Celebrate Indy Arts! Parade
A part of the 2011 Drum Corps International World Championships

Date: Saturday, Aug. 11, 2012

Time: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET

Location: Downtown Indianapolis

Admission: Free and open to the public

About: Hosted as part of the annual Drum Corps International World Championships, the second annual Celebrate Indy Arts! Parade will bring more than 30 of the world's finest marching music ensembles from around the world together with members of the local Indianapolis arts community in the most musical, creative and fun-filled parade to ever hit the streets of the Circle City.

Stepping off at 11 a.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 11, the parade will wind through the streets of downtown Indianapolis, ending on the Indiana War Memorial Mall (431 North Meridian St.). Concluding the event in the early afternoon will be a tribute to America, as more than 2,000 brass musicians assemble to play an en masse rendition of "Battle Hymn of the Republic." Drum Corps International will host its annual World Championship Finals later that evening at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Parade Route

The parade will start at North and Pennsylvania and head south on Pennsylvania. A right turn on New York and another right turn on Meridian will bring it all to an end at St. Clair. The route from start to finish is just under a mile long.

2011 Celebrate Indy Arts! Parade

Drum Corps International and members of the local Indianapolis arts community took to the streets of the Circle City with gusto on Saturday, Aug. 13, 2011, for the first-ever Celebrate Indy Arts! Parade.

Just a few groups short of having as many marching music ensembles on the parade route as the Tournament of Roses Parade and Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade combined, The Celebrate Indy Arts! Parade featured numerous drum corps ensembles and a variety of local Indy groups.

Judged by Drum Corps International Hall of Fame members and local dignitaries, several awards were given out to both the corps and the Indianapolis arts groups.

2011 Awards for Indianapolis Arts Organizations

Most Creative Award
Harrison Center for the Arts

Best Presentation
Freetown Village

Grand Champion
Expo Design/Motus Dance Theatre

2011 Awards for Participating Drum Corps

Best Visual
Pacific Crest

Best Percussion
Pacific Crest

Best Brass
Colts

Best Color Guard
Music City

Best Drum Major
Pioneer

Grand Champion
Pacific Crest

2011 Participating Groups

• Blue Devils B - Concord, CA
• Blue Saints - Sudbury, ON
• Indianapolis Opera
• The Academy - Tempe, AZ
• Spartans - Nashua, NH
• The Anthenaeum Foundation
• Teal Sound - Jacksonville, FL
• Vanguard Cadets - Santa Clara, CA
• Taking Flight
• Genesis - Rio Grande Valley, TX
• Crossmen - San Antonio, TX
• Les Stentors - Sherbrooke, QC
• Arsenal Tech Marching Band
• Indiana Historical Society
• Indianapolis Children's Choir
• Pioneer - Milwaukee, WI
• 7th Regiment - New London, CT
• Freetown Village, Inc.
• Harrison Center for the Arts
• Colt Cadets - Dubuque, IA
• Colts - Dubuque, IA
• Music City - Nashville, TN
• Percussive Arts Society
• Legends - Kalamazoo, MI
• Troopers - Casper, WY
• Raiders - Burlington, NJ
• Jersey Surf - Mount Holly, NJ
• Jubal - Dordrecht, The Netherlands
• Music For All & Bongo Boy Music School
• Oregon Crusaders - Portland, OR
• Cascades - Woodinville, WA
• Spirit of Newark/NJ - Jersey City, NJ
• Circle City Kazoo Band
• Mandarins - Sacramento, CA
• Forte - Grand Prairie, TX
• Indianapolis Art Center
• Racine Scouts - Racine, WI
• Pacific Crest - Diamond Bar, CA
• Revolution - San Antonio, TX
• ExpoDesign/Motus Dance Theatre
• Yokohama Scouts - Yokohama, Japan
• Glassmen - Toledo, OH

How To Get Involved

We are looking for local arts organizations and interested groups of creative people to participate in the parade. Whether you want to create a kinetic sculpture, a moving mosaic or group of dancing flowers, we encourage you to apply. Please follow this link for the application and rules. Creativity, entertainment and whimsy will be highly considered and an important element to your parade participation.

Tables are available, upon request, for groups to distribute collateral materials.

Participation grants are available. To apply contact Hobie Pileski by e-mail at parade@dci.org or by phone at 317.275.1212 x39

Download parade rules and regulations.

Apply to be a part of this parade.

Download participant waiver form.

Jumpstart Your Creativity

Here are a few examples from the 2011 Celebrate Indy Arts! Parade to spark your own creative idea for the 2012 edition.



The Celebrate Indy Arts! Parade is produced by Argonne Parades, an Emmy Award-winning, full-service, event production company that specializes in professional parade consultation and coordination throughout the United States as well as internationally.

If you have any questions or would like some input on your entry, please contact Hobie Pileski by e-mail at parade@dci.org or by phone at 317.275.1212 x39

Helping Hands Wanted!

We are seeking numerous hard working and enthusiastic individuals to lend their time, talent and knowledge to this August's Celebrate Indy Arts! Parade in downtown Indianapolis. The parade committee is working hard to ensure that this event is once again a huge success for the performers, fans and the community.

Return to this page in April 2012 for parade volunteer information and to register.