It was mid-morning on Friday when I pulled up to the Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex. Parked out front was a large moving box truck with a ramp leading from the back end to the concrete side walk. As I walked past the ramp towards the main entrance of the stadium's offices, I started to see the markings of Bands of America everywhere. Cases, boxes, field cones, back packs, and badges. A full on invasion was taking place. I figured I was about to get swarmed by the army of BOA staffers that was setting up the Austin Regional. Instead, there was six.

On the ground floor of the stadium I recognized Laura Blake putting together packets for the bands directors. We joked about how everyone was already set for the tomorrow's Austin Regional knowing full well there was so much more work left to be done. So I asked her about what its like setting up a BOA Regional and exactly how much goes into putting on a event of this size. 

Thursday

This is when the Bands of America full-time staff typically flies into the host location. Most of the day is spent traveling and getting from the airport to the hotel. Then that night, BOA would lead a meeting with the host band's volunteers Thursday night. 

This is typically the only opportunity BOA has to say thank you to all the volunteers in one place. The meeting also serves as the time to pass out the t-shirts for the contest, badges, and give updates about BOA. 


Image courtesy of McNeil High School Band Director Jason Dimiceli

Friday

Depending on the availability of the stadium and schedule, Friday will be a full day of set up. This is when the accounting department will take over the box office to get cash registers set up and make sure the tickets are ready to go. Meetings with stadium officials regarding security and weather protocols are held. Then it is time to set up banners, signage, charge the radios, and build the packets of badges/parking passes for the bands.  BOA will double and triple check the trophies that have been shipped to the site.

Meanwhile, the additional volunteer event staff, like Tommy Smith, will begin arriving Friday night along with the panel of judges. Another round of meetings are held Friday night at the hotel to ensure everything is ready to go and then its off to bed as early as possible.

Saturday

The army of local volunteers, event staffers, and BOA staff will typically arrive about 2 hours before the gate open. For the Austin Regionals, that is 4:45 AM. As Laura Blake put it, Saturday set-up is typically from the outside in. So as soon as the staff pulls into the parking lot, they are looking for signage, making sure the warm up areas are roped off, and the flow of the bands arriving is set. Then its a whirlwind of breaking the local volunteers into teams and training them on their duties. Accounting is finalizing the box office and the judges are getting orientated with the contest tabulation teams. 

Once the contest begins, its all about following the schedule and maintaining the venue as they go. Cleaning and prepping for awards that afternoon. Assuming prelims go smoothly, the stadium is cleared and it is a rinse'n'repeat process for finals. As finals finishes up and awards are presented, Laura says the team takes a divide and conquer attitude to cleaning and packing up. Typically, the BOA staff will leave the stadium around 12:00-12:30AM. 

Sunday

Critiques are held at the host school for judges and directors to discuss their performances from the night before. Final packing and organizing is performed. Then truck hits the road to the next location and the BOA staff boards a plane to fly home to Indianapolis. Come Monday morning, they are back in the office prepping for their next adventure. 

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