WE'RE IN OPENING SET FOR 2026!
HOW WE ENGAGE YOU!
As we kick off 2026, we want to share with you all the ways your Alumni Council engages you. As we’ve grown over the last decade, we have branched out in many ways to offer you a lot of opportunities, activities and information, as well as fundraising just like colleges do with their alumni. Take a moment to absorb the graphic above and appreciate how unique our Alumni group is!
RECOGNITION AWARDS
JohnDavid Mayo is inducted to the Hall of Fame, August 2025
The window to nominate someone for Bluecoats Hall of Fame or the Bluecoat Bloo Ribbon and Unsung Hero awards is now open! Here is a reminder about the awards and their differences.
The Hall of Fame is reserved for those who have given an extraordinary contribution to Bluecoats, generally over a sustained period of time. To nominate an individual, read up on the details shown here. In sum, an individual should coordinate the process with others to gather letters of support and to submit them at one time. The committee can elect to retain a submission and re-consider in future years should the nominee not be selected in this year.
The other Recognition Awards meet a less intensive process, needing only one individual to submit supporting reasoning and examples for consideration. Both the Bluecoat Bloo Ribbon, for excellence as a performer, and Unsung Hero, for behind the scenes dedication, awards do not have to be for currentparticipation. If you feel someone from “back in the day” is deserving to be recognized today for the excellence as a performer or for their volunteer work, please nominate them!
If you are chatting with folks you marched with and the talk centers around that person that everyone said was the best marcher and everyone tried to emulate, why not nominate for Bluecoat Bloo Ribbon? That one bus driver always went above and beyond in caring and listening to those on your bus? Nominate for Unsung Hero! How about someone that really stands out with Legacy Arc? Or is making it on the music scene today? That’s a Bluecoat Bloo Ribbon nominee! Someone volunteering for the corps or corps functions the past few summers? There’s your Unsung Hero!
LEGACY ARC
Legacy Arc returns in 2026 for Brass, Battery, Color Guard and Honor Guard! Registration kicks off in February. This year, Legacy Arc is performing a medley of pieces celebrating the "6s" using original Bluecoats arrangements and new arrangements blended together by Ryan Adamsons and Eric Krebs. Selections include, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Hungarian Dance No. 5, Big Day in Bristol, Distorted (from La Nouba), and Great Gig in the Sky. Performance weekend is June 26-27 in Alliance, Ohio. Rehearsal (mandatory) will be on Friday and Saturday. Legacy Arc will perform at the Bluecoats Opening Night Celebration on June 27 and play an encore with the Bluecoats!
Optional (but highly recommended) zoom sectionals begin in March. An in person camp (optional) will occur on April 25 in Ohio.
Registration is $80 if you have a shirt from 2025. This includes lunch on Friday and Saturday and a chevron patch. This fee also pays for the truck, flags, food, and arrangements.
If you need a shirt (Brass, battery, honor guard), they will be $15, and Legacy Arc shield patches are available for $5. Color guard will purchase their shirts separately.
VIRTUAL REUNIONS STARTING SOON!
One of our annual activities is to get together with your fellow alumni from the years you marched. We have scheduled the decade reunions for 2026! New for 2026 is that we ask you register for your reunion so we can email you a reminder as it comes and then to email you the link to the video meet! Register for yours here! Exact times will be determined from registrations!
1976: February 8th
1986: February 22nd
1996: March 15th
2006: March 29th
2016: May 3rd
NEW MERCH OFFERING!
We’d like to offer you a personalized ALUMNI Hockey Jersey in red, white and Bluecoats blues (hat tip to Bloo96’s 30th birthday!). This is a pre-order item, with the window for ordering running from now through March 5th. Customize the jersey with your last name (or corps nickname!) and either your age-out year, another season you marched or whatever number works for you! Keep in mind that hockey jerseys run BIG, so if you plan on ordering one that fits nicely, you may want to size down from your normal size. A sizing chart is included with the ordering information.
IT'S COLD, LET'S TALK SUMMER!
This summer we’d like to hang out with you more often! We’ve identified five shows where we think we could have a big alumni presence. We’d like to create a space before the show where we can meet and greet. Not necessarily tailgate (not that anyone would oppose!), but just a simple space to gather and chat. Are you able to help host one of these? Do you have access to a canopy that could be popped up in a parking lot? Alumni Council will help with the little things and signage if you are willing to bring a canopy and spread good cheer!
July TBD, CALIFORNIA!
July 16, Denton, TX
July 26, Winston-Salem, NC (we have a host for this!)
July 31, Allentown, PA
Aug 8, Indianapolis Lunch (we host this!)
If you’d like to host any of these, or host one that we didn’t list and think there are good numbers of Alums, we’ll help advertise it! Reach out at alumni@bluecoats.com.
