Final attendance figures have been calculated from the July 29, Coltrin & Associates DCI Southeastern Championship in Atlanta, Ga. The paid attendance of 15,831 establishes a new official attendance record for a Drum Corps International major regional event, eclipsing the previous record of 14,089, set just a year ago in San Antonio, Texas.

Fans watch Phantom Regiment perform in the Georgia Dome on July 29.
Additionally, the 2006 Coltrin & Associates DCI Southeastern Championship attendance outpaces four prior World Championship Finals audiences. "The outstanding attendance at our Atlanta event is a testament to the continued growth in popularity of Drum Corps International and its member corps," said DCI Executive Director Dan Acheson. "In our first major event in Atlanta since the 1984 World Championships, we are very pleased with the overwhelmingly warm 'welcome back' that we've received. We recognize that this area is prime market which is interested in drum corps and in the levels of excellence and achievement exemplified by the corps and their performers. We look forward to returning to Atlanta and hope to produce a major regional event at the Georgia Dome for many years to come." Next year's Southeastern Championship is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, July 14, 2007. The event will fall approximately two weeks earlier than usual, as corps participating in the Summer Music Games Tour will head west for the 2007 DCI World Championships in Pasadena, Calif., on Aug. 7-11.