Colts Drum & Bugle Corps

Originally founded as the "Junior Dukes" in 1963 by American Legion Post #6 in Dubuque, IA as a junior corps for students in the tri-state area, the Colts have grown to become one of the longest lived and most consistently successful drum corps in the activity. In 1967, the organization began a Cadet corps for younger students in the area. Going through many name and identity changes throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the organization finally landed on the name "Colts" for the older corps and "Colt Cadets" for the younger corps in 1976. That same year, the Colts sponsored a winter guard that quickly earned national acclaim. The guard captured the prestigious Midwest Color Guard Circuit Championship, and later that year won the V.F.W. National Color Guard Championship. Since then, the organization has grown considerably, and annually impacts more than 500 students through the two drum corps, summer band, and steel drum ensembles, as well as thousands of fans who see the groups perform every season. The Colts have experienced significant competitive success, placing in the Top 12 at the Drum Corps International (DCI) World Championships eight times since 1993 and in the Top 25 every year since 1982. The Colts Cadets have also had competitive success, placing in the Top 12 at the Drum Corps International Open Class Championships seven times since 2010.