National convention band contest canceled

During American Legion Spring Meetings in Indianapolis in May, the National Convention Commission approved to suspend the 2014 American Legion National Convention Band Contest in Charlotte due to only one band stating they would participate.

The commission placed into effect for 2015 a rule that there must be a minimum of two participating bands in each class by June 1 of each year in order to conduct the contest at the national convention. The contest will resume at the 2015 convention in Baltimore if there are at least two participating bands in each class.

The 2013 competition in Houston featured only one band: the American Legion Band of Greater Kansas City (Mo.), making its 63rd consecutive appearance.

Note: In the June issue of The American Legion's monthly print newsletter Dispatch, it stated that the color guard contest for the Legion’s 96th national convention in Charlotte had been canceled when in fact it’s the band contest that has been canceled.