Kilties Drum and Bugle Corps

The Kilties are an all-age drum and bugle corps competing in the Drum Corps Associates circuit. It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Racine, Wisconsin.

Early History

The Junior Kilties

The Kilties Drum and Bugle Corps was started in 1936 as an all boy drum and bugle corps. The original name of the corps was the Kiwanis Kilties in honor of the sponsor. A local seamtress made the original uniforms for the corps. The first plaid that the corps wore was the Royal Stewart tartan. The corps made their debut on July 4, 1936 at the Independence Day Parade. It was on August 5, 1936 that the corps hit the field for exhibition at the local music festival.

Modern History

The Senior/All-Age Kilties

In 1993 the Kilties reformed as an all male senior/alumni participating in local events and competitions.

The Corps then entered back into the field competition in 1994 with their debut in Menasha, WI on June 11th, 1994. The Kilties competed exlusively in the Drum Corps Midwest circuit and obtain full DCM membership in Toledo, OH in their first year of competition.

Over seventy years later the Kilties celebrated their anniversary by performing at Syracuse, New York almost at the exact same time as the corps' first performance. A lot of things have changed since the beginning. Women are now part of the rich history of the corps. The corps is no longer a junior corps but now an all age corps. If the corps had remained a junior corps with DCI the age limits would have been up to the age of 21. As a DCA corps the Kilties now have members from 12 to 82.

The Uniform

Over the years the All Age Kilties have sported various tartans and battle jackets since they re-emerged in 1993.

The current uniform consists of a Modern Buchanan tartan and a black battle jacket with a white sash across the chest with yellow piping. Accessories for the uniform are: Black Tam, White Guantlets, Black Knee High Socks with Red flashers, White Spats and black shoes. A Sporran is also worn by the horn players.

External links

* [http://kilties.com/ kilties.com]
* [http://www.kilties.org kilties.org]
* [http://www.kiltiespercussion.com kiltiespercussion.com]
* [http://www.myspace.com/kilties Kilties Myspace]
* [http://www.racinekiltiealumni.org/index.html Racine Kilties Alumni Association]