‘Crowning moment to celebrate.’ Bluecoats win Drum Corps International World Championships

The Canton-based corps won the 2024 Drum Corps International World Championships on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, completing its first undefeated season. Its performance of “Change is Everything” earned the top spot.

The group — which has trained the last couple of years at the University of Mount Union in Alliance — had a record-breaking score of 98.75 and received its eighth medal in nine seasons.

“… The corps was incredible and proved itself the champion,” Bluecoats CEO Mike Scott said in a prepared statement. “We’re incredibly proud of that. But win or lose, I’m particularly proud of this corps and our organization for setting out to challenge itself artistically and also achieve big things and reach for very lofty values. This championship is a crowning moment to celebrate all that we have accomplished.”

The Bluecoats, a nonprofit arts education group founded in 1972, last won the championship in 2016. The organization noted that the Indianapolis event was the finale in a string of 17 competitive shows, and 21 performances on its 8,000-mile national tour.