DeKalb, Ill. -- Seventeen drum and bugle corps perform in DeKalb, Ill., on Friday, July 26, in a two-part contest that concludes Saturday night in Ottawa, Ill., where the top eight corps from Friday advance for another showdown.Corps from Japan, Canada and the United States -- ranging from Florida to California and Alberta -- will gather here for Drum Corps International Divisions II and III contests at Northern Illinois University's Huskie Stadium.The Division III contest for corps limited to 60 performers on the field begins at 5 p.m. The larger Division II corps, marching 61 to 135 musicians and color guard members, are expected to start at 8:12 p.m. after a brief intermission. All seats are $10 each general admission (no reserved seats). Tickets will be sold at the stadium.Ten corps are slated in Division III and seven in Division II, with the top four from each division winning the right to compete Saturday night in Ottawa, 43 miles south of DeKalb. That contest begins at 7:30 p.m. at Ottawa High School's King Field.Tickets for the Ottawa "Riverfest 2002" show are $7 general admission and $8 for reserved seats. Ottawa show chairperson Gail Larson may be reached at 815-434-0980 for more details.Roman Blenski, Drum Corps International coordinator for both Divisions II and III, may be reached for information on both contests at 414-327-2847. Many of the corps will be visiting this area for the first time, as the 12 to 22-year-old performers tirelessly work to perfect their shows before the brief summer drum corps season culminates at Drum Corps International's Championship Week from Aug. 5-10 at the University of Wisconsin's Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. Drum Corps International's finals competition, broadcast "live" on most public broadcasting stations for many years, this year will be aired nationally at a later date in a revised format aimed at giving viewers a broader perspective of the multilayered drum corps experience. The 2002 finals on Saturday, Aug. 10, also will coincide with DCI's 30th anniversary.Division III corps scheduled to compete in Friday's contest at NIU, in order of expected appearance, are: Colt Cadets, Dubuque, Iowa; San Diego Alliance, El Cajon, California; Edmonton Strutters, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Yamato, Yokohama City, Japan/Riverside, Calif. Also, Blue Stars, La Crosse, Wis.; Revolution, San Antonio, Texas; Kingsmen, Joliet, Ill.; Bandettes, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada; Americanos, Appleton, Wis.; Marion Glory Cadets, Marion, Ohio.Corps competing in Division II, in scheduled performance order, are: Vanguard Cadets, Santa Clara, Calif.; Mandarins, Sacramento, Calif; Allegiance Elite, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Magic of Orlando, Orlando, Fla.; Capital Regiment, Columbus, Ohio; Capital Sound, Madison, Wis.; Impulse, Costa Mesa, Calif.