The competition highlights various levels, each one tailored to the experience and skill of the performers.
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
Units from across the nation, as well as Canada and the Netherlands participate in the championships. Competition schedules and more information can be found at www.wgi.org.
Winter Guard is the sport of indoor color guard, according to WGI. It combines the use of flags, sabers, mock rifles and other equipment, as well as dance and other interpretive movement.
“It is called the ‘Sport of the Arts’ because it brings music to life through performance in a competitive format,” Bart Woodley, WGI director of operations and sponsor relations, previously told this news outlet. “WGI competitions combine the athleticism of an Olympic event with the pageantry of a Broadway stage performance.”
In 2024, the WGI World Championships collectively attracted over 65,000 attendees over two weekends, with about 15,000 of them being performers representing 577 wind, percussion, and color guard groups, including several local high schools, he said.
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
WGI events are Dayton’s largest annual convention, generating an estimated direct spending economic impact of approximately $34 million, according to Destination Dayton. The second largest event in Montgomery County, in terms of estimated direct spending economic impact, would be the NCAA First Four Tournament, the organization previously said. It generates around $5.8 million in estimated direct spending economic impact, with approximately 25,000 people in attendance,
WGI Sport of the Arts is the main governing body for winter guard, indoor percussion, and winds activities and organizes events. Founded in 1977 and headquartered in Miamisburg, the nonprofit youth organization is committed to holding the event in Dayton through 2031.
WGI hosts more than 70 regional events across the United States and has organized international competitions in countries such as China, Costa Rica, Malaysia, Netherlands, Philippines, Thailand and the United Kingdom.
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
WHAT: WGI Sport of the Arts World Championships
WHEN: WGI Color Guard World Championships, through Saturday; WGI Percussion & Winds World Championships, April 10-13.
WHERE:WGI Color Guard World Championships Competition Venues & Schedules:
- Today:
- University of Dayton Arena, 7:07 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.
WGI Percussion World Championships Competition Venues & Schedules:
- Thursday:
- University of Dayton Arena, 7 a.m. – 12:22 a.m.
- Wright State University Nutter Center, 7:25 a.m. – 12:30 a.m.
- Truist Arena at Northern Kentucky University, 7 a.m. – 11:15 p.m.
- Hobart Arena, 6:55 a.m. – 4:59 p.m.
- Friday:
- University of Dayton Arena, 7 a.m. – 11:27 p.m.
- Wright State University Nutter Center, 6:55 a.m. – 11:27 p.m.
- Northern Kentucky University’s Truist Arena, 6:55 a.m. – 7:50 p.m.
- April 12:
- University of Dayton Arena, 7 a.m. – 12:17 a.m.
WGI Winds World Championships Competition Venues & Schedules:
- April 12:
- Truist Arena at Northern Kentucky University, 6:55 a.m. – 10:41 p.m.
- April 13:
- University of Dayton Arena, 7 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
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