Historic Tournament Of Drums Moves To New CR Location

The unmistakable beat and rhythm of drumlines from across the United States and Canada will return to Cedar Rapids this week. The Tournament of Drums is back and will be taking place at a new location this year.

The one-night-only event will take place this Friday, August 4th. The Cedar Rapids Gazette reports that the competition will feature nearly 1,000 performers ages 12 to 21, on horns, percussion, and color guard. Many have spent their entire summer perfecting their routine. Thousands of spectators are expected to attend. This year's Tournament of Drums will be held at a location that has frequently been used for drum and bugle corp practices.

The Gazette reports that this year's event will take place at Prairie High School Stadium, located at 401 76th Ave. SW in Cedar Rapids. It will mark the first time the event will be held at Prairie. The show will feature six open-class drum and bugle corps. Iowa Music and Arts Association scholarship winners will also be announced that evening.

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The show is co-hosted by the Colt Cadets Drum and Bugle Corp out of Dubuque, Iowa. The Tournament of Drums can trace its history all the way back to 1950, according to the Gazette. The event was put on hold due to the pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Corps will begin rolling into the area on August 3rd and will be staying at area schools including Wilson, Regis, and La Salle Middle Schools in Cedar Rapids and Center Pt. Urbana and Oelwein.

Gates open on Friday evening at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $25 for reserved seating. Ages 5 and under are free.