November Rehearsal Camp Details

The first three-day audition and rehearsal weekend for the 2025 Colts will be held November 29 - December 1, at Five Flags Center in Dubuque, Iowa. The address is: 405 Main St, Dubuque, IA 52001. The November rehearsal weekend is for all sections. Click here for a Google map to the facility.

Always check our website within a few hours of leaving for Dubuque for any last-minute updates! Registration and unloading will begin at 6:00 PM on Friday. Rehearsal begins at 8:00 PM, and will conclude at 3:00 PM on Sunday. Plan on arriving at 6:00 PM to register and unload equipment.

Auditions & Callbacks

Auditions have already begun with students submitting an audition video in advance. IF YOU DID NOT SUBMIT AN AUDITION VIDEO, YOU CAN — AND SHOULD — STILL ATTEND THE REHEARSAL WEEKEND. Our staff will plan to see you individually to assess your skills. All students will be evaluated within their section throughout the weekend.

The cost for the Colts rehearsal weekend is $100 which helps cover the cost of instruction, facilities, and food. IF YOU HAVE NOT YET JOINED THE RED ZONE, YOU WILL NEED TO PAY $125 TO GET YOUR AUDITION MATERIALS IN ADDITION TO THE $100 REHEARSAL FEE ($225 TOTAL). You can pay the fees online for both the November camp and the Red Zone (if you have not already enrolled). These fees cover the cost of your audition and the event but do not apply toward your summer tuition.

Camp Paperwork

Prior to camp, you will be expected to turn in:

Registration \ Please register in advance so we can prepare for your attendance. Be sure to include all applicable flight and travel information in the RSVP. If you need a ride from the airport, you will be notified by the Wednesday immediately before the camp with shuttle information.

Member Application \ Submit your application in advance to save time at check in. All auditioning students must submit a member application. The application only needs to be submitted once per year, unless your information changes. Email a headshot of yourself to camp@colts.org. Include your name (first and last), section, and which audition camp you are attending. This picture is added to your audition file so our instructional team can quickly learn your name and face. This picture should be submitted before the camp starts and is required of all attending. Make sure the image is clear, well lit, and contains your whole face. As awesome as your sunglasses or Snapchat filters may look, they should not be included in your headshot.

When you arrive to check in on Friday, bring with you:

Colts Medical History Form \ This form is required in order to audition. The medical form also provides permission to participate in our activities. Students 18 or older may sign their own medical form. Any student 17 or younger must have a parent or guardian signature to participate. Medical forms only need to be submitted once per year, unless your information changes. Be sure to complete all three pages!

Travel Plans

We provide ground transportation for flights into airports surrounding Dubuque (Quad Cities - MLI, Cedar Rapids - CID, Madison - MSN, or Rockford - RFD) but you MUST notify us prior to booking. Please note that the Cedar Rapids and Moline airports close overnight. Do not plan on spending the night before or after camp at these airports.

Chicago Shuttle \ We will run one shuttle on Friday and Sunday to Chicago’s O'Hare airport. The shuttle (bus or van depending on the number traveling) will depart O’Hare at 3:30 PM on Friday. The shuttle will be scheduled to arrive at O’Hare on Sunday evening at 5:00 PM. ORD (Chicago O'Hare) travel MUST land prior to 3:00 PM on Friday and depart no earlier than 6:30 PM on Sunday. If you plan on using Chicago O'Hare, please let Kathleen (kathleen@colts.org) know prior to booking flights.

If you need help finding a ride to camp, or to arrange rides from an airport or bus station, please notify us ASAP by email at colts@colts.org. You can also help fellow members by offering a ride in your vehicle. On your RSVP, please let us know if you have extra room or if you cannot find a ride. All flight details should also be listed on your RSVP.

Parking

Parking is available after 6:00 PM on Friday in the city lot next to (north of) the Five Flags Center at the corner of 5th and Main Streets. Parking is also available behind the Holiday Inn (for guests only), as well as in the Five Flags Center Ramp on the corner of 4th and Iowa Streets. As most of the downtown parking is metered on Saturday, all should be sensitive and aware of where you park to avoid getting ticketed.

What To Bring

Students stay overnight on the floor, as you will all summer. Bring changes of clothes, shower supplies, towel, sleeping bag and pillow, comfortable clothes for rehearsal (no jeans), tennis shoes (no high tops), and a water bottle. Many students will bring an inflatable mattress with a battery-powered air pump. Cots are allowed in the Five Flags Center. The arena floor can be chilly at night so arrive prepared. Cots are NOT PERMITTED at other camps or on tour in order to prevent damage to gym floors. Bring a binder with plastic sleeves for your music and any handouts. You will receive an audition t-shirt at check in. Write your name on your audition shirt as you will wear it for all rehearsal segments throughout the weekend.

Brass: Bring your own mouthpiece, marching instrument, music stand, binder for music, and gloves. If you have absolutely no access to an instrument and need one provided, contact colts@colts.org. Be prepared to play the exercises and excerpts provided in the brass packet that best fits your area of interest. We will evaluate you individually, and as a part of the ensemble.

Percussion: Bring your own sticks and/or mallets and a practice pad. A stand for your pad is beneficial if you have one available. We will provide all other instruments for camps. Prospective members should be familiar with the exercise packet that best fits your area of interest. Front ensemble students are expected to perform a short segment of a personal selection for the individual audition. We will evaluate all percussion students individually, and as a part of the group.

Color Guard: Bring black lightweight workout clothing for rehearsals (no jeans), black pants or shorts, and a black shirt for Sunday's performance, your own rifle and/or sabre (if you would like), and knee pads (recommended). There is no need to purchase any special equipment for rehearsals. You will wear your audition t-shirt for most rehearsal segments throughout the weekend.

Membership Contracts

There are multiple spots available in all sections. A small number of contracts will have already been determined based on audition videos. Following the weekend, you will receive 1) an offer of membership, 2) a callback for a second event, 3) a recommendation to consider Colt Cadets to gain a year of drum corps experience, or 4) a suggestion to come back again next year. Most will receive a callback to a second rehearsal, so please plan accordingly. Attend early and attend often for your best chance at a position in the 2025 Colts.

Colt Cadets 2025

Students interested in joining Colt Cadets in 2025 are welcome to attend Colts camps. While there is no formal audition for Colt Cadets, many of the battery members in Colt Cadets are students who we've first seen at Colts camps as the battery percussion positions are often in high demand. If you are not auditioning for Colts, you do not need to enroll in the Red Zone but you must register for the camp and pay the $100 fee. The camp fee helps cover the cost of food, housing and instruction for the weekend. Once you pay for the weekend, we'll send you our 2025 exercise packet FREE OF CHARGE ($25 value) so you can prepare prior to attending camp. If you are not attending camp, you can download the packet of audition exercises for $25. Questions? Reach out to Harlan Pfohl, Colt Cadets Director, via email.

Schedule Conflicts

Camp attendance is critical to our mutual success. If you cannot attend this rehearsal but are planning to attend an upcoming audition, please communicate in advance by emailing colts@colts.org. It is important to communicate with your caption head as well. Too much communication is ALWAYS better than not enough. If you have schedule conflicts with our preseason rehearsals, talk with us. Attending part of the weekend is better than not attending at all. Do not lose your opportunity to earn a position with the Colts over a lack of communication.

Parents

An informational meeting for parents will be held Friday evening at 8:45 PM. Bring all your questions you may have about auditions or summer tour! Schedules will be available at the check in table with locations for everything going on throughout the weekend. If you arrive at a random time throughout the weekend, the kitchen or registration table are great places to start with questions anytime you visit or to find out where you can help.

Parents are strongly encouraged to attend the weekend. Parental support is what makes the Colts successful, and you are needed to give the kids the incredible Colts experience we are known for. Also, this is the best way for you to find out about our program, meet other parents, and get comfortable with what drum corps is all about. You will find a very welcoming and exciting opportunity here.

Parents will cook and serve the meals throughout the weekend, coordinate sewing projects, and assist with some repair work or construction projects at the corps warehouse. We always have things to do for anyone willing to lend a hand!

Parents are welcome to stay overnight in designated rooms at Five Flags with sleeping bags and air mattresses. If parents are interested in hotel accommodations, there are a variety of hotel options in town. Auditioning students are expected to stay with the group overnight at Five Flags. As always, email or call us with any questions you may have.

Parents should fill out the Adult Medical Release Form prior to arrival. The information is important in the rare instance of a medical emergency. Parents are encouraged to sign onto the email distribution list to receive Colts information via email.

Souvenirs

Throughout the weekend, all items in the Colts Mall will be available for sale! The holidays are coming up soon, and the weekend will be a great time to purchase a present for your special someone! Anyone is able to purchase souvenirs — students, parents, friends, family and alumni. The souvenir racks will be set up by the check in table.

Sunday Afternoon Performance

A wrap up performance including all participants will be held Sunday in the arena at Noon. You will be amazed at the progress we make in just one short weekend.

Email And Facebook

All students will need to enroll in the Red Zone to receive audition information and exercises. These materials are emailed to you after enrolling online. Join our Facebook groups for your area of interest! These pages will help you meet other members prior to auditions and clarify questions you may have.

General Interest Group

Discord Channel

Colts Cooks, Parents & Volunteers (for parents)

Make sure you have signed onto the email distribution list with your current email address, and check your email frequently! Parents are also encouraged to sign up for the membership email list.

Welcome! We are excited to have you as a part of the Colts family!