The festival is not a competition, but an opportunity for fans and band members alike to view bands that perform a variety of shows and exhibit different performance styles.
Celebrating its 21st occurrence in 2016, the festival has a number of traditions, which spectators and performers have come to anticipate on an annual basis.
Order of performance
The order of performance is rotated on an annual basis although it still follows a pattern where smaller-sized bands perform early in the day and larger bands perform later. As a custom, the first band to perform also plays the National Anthem to signify the start of the festival.
Vendors
The festival features an area for vendors to set up information booths. Vendors have included companies involved in the marching arts, drum and bugle corps from both Drum Corps International and Drum Corps Associates, and recruiting tables for participating schools.
Concessions
J. Birney Crum Stadium boasts some eccentric food choices. Among them can be found fried pierogies and giant Hawaiian Shave Ices that resemble softball-sized snow cones. Many festival-goers make these treats a regular part of the annual event.
Musical Organizations
The Collegiate Marching Band Festival is traditionally staffed by the Eta Rho chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi and the Zeta Upsilon chapter of Tau Beta Sigma. Members of these organizations from several chapters use the festival as a time to gather together and socialize while engaging in their own particular traditions.
Additional musical fraternities such as Phi Mu Alpha also congregate at this time.
Alumni and members of area drum corps gather and socialize at the event; most notably the Reading Buccaneers gather annually at the end of the event on or near the field.
Students, staff, and alumni from the participating bands take this opportunity to commingle with other members and before all the schools depart.
Many of the organizations sing their respective hymn/song before departing the festival.
Tubas/Sousaphones
After the last band performs, the tuba and sousaphone players from several of the larger bands congregate at the center of the field to play traditional tunes, socialize with each other, and generally put on a humorous display for the exiting crowds. This congregation is called "The Clusterfun".
