What to expect at Lake Erie Fanfare's show of world-class drum and bugle corps in Edinboro

A.J. Rao, Erie Times-News
·4 min read

The pageantry returns.

After a two-year pandemic absence, drum and bugle corps from across the country will head to Erie County for the 39th annual Lake Erie Fanfare.

The Drum Corps International event, which begins Monday at 7 p.m. at Sox Harrison Stadium in Edinboro, will feature performances from five top corps:

Ray Luniewski, executive director of Lake Erie Fanfare, said the event will be just days away from the Drum Corps International World Championship Finals on Aug. 11-13 in Indianapolis, Indiana.

As such, the five corps performing in Erie — who have been touring since June — will likely be at their "peak performance," he said.

Luniewski recognized:35 years of Fanfare

"If you've never experienced it and you've never seen it, it's not what your preconceptions are," said Luniewski, who's been organizing Lake Erie Fanfare since its inception. "A lot of times people think it's another marching band show or it's another halftime show — it's not. It's more like a theater performance with live music that you would expect to see on Broadway."

Corps are typically non-profit groups — not associated with a college or high school — composed of roughly 100 members, all between the ages of 13-22.

Each corps is divided into three performing ensembles: brass, color guard and percussion. And every year, each drum corps will prepare a single show, about 8–12 minutes in length, which they refine throughout the summer, according to Drum Corps International.

A 'hard restart' from COVID-19

The past two years have been a struggle though.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Drum Corps International canceled its summer tour in 2020 and held an abbreviated 29-show tour in 2021.

In a typical pre-pandemic year, the tour includes more than 100 competitive events.

While this year's tour is a return to form with more than 90 events scheduled between June and August, Luniewski said it's been a "hard restart," with COVID-19 still a threat to traveling corps performers.

"Right now, we're actually struggling," he said. "Two groups ended up going off for about a week because COVID got in. And there are three groups right now that have it that are struggling."

Since performers spend long periods of time on a bus with around 40 other people, touring can be especially perilous should someone fall sick, Luniewski said. As such, corps groups are abiding by various safety protocols during rehearsals and performances to ensure limited exposure.

"All they're going to do is run into the stadium, do the show and they will be back in what they're considering their 'bubble,' " Luniewski said. "Because everybody's saying, 'We've done this for two months. We're a week away from championships. It will be a hell of a thing to throw it away now.' "

Luniewski said the five corps coming to Erie have not faced any major COVID-19 setbacks this summer.

He added he was happy to see Lake Erie Fanfare return to the Drum Corps International touring schedule, considering this year's tour was still abbreviated and left out certain stops, including Buffalo.

"I think it's because of our longevity," Luniewski said. "We've been there almost 40 years in the 50 years of Drum Corps International."

Where to buy tickets? When to arrive?

For tickets, call 814-456-5300. Checks and major credit cards are accepted.

Tickets are $30 and will reserve a seat facing the performances. Once all reserved tickets are sold, general admission to backside seating — or seating facing the back of the performers — will become available for $10.

Luniewski said the best time to arrive is between 5:30-6 p.m. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. The show will finish no later than 9:30 p.m.

Masks are optional.

Luniewski encouraged the public to show its support of this Erie County tradition.

"It's definitely not what you expect," he said. "It's all brass instruments. It's all percussion. You got movement, you got color, you got sound — it's really a spectacle on a football field."

A.J. Rao can be reached at arao@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNRao

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Lake Erie Fanfare: Drum and bugle corps to compete in Edinboro