Grand Nationals Itinerary
Our final competition of the season is coming up! Our schedule for the BOA Grand National Championships in Indianapolis Thursday, November 11 through Saturday, November 13 is as follows:
Thursday
5:45 a.m. – Arrive to the high school to load and for bag inspection
6:30 a.m. – Depart high school
8:30 - 9:30 a.m.’ish’ – Stop for rest room break
12:00 - 1:00 p.m.’ish’ – Stop at Golden Corral for lunch (provided)
3:00 - 4:00 p.m.’ish’ – Stop for rest room break
5:00 - 6:00 p.m.’ish’ LOCAL TIME – Arrive at Hampton Inn, check-in and return to buses
7:00 – 8:30 p.m. – Dinner in chaperone groups (will need money)
8:30 – 9:30 p.m – Downtime at the hotel (there is a pool)
9:30 p.m. – Students report to their rooms for inspection
10:00 p.m. – Lights Out
Friday
5:20 a.m. – Wake up, get ready, and eat breakfast (provided at the hotel)
6:45 a.m. – Load the bus
6:50 a.m. – Depart hotel
7:30 a.m. – Arrive at Lucas Oil Stadium, check-in, park, unload trailer, and get into uniforms
8:30-9:15 a.m. – Band Warm-up (different schedules for different sections TBA)
9:20 a.m. – Band report to gate
9:30 a.m. – WILDCAT PRIDE MARCHING BAND PERFORMANCE!
9:50 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. – Pictures and load
10:45 a.m. – Depart stadium parking lot
10:50 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. – Small groups with chaperones, sight-seeing, shopping, lunch on your own
4:00 p.m. – Load the bus
4:30 p.m. – Arrive at Great Times Fun Park (dinner provided – activities have an expense)
7:30 p.m. – Depart Great Times Fun Park event and return to downtown Indianapolis
7:45 p.m. – Return to Lucas Oil Stadium, watch bands and awards ceremony
9:00 p.m. – Awards Ceremony
9:30 p.m. – Depart Lucas Oil Stadium
10:00 p.m. – Return to hotel
10:30 p.m. – Students report to their rooms for inspection
11:00 p.m. – Lights Out
Saturday
7:00 a.m. – Wake up, get ready, and eat breakfast (provided at the hotel)
8:20 a.m. – Check-out and load the bus
8:30 a.m. – Depart hotel
9:00 a.m. – Arrive at Lucas Oil Stadium
9:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. – Watch bands in small groups with chaperones, visit exhibition center, eat lunch in your small groups on your own (will need money)
4:30 p.m. – Depart Lucas Oil Stadium
6:00 - 7:00 p.m.’ish’ – Stop for fast food dinner (will need money)
1:30 – 2:30 a.m. – Return to Neosho
The hotel we are staying at Thursday, and Friday night is the Hampton Inn Indianapolis-NE/Castleton 6817 E. 82nd St., Indianapolis, IN (317) 576-0220. Chaperones and teachers will be on site. Rooms will be checked and doors will be taped by lights out.
The performance is at Lucas Oil Stadium – 500 S. Capitol Ave., Indianapolis. The box office at the dome will open at 6:00 a.m. on Friday. General admission ticket prices for Friday are $29 plus fees, and on Saturday $65 plus fees. You could also order a webcast of the event through Box 5 TV. The link is: https://box5tv.com/bands-of-america-grand-nationals/
What you need to bring: your uniform, gloves, shoes, black socks, black athletic shorts, your band shirt, your instrument, mallets, sticks, reeds, flags, rifles, money for concessions/meals/etc., clothes to change into, an overnight bag, extra pillows and blankets if you prefer for sleep, swimsuit if you intend to swim in the short time available at the hotel to do so, etc. Bring something to snack on if you will get hungry during the ride there or back. Also you will need money for food, and any activities or shopping you intend on doing.
Lunch Thursday, breakfast and lunch Friday, and breakfast Saturday will be provided. Students will need money for dinner Thursday, Friday and Saturday as well as lunch on Saturday. We will be looking for donations for snack bags on the bus ride up. Small groups can determine where they would like to eat from fast food restaurants or nicer restaurants as well as the option of just eating at the stadium and watching bands. Lunch Thursday will be provided at Golden Corral in Effingham, IL. Dinner on Friday will be provided at Great Times Fun Park. If students would like to participate in the activities at this location, then there are 2-Hour unlimited arm bands for $18 each, or 3-Hour armbands for $22. You could also purchase the play point group rate cards buy $20 worth of play points, you receive $5 worth of play points, FREE! Students interested in these would purchase on site from a cashier.
Each adult chaperone will be responsible for 6-7 students for shopping and sight-seeing as well as during meal times. All students will have a bag inspection before we depart as well as a brief room inspection both nights and will be taped in after inspection. If a student is using prescription medication that is not listed on their medical form, then please have the pill bottle with student’s name on it with medication directions or contact a director. Please personally contact a director to make us aware of any medication a student might have as well as with any medication you may be sending with your student that is not included on their medical form.
Be courteous to other groups and to each other over this three-day event! Remember, you are representing the band, the music department, the school, and all of Neosho in addition to the state of Missouri! Please conduct yourselves accordingly!
Thank you!
Mr. Duffield
Director of Instrumental Music