Amazing Highlights from BOA Grand Nationals 2016

We take a second to reflect back to the 2016 Grand National Championships with the 2017 version beginning on Wednesday, Nov. 8 exclusively on FloMarching. Make sure you have all the information regarding performance times, results, and exclusive videos surrounding the 2017 BOA Grand National Championships.

LOOKING BACK TO 2016

As the 2016 Bands of America season fades to memories, we take one last look at its finale at the Bands of America Grand National Championships in Indianapolis this past weekend.

The 2016 season started with humble beginnings in McAllen, Texas, where we discovered Pioneer High School and its amazing rise to stardom in South Texas. At the Austin Regional, we found out how the Bands of America staff members can organize, plan, and execute such amazing events with just six people. The following week at the Conroe Regional we saw the ingenuity it takes sometimes to overcome mishaps during a show when the bass drummer was having a plume not wanting to cooperate. In Plano, the world was shown how to fly with Flower Mound's amazing show, and in Winston-Salem, Dobyns-Bennett continued it's winning ways.

At the first super regional of the year in St. Louis, Broken Arrow showed us that performing in biker helmets and pedaling go-carts while playing melophones IS possible. Also, Vaughn Lemond displayed what playing with passion really means. Inside the Georgia Dome, Park Vista stole the oxygen and our hearts with Desparadise, while Frankline High School made us chuckle with giant dancing robots. At one of the most highly anticipated contests of the year, the fans at the Alamodome in San Antonio stood in ovation not just for the powerfully huge ensembles but also for the little guys from Saint James School. 

While Grand Nationals ended on the saddest of notes with the tragic passing of Sophie Rinehart, her father, and grandmother. The beauty and passion of the 2016 season will always be remembered for creating these amazing memories, just like the one Sophie and the Castle High School marching band created inside Lucas Oil Stadium at the finals.