Drum Corps International's World Class corps will return to Allentown, Pa. late this summer for the DCI Eastern Classic which for fans this year will feature the exciting return of J. Birney Crum Stadium's upper deck seating area. After multiple phases of renovation taking several years, the home to one of DCI's oldest and most popular events of the season will seat thousands of drum corps fans completely restored.

For more than 30 years, drum corps fans have packed
J. Birney Crum Stadium for the annual DCI Eastern Classic.
The upper deck at the more than 60-year-old J. Birney Crum Stadium has been a fan favorite of sorts, as people return to historic Allentown year after year. In need of repairs to ensure the safety of the structure, Drum Corps International restricted seating in the upper deck after the 2006 season to wait for the facility to be upgraded. When the DCI Eastern Classic Committee learned that the upper deck of J. Birney Crum would finally undergo needed renovations this spring, there was uncertainty as to whether it would be completed in time for the events scheduled for July 31 and Aug. 1. But with improvements completed on schedule including the painting of the existing steel structure, repair and sealing of the concrete surfaces, and replacement of the existing wood with aluminum seating, drum corps fans will once again have a birds-eye view when all 22 World Class corps take the field in Allentown this summer. As the most popular and coveted vantage point in the stadium, available seats in the upper deck are already dwindling as fans purchase advance tickets to the event. "If you'd like to get premium tickets for the DCI Eastern Classic, don't wait," DCI ticketing manager Kristi Armstrong recommends. Based on availability, fans who have already purchased tickets to the DCI Eastern Classic who would like to relocate to the upper deck can still do so by calling 317.275.1212 x3.