HS Band Parents- how much does it cost you?

[ten6mom]

I searched threads but didn't find anything that specifically asked this question.

My 14 yo is just finishing his freshman year and he participated in both marching band and "winter season" (that's a new one for me).

Marching band fees for him were $525.
Winter season for him was $900 (that one came with a lovely 'uniform' that we 'get to keep' and also included a bus trip from Phoenix to Temecula for a two-day competition).

I'm curious to know what these activities cost in your neck of the woods.

 

[Southernmiss]

I searched threads but didn't find anything that specifically asked this question.

My 14 yo is just finishing his freshman year and he participated in both marching band and "winter season" (that's a new one for me).

Marching band fees for him were $525.
Winter season for him was $900 (that one came with a lovely 'uniform' that we 'get to keep' and also included a bus trip from Phoenix to Temecula for a two-day competition).

I'm curious to know what these activities cost in your neck of the woods.

In 2017, it was about $200 for marching season. Winter season was more. But our 3 sons did not participate.


We were high school band parents from 2009 to 2017 as our sons went through the program.

There was lots of push back from new to band parents about that cost who had no idea on what all went into making a competitive, quality program. Once their kids were involved and they saw, they realized that it was an expensive endeavor.

We knew that we got off cheap as we did talk to parents from other programs and their fees were often similar to what you experienced.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

Wow, things have changed. My two were in high school concert and marching band 2000-2006 and the cost was only for clarinet reeds and a Hawaiian shirt one year for a performance. There were fund raisers but I don't remember any significant our of pocket $$. This is a small town public school where band is not huge.

 

[STLDisney_Freak]

I paid $750 dollars per kid for the 2019-2020 school year. I paid the money in full instead of the payments they were asking for over this upcoming summer. We live in St Louis and we have a trip to the Memphis planned for the Liberty Bowl. The fees do not include the $20,000 charter bus fee that the band program is going to have to pay for the trip. If they added that to the students it would have been another $200-$300 per student, but the band program is instead trying to fund raise the money for the buses.

Winter Activity is either solo and ensemble and/or winter guard. We do not pay for solo and ensemble. Winter Guard is $280 dollars.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Between my two children, I've had a child in marching band every year between 2008 and 2018. No marching band fees, thank goodness. Football season pass is $15. Plus there was the cost of competition tickets (if we go to see the band). You are asked to work the snack stand once per year. Gotta fundraise for trips. But there is no fee for the activity.

 

[K and K's Mommy]

My college sophomore did all four years of band. He loved it! I loved it! It was such a great group of kids. I can't believe I don't remember the exact number, but I want to say $750. It may have been $650. This very well could have just been a high school rumor, but the kids always said that two bands near us were 1500.

 

[design_mom]

Yikes. I wonder what I'm in for? My daughter is a freshman and did NOT participate in marching band this year, but plans to participate next year. The only fees I'm aware of so far are: our schools $80 pay-to-participate fee, a "summer uniform" $35 and shoes to go with the school-supplied band uniform (?). And parents are expected to work the concession stands at other sporting events. I wonder what else I should expect?

 

[FlightlessDuck]

shoes to go with the school-supplied band uniform

Oh, that's a good point. We had to pay for shoes (Dinkles!) and gloves. I think it was usually around $37.50. Plus there were a couple trips were we had to pay for lunch.

 

[ten6mom]

Wow! Really all over the place. I know when I was in marching band there was no cost to my parents except for the shoes (also Dinkles!) and yes, gloves. And of course incidental supplies that I would have needed for my instrument no matter which band I was in.

I have seen some of the area schools' equipment trucks and they must be like the Cadillac of equipment trucks. Full size 18 wheelers with customized storage and such. Those can't be cheap!

We do some fundraising but I don't really know how much that brings in. I pushed pit all fall season and bought bulk supplies for "Feed the Bears" (when the boosters provide dinner for the kids during band camp and before football games).

The weird thing is that for marching band, the fees covered that "Feed the Bears" plus the transportation to and from all the games and the 3 or 4 competitions. The substantially higher winter season fee does not cover any of that (Except that ride to and from Temecula). Parents are responsible for getting their kids to and from the venue (thankful that all were very local).

 

[Ephany]

I'd have to log into DD's account but it's roughly $500. A lot of that is for uniform upkeep, it's HOT here in SE Georgia and the kids sweat (and stink) when they're marching. It also covers competition fees and bus rentals. The cost of marching band has nothing on the money spent when your kid tells you she needs a new flute. I told her she has to play that baby into college. Now she wants to look into purchasing a piccolo and start taking piano lessons again.

Seriously though, my DD loves marching. She's found her people. And since she gave up soccer to march, the cost is really a wash for us.

 

[RedAngie]

About $500 per year total for all the various fees and activities. This was from fall 2007 to spring 2011.

 

[Music City Mama]

$700 for marching band season. This includes being fed dinner (not lunch, though) of the 10 days of band camp (8 a.m - 8 p.m.) in July and being fed dinner on Friday nights of football games and the Saturdays of competitions.

We also have to pay for our own marching shoes and practice clothes (a specific t-shirt and shorts -- which of course, you wind up purchasing more than one set). My DS is in the drumline so no gloves, but most others also have to purchase gloves.

Indoor/winter drumline is another $450 -- no food included.

Our school system (even though it's one of the best public school systems in the state) contributes nothing -- and they don't allow us to force people to pay -- I think we can "require" $250 -- so, basically everyone is supposed to come with the rest (and we do have fundraisers to help), but there are always those that never pay their fair share -- I know because at parent meetings it's brought up frequently that they've only met "___ %" of their out-of-pocket costs. I don't mind paying more than some people if they truly can't afford it, but I can't imagine that's more than 10% of the 130 or so kids.

Thankfully, we have a great group of parent volunteers, so stuff always gets done.

 

[Prose]

With participation and transportation fees, around $1000 for the season. Kids buy their own shoes and gloves, and an official band t-shirt for summer parades and under the uniforms. Parents run the concessions stands at football games and can earn credit toward the fees by working volunteer hours. We also do a fair number of fundraisers - the school system is quite supportive of the arts programs, but the taxpayers not so much, so things like bus transportation to competitions is paid by the fees. If the band goes out of state to a national-level competition, there can be an additional trip fee of $600-$800 dollars. I don't know what Winter Guard or drumline cost. Being competitive on a national level isn't cheap - you have costs for guard and percussion techs, a show designer, choreographer/movement coach, additional staff for brass and winds, repairs and upkeep for the semi, props materials (band parents build the props), sound tech, rental of additional box trucks for competition days, new costumes each year for guard, possibly field tarps, competition entry fees, travel costs, etc. But I have to say that band kids are some of the best kids I've ever been around, and they are making memories and building confidence, discipline and leadership skills for life.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

My family really got off easy, then. Wow.

 

[DisneyHardin]

Wow - I can't believe how high some of these fees are. I was in high school 25 years ago and was in Marching Band. Most years our "band camp" was just 8 hours days for 2 weeks at school. One year we did go away to camp, but I don't think we had to pay for it. We just had to pay for small things like our Dinkles, gloves and lunch money when we traveled to competitions. In our town football was king and they wanted the band to do the halftime show at the football games, so I assume the band budget came from the Football Gate as our "pay" for providing the halftime show and pep band.

 

[Chaoster]

Both my kids are in marching band. $27 for Dinkles and last year paid for hotel in Syracuse for band competition. $220 for both for two nights. But that also included a night of bowling and dinner.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Both my kids are in marching band. $27 for Dinkles and last year paid for hotel in Syracuse for band competition. $220 for both for two nights. But that also included a night of bowling and dinner.

Yeah, I dunno if some of these fees included expensive trips? Disney was $1300. Dollywood was $850. But those were all optional and you could fundraise for them.

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

Approximately a million dollars. lol

Annual band fee - $250
Indoor season fee (percussion) - I think it was $400 (indoor is so high because it has less kids, but some high expenses - the mat, custom uniforms, licensing fees for the music, buses, competition fees).
Jazz band fee - $50
Disney trip - $800

Some things are annual or as needed - Dinkles, concert season dress, etc.

Oh, and we can fundraise towards fees.

 

[verleniahall]

Just the price of the instrument - it’s a class so everything is provided for u

Even get in to al games free - no pass needed

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

Wow! Really all over the place. I know when I was in marching band there was no cost to my parents except for the shoes (also Dinkles!) and yes, gloves. And of course incidental supplies that I would have needed for my instrument no matter which band I was in.

I have seen some of the area schools' equipment trucks and they must be like the Cadillac of equipment trucks. Full size 18 wheelers with customized storage and such. Those can't be cheap!

We do some fundraising but I don't really know how much that brings in. I pushed pit all fall season and bought bulk supplies for "Feed the Bears" (when the boosters provide dinner for the kids during band camp and before football games).

The weird thing is that for marching band, the fees covered that "Feed the Bears" plus the transportation to and from all the games and the 3 or 4 competitions. The substantially higher winter season fee does not cover any of that (Except that ride to and from Temecula). Parents are responsible for getting their kids to and from the venue (thankful that all were very local).

We just bought an 18 wheeler. It was much more reasonably priced than I expected, but we still have to rent the truck to pull it. It has much more space than the 2 trailers we pull now, and it looks like it will have great organization, which we don't have now. Plus, I hear we'll be able to make most of it back from selling one of the the old trailers.

We bus everywhere - even some places I thought would be easier for parents to do.