The wait is over, Buffalo! After a one-year hiatus, "Prelude to Drums Along the Waterfront," will make its return. Musical athletes, representing eight of the best Open Class drum and bugle corps from around the world, will take the field at All High Stadium on July 26, 2008 to entertain and inspire the people of Buffalo.

"Prelude" will begin at 5:00 p.m. at All High Stadium, located at 2885 Main Street behind Bennett High School. Tickets are available through Tops Friendly Markets in all Buffalo locations.

This year's Prelude event will feature the reigning Open Class Champion, the Spartans of New Hampshire. This corps will live up to its champion status and amaze the crowd with the power and skill it packs into every performance.

Also headlining this year's competition are the 150 member Jersey Surf from Camden County, NJ, and Beatrix, all the way from Hilversum, Holland! Rounding out the slate will be; Spirit of Newark/New Jersey from Newark, NJ; Dutch Boy from Kitchner, Ontario; Raiders from Wayne, NJ; Legends from Portage, MI; and Les Stentors from Sherbrooke, Quebec.

"The community of Buffalo is in for a treat," said Jack Gaylord, Jr., President of Drums Along the Waterfront, Inc. "I can't believe two years have passed since our last Buffalo event at Johnnie B. Wiley Sports Pavilion. I remember there wasn't an empty seat in the house and I know this year's competition will not disappoint. We continue to attract many new fans to this musical sport and I hope to add a few more this year," he added.

Drums Along the Waterfront, Inc. (DATW) is a non-profit organization and service-arm of the youth drum and bugle corps activity in Western New York. Its mission is to educate, promote, develop and preserve the operation and artistic standards of this competitive musical sport. The Prelude event is considered the extended family of the Drums Along the Waterfront event, whose home this year will be Ralph Wilson Stadium.

The Prelude event was created 4 years ago to bring this musical sport to the people of Buffalo, some of whom might not otherwise get a chance to be exposed to it. It also aims to educate people about the positive health and wellness aspects youth gain from participating in the sport. Ultimately, the organization hopes to generate enough enthusiasm to start Buffalo's very own drum and bugle corps.

The event itself has wide appeal and has no boundaries. "Young and old alike are sure to be amazed," continued Gaylord. "It is truly a family affair."

There will be a free music and marching education clinic hosted by the Raiders drum & bugle corps prior to this year's Prelude event. The clinic is free with a ticket to the competition and will begin at 2:45 p.m. This free clinic provides the opportunity for participants to come right onto the field to interact and learn from the corps. Plans are also under way with Kaleida Health to provide a wellness component to the clinic.

This unique musical sport also contains a strong educational component. The nature of this group sport teaches kids the power of teamwork. The performance and success of the corps is only as good as each member is willing to contribute. "The kids motivate each other to be better," said Gaylord. "They learn that hard work, determination, discipline and perseverance really pay off. And the kids can apply these attributes to all aspects of their life," added Gaylord.

Mr. Gaylord also works very hard to educate people in Buffalo about the year-long impact this musical sport has on the children of the community. While the Prelude event is very important, it really serves to jumpstart interest so children will want to participate in other educational programming being planned.

Tickets for Prelude are $5.00 and can be purchased at all Tops Friendly Markets locations including: 425 Niagara Street; 345 Amherst Street; 1275 Jefferson Avenue; 1460 South Park Avenue; 1770 Broadway; 2102 Elmwood Avenue; 1740 Sheridan Drive. For more information on the event visit www.drumsalongthewaterfront.org.

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