Clinics
Each band will receive a 20 minute clinic following their performance. The clinics will take place inside Lafayette High School and will include a video of your preliminary performance. The clinician will use this video to assist in their clinic. It is your choice as to who attends the clinic. The clinics are designed for you students to attend but you may choose to only take your staff.
We will have a staging area for your equipment in the south lot outside the stadium. Once your clinic concludes, please take your equipment back to your parking area so that we have room for the next band.
Parking
The parking lot will be very crowded. Please encourage your parents to carpool as much as possible! Cars parked on Clayton Road or Highway 109 may be ticketed and/or towed. Parking on private property around the school is also prohibited.
Additional parking is available at Babler Elementary School, a quarter of a mile north of Lafayette on Highway 109. There is a wide sidewalk between the schools and for safety, please cross Clayton Road at the traffic light for the main entrance into the LHS parking lot. Beginning at noon and continuing until the end of the competition, a shuttle will run between Babler Elementary to Lafayette High School. Equipment vehicles will be parked in the parking lot with your busses.
Temporary restrooms will be available in the bus parking area as well as in the warm-up areas.
For bands bringing equipment in a tractor trailer, it will be easier to enter Lafayette’s parking lot if you come to the school via westbound Clayton Road.
Escorts
An escort will meet you when your bus arrives and stay with you until after your band performs.
Warm-up
You are scheduled for 25 minutes of warm-up in either Area #1 or #2. It will not be a lined warm-up area. Please be sure that your band faces away from the stadium, and that your students DO NOT play their instruments other than during this warm-up time and during the performance. If your drum line would like to warm-up prior to the assigned time, they must play on pads. The use of amplified metronomes is prohibited during warm-up. Due to the close proximity of the stadium to our parking area, this is the only time you may warm-up.
There is no assigned visual warm-up area. You are welcome to warm-up in available areas on campus as long as it does not interfere with another group’s assigned warm-up time or our traffic flow. If you have questions concerning an appropriate place for a visual warm-up, please refer questions to your escort.
Band Stadium Entry and Exit
You will enter the field from the west., (left of the audience) and exit to the east (right of the audience). Please do not deviate from this.
In addition to a new turf field and stadium lights, we have a new track. Driving on the track is prohibited. All motorized vehicles, props, and front ensemble equipment must be on the field. There will be turf pathways on the southwest (entry) and northeast (exit) to roll equipment. We appreciate your cooperation!
Announcements
We will announce band name, school name, city, director(s), and program. He will say, “Are the judges ready?” then, “Drum major(s), is your band ready?” (salute) then, “You may take the field in preliminary/finals competition.”
Power Outlet
A grounded power strip will be available on the front sideline.
Storage and Changing Rooms
Your buses and support vehicles must serve as your storage and changing areas. Please instruct your students NOT to use the restrooms to change!
Food
IF YOU FEEL IT IS IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THE CONTINUATION OF A HIGH QUALITY EVENT, PLEASE PATRONIZE OUR CONCESSIONS RATHER THAN SEEKING OTHER OPTIONS SO THAT WE MAY CONTINUE TO BRING YOU THE FINEST EVENT POSSIBLE.
The Lafayette Band Boosters work very hard to provide a wide variety of concessions. Our concession stand will be open throughout the day with many menu items to choose from. A concessions menu is provided on the website.
No open flame or propane grills are allowed on the Lafayette campus.
Hospitality Rooms and Restrooms
We will have food and drinks for the Director’s and staff of each band. There will be an additional hospitality room with snacks available for the bus drivers.
Note that restrooms in the building are available to Directors, staff and bus drivers only. Students and spectators must only use the restrooms by the stadium or the additional temporary restrooms provided in the parking lot.
The hospitality rooms are located inside the main entrance of the school underneath the “LAFAYETTE” sign. Please assist our volunteers by confirming your identity and showing your wristband to the security desk on arrival.
Health and Wellness
Paramedics will be on site for emergencies as well as a first aid station for minor issues. In addition, St. Luke’s Urgent Care, 636-256-8644, is less than ten minutes from the Stadium.
In the case of lightning, we will make the Main Gym of Lafayette High School available for participants and spectators to take cover.
In the case of an excessive heat index, we have the option of making the Lafayette High School Commons available as a cooling area for participants and spectators. We also have hoses for you to fill water jugs to hydrate your students. Consistent hydration on a hot day is the best way to keep everybody safe from heat related illness.
The building will not be open for anything except the clinics unless these conditions make it necessary.
Wristbands
Wristbands to enter the competition will be sold at the west gate and are priced at $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for non-participating students and seniors 65+. Each band director will receive complimentary wristbands when you arrive. You will receive a minimum of 10 additional wrist bands for staff and parent helpers, in addition to the student wrist bands. For bands larger than 100 members, the number of additional wrist bands will be 10% of your total band number. For instance, a 150 member band will receive 15 additional wrist bands for staff and parent helpers.
The additional wrist bands are for you to use as you see fit for staff, equipment crew, administrators, etc.
Please make sure all participants (including parent help) put the wristbands on when you arrive. No one will be permitted to enter the stadium unless wearing a wrist band.
Videotaping
One representative from your band may videotape the performance of your band only from the area immediately to the east of the press box. Please do not go to this area until it is time for your band to perform. We will be providing you with a professional video from the top of the press box.
Rain Plan
Of course it will not rain, but on the outside chance that we could be wrong, here is the plan:
- If it is raining on the morning of the contest, we will make a decision as to whether or not to make any adjustments to the schedule by 8 am. You may call the band office (636-733-4100, ext. 44004) or Mr. Balog’s cell phone if you are unsure of the situation.
- If it rains after that point, we will continue if at all possible. Please understand that in the event of a rainout, we would not be able to refund the entry fees, however, we will give you a $250 credit toward the entry fee for next year’s Contest of Champions.
“Director’s Only” Section
The top two rows of bleachers in the center section will be reserved for band directors.
Seating
Please have your students sit on the visitor side of the stadium. We know that this is not ideal however we need to keep the home side open for fans that pay admission. Your parents will thank us both when they have a place to sit and watch the competition.