OK, this wasn't a trip to Nationals. But, because of the locations of the AL and VFW Nationals that year, we sought an invitation to the very prestigious "National Dream" invitational contest in Bayonne, New Jersey.

Her are some comments;

1963 DREAM CONTEST - JERSEY CITY, NJ
August 18, 1963

Scores:
1. Blessed Sacrament Golden Knights, NJ 84.566
2. Garfield Cadets, NJ 84.33
3. St. Kevin’s Emerald Knights, Boston, MA 83.523
4, Norwood Park Imperials 75.976
5. Audubon All Girls, NJ 75.673
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From Dave Borck:
Another long bus trip.. this time to New Jersey. Stayed in “beautiful” Secaucus, NJ .. across the road from a refinery! Had a Friday night contest on Long Island, where we were defeated by the St. Lucy’s Cadets from Newark. Then, on to the Dream!

That show was great. Top level junior and senior corps .. Garfield, Blessed Sacrament, St. Kevin’s. The senior corps were great! Also, a great stadium for drum corps. The crowd was a very knowledgeable drum corps crowd and was really appreciative. Unfortunately, nerves got the best of us and our show wasn’t really great.

Afterwards, we visited a Garfield Cadet practice and enjoyed getting to know them. The corps left New Jersey for a side trip to Washington, for “educational” purposes!
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From John Anderson (1960s)

Other than the contest I recollect going to a Garfield Cadets practice on the Monday after the Dream. Their horn line practiced in a small room in the basement of the Legion hall. Billy Caldwell was a palace compared to that location.

Bigger part of the trip was the after contest visit to Washington DC area. We didn't have any shows or parades. Stayed at a motel in Alexandria VA. I'd done the tourist thing with my parents about 5 years earlier and don't really recollect anything specific on that visit. Don't really know why we spent the money to extend the trip to Washington DC.

As we were leaving, buses of people were arriving for the start of the historic Civil Rights Rally that happened a few days later. I recollect noticing a lot of buses going toward the city as we were driving Northwest through Maryland.

Some of our music in 1963: Flying Dutchman, My Heart Tells Me, God Bless America (FP), Old Man River (concert), Harlem Nocturne

What did you do in the Corps? percussion

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63