Colt Cadets Move-In Details

May 28, 2026

Colt Cadets Move In

The 2026 season is almost here! Be sure you are up-to-date on all details for Move Ins. RSVP one last time before the start of summer to be sure we have all of your travel plans and arrival details. Make sure you (and your parents!) have signed up for our email list. Important information will be sent out throughout the summer via our email list.

REGISTRATION

Parents and students will begin the check-in process at Central DeWitt High School beginning at 6:30 PM on Friday, June 5. Click here for a Google Map of the facility. We will register and unload equipment followed by a brief full corps meeting. After the meeting, we will split into sectionals and then have a light snack with lights out at 11:00 PM. Students will sleep in the gym, and parents are welcome to stay at the school in the volunteer room.

If you must arrive earlier than 6:30 PM on Friday, you can be dropped off at the Colts corps hall around 4:30 PM and we will shuttle students to DeWitt shortly after 5:00 PM. The address for the corps hall is 2300 Twin Valley Dr., Dubuque, IA 52003.

SPRING TRAINING AIRLINE PLANS

On June 5, flights will be treated like a normal camp day. We provide ground transportation into surrounding airports (Moline or Cedar Rapids) but you MUST communicate your flight plans on your RSVP. MLI (Moline) and CID (Cedar Rapids) are closest to Dubuque and reasonable in fare. Flights should land NO LATER than 5:30 PM on Friday. If you need help finding a ride to camp, please notify us ASAP by email at harlan@colts.org. You can also help fellow members by offering a ride in your vehicle.

On any other day of move-ins, if you plan on flying, you must communicate with Harlan prior to booking a flight. We will work with you to ensure your flight plans work well with the corps travel plans.

Students with school still in session during move-ins are asked to attend evening and weekend portions of rehearsal, if they are within a reasonable distance of our housing site, so they don't fall behind. Attendance and communication are critical.

MIDSEASON BREAK AND AIRLINE PLANS

We will begin our midseason break, and no longer provide housing on July 14. For local families, student pickup following our performance in Olathe, Kansas, on July 13 will be possible, once a student’s full responsibilities are complete. We will also offer pick up from the housing location the following morning during our meal time. Parents MUST arrive before the bus departs for Dubuque, Iowa at 9:00 AM Central. We will also have a shuttle to the Kansas City airport (MCI) on the morning of July 14, where flights must be booked NO SOONER than 11:00 AM CDT. Students also have the option of taking the bus back to Dubuque for pickup with additional pickup stops tentatively in Eagleville, Missouri; Altoona, Iowa; and Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Parents MUST be at the pickup location prior to our arrival to keep the rest of our stops on schedule. Our estimated time of arrival in Dubuque is 5:00 PM Central.

RETURN FROM BREAK PLANS

Parents and students will begin the check-in process at Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School in Dubuque, IA beginning at 6:30 PM on Sunday, July 19. Click here for a Google Map of the facility. If needed, we will have drop off at the Dubuque corps hall (2300 Twin Valley Drive, Dubuque, IA 52003) available in the afternoon. Please communicate if you require an earlier drop off timeline. For flights in, please again use the MLI or CID airports and plan to land NO LATER than 5:30 PM.

AUGUST DEPARTURE AND AIRLINE PLANS

Our official end of season dismissal will be Saturday evening, August 8, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Housing will be provided for those staying until the following morning, August 9. For those staying until Sunday morning, and planning to be picked up at the housing location, pickup MUST be during our morning mealtime. We will again have the bus available for students to take back to Dubuque with additional pickup stops along the way, tentatively in Oakwood, Illinois; Morton, Illinois; and Davenport, Iowa.

For those who will be flying home after the season, you should purchase a plane ticket out of the Indianapolis Airport (IND) NO EARLIER than 12:00 Noon on Sunday, August 9.

SUMMER TOUR PAPERWORK

A reminder that the following paperwork must be turned in prior to you moving in with the corps. You can bring the paperwork with you when you move in, but it is better to email it ahead of time to harlan@colts.org.

FUEL THE COLT CADETS Member Fundraiser

Fuel The COLT CADETS is a critical project for us, and the only fundraiser for which we expect everyone's participation. We ask that you collect a minimum of $200 in food donations.

The vast majority (90%+) of Colts and Cadets do a great job, but we do remind you that this is a requirement of your membership, agreed to in your membership contract.

Reach out to people in your world who are proud of your involvement with the Colts, and ask if they would support you and your fellow members. We believe part of our mission at the Colts is to instill the importance of helping others as you go on in life. Together, we can make a difference and impact our world for good. Thank you!

DCI WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS HOTEL & TICKETS

Finals Week is August 6-8, in Indianapolis, Indiana. All tickets for DCI World Championships events are sold through Drum Corps International.

The Colt Cadets have DCI Open Class prelims and finals in Dayton, Ohio, on Monday and Tuesday and will also be performing in World Class Prelims on Thursday in Lucas Oil Stadium. DCI Open Class Championships tickets must be purchased directly from DCI.

Hotel accommodations are available at the Courtyard by Marriott Downtown Indianapolis. You may book a room using the following link: https://book.passkey.com/go/DCI2026COLTS Enter your CHECK IN and CHECK OUT dates to see your room options.

PARENT INFORMATION FOR SUMMER

Make sure you've signed up for our email distribution list. We will use this to communicate regularly throughout the summer. Be sure you have also joined the Colt Cadets Parents Facebook Group for updates and photos.

We still have spots open on the volunteer calendar for the summer! Please check your schedules and let us know if/when you can help. Even just a few days during Spring Training or summer tour would be incredibly helpful! You can view our Volunteer Calendar here. Remember, we can be very creative in getting you in and out of tour. Cooks, Van Drivers, and/or Those Who Sew, email ccvolunteers@colts.org. CDL Drivers, email harlan@colts.org.

Need help with travel? We are here to guide you! You can email ccvolunteers@colts.org with any questions you may have. Even one day with us helps! Come as early as you can to give us a hand (and bring fresh fruits or vegetables!).

COLT CADETS WISH LIST FOR IN-KIND DONATIONS

For our full wish list, click here!

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