfare of its participants.  The goal for the entire event is to provide participating bands with a wealth of knowledge about their product and to offer a myriad of ideas as to how they can improve their performance.

We have hired some of the best evaluators in the country, who have come from a cross-section of experiences.  We will continue to offer a post-performance critique following the exhibition performance with the goal of having you walk away feeling that it was certainly a worthwhile experience to attend the event and that it was time well spent.  More detailed information regarding the stadium, parking, etc. is coming soon.

For all of you who have participated in the past, we hope that you will return and also spread the word about the event.  For those of you who are looking for a contest on September 30th, we hope that you will consider joining us for this exceptional Marching Band experience.

Registration for the event is currently closed.

Please contact us at Bobby Lambert at director@wandoband.org and Steve Wiley at lci@wandobands.com if you would like to added to the waitlist.

ENTRY FEE AND DEADLINE

Performance order for the Lowcountry Invitational will be determined by postmark of all returned materials.  This includes a registration form and a non-refundable $125.00 registration fee.  Registration is available here.  The registration Fee and application are due on or before Friday, August 18, 2023.  After August 18, bands will be accepted on a space available basis.  The host band director will select performance preferences for performance times within each class in the order in which registration fees are received.

BAND CLASSIFICATION

Class will be determined by the number of wind players in the band.  Classifications are as follows:

Class Aless than 40 winds
Class AA40 – 80 winds
Class AAA81 – 100 winds
Class AAAA100-140 winds
Class AAAAA140 winds and above

Directors may elect to register by hornline size OR may register by their SCBDA classification (high school league designation).

AWARDS AND TROPHIES

First, Second and Third place trophies will be awarded in each classification. Trophies will also be awarded for Best Drumline, Best Drum Major, Best Color Guard and Highest Music Score.  The Grand Champion Trophy will be awarded to the ensemble with the highest total score, regardless of classification.  The Wando High School Band will march in exhibition prior to the awards ceremony.

WARM-UP AND PERFORMANCE

Bands will be scheduled in fifteen-minute performance slots.  All bands should attempt to perform within a six to ten-minute time span. There will be four warm-up areas for your convenience. Dressing rooms available on site.

2023 JUDGING

Judges are selected from among the finest music and visual educators in the United States.  Judges will evaluate performance in Music, Marching, and General Effect, along with additional judges that will evaluate marching technique, drum major, color guard, and drumline captains.  

MISCELLANEOUS

Approximately one month prior to the Invitational, directors will receive a complete information packet.  This packet will contain a master schedule, sitemaps, rules, and basic procedures for the contest.  Passes for staff members and chaperones can be picked up at the check-in table which will be located at the front of the school.  Concessions will be available and meals can be arranged prior to the event.  All other information can be accessed via the band website.

If you have further questions, do not hesitate to get in touch with us!

Bobby Lambert: director@wandobands.org

Lanie Radecke: radecke@wandobands.org