RCHS Bands will provide the music for all band alumni. If you are an alum that no longer has an instrument, flip folder, or lyre, we would be happy to help provide those items. However, we are limited on equipment, so instruments are first come, first serve.

Band alumni will meet the Marching Tigers in the rehearsal hall (room 137). Please enter though the double doors next to exit 21. Parking is limited. I recommend parking in the south parking lot, as the north parking lot is reserved for staff and game officials only.

Alumni will march with the band to and from the building to the stadium, and will perform in the stands when the ball isn't in play (time-outs, and between quarters). Alumni won't march during pregame or halftime this year.

The schedule for the night is as follows:

5:15 pm........................Call-time for RCHS ERHS, & WRHS band alumni in room 137 (rehearsal hall/exit 21)

6:20 pm........................Drumline leaves for the stadium

6:40 pm........................Marching Tigers march to the stadium

6:50 pm........................Pre-game (Star-Spangled Banner & Fight Song)

7:00 pm........................Game begins (stand-tunes & half-time show. 3rd quarter off for concessions)

9:20 pm........................Estimated end to the football game

Please contact RCHS Bands for reservations or questions at cjones@rccu1.net, or by calling (618) 393-2191 ext. 3137

Ladies & gentlemen, the Oblong Spooktacular Parade is right around the corner! This is your chance to dress up in your favorite Halloween garb. The parade is hosted in Oblong, IL on Saturday, October 26th, 2019.

The schedule for the Spooktacular Parade is as follows:

4:30 PM.........................................Call-time at RCHS
4:35 PM.........................................Load equipment
5:05 PM.........................................Buses arrive at exit 21
5:15 PM.........................................Depart for Oblong, IL
6:00 PM.........................................Parade line-up
7:00 PM.........................................Parade step-off
11:00 PM.......................................Estimated return time to RCHS


Weather Update
"With the forecast predicting cold temperatures for Saturday evening, we have been working on a plan to help keep your students (a little) more comfortable.  The fair board has approved for us to open up the large pole barn at the park, and St. Thomas Catholic Church in Newton is allowing us to use their large patio heaters so that students can get in out of the cold and get warm.  Please understand, I'm sure it will be very crowded, and your students may have to come in and warm up, then go back outside to allow others to go in.  Also, any students who go in the barn to warm up must be supervised.  We appreciate your cooperation in this, and hope that this will help at least a little bit, to make the best of a cold situation!", Oblong Band Boosters.

Parade Route
The Oblong Spooktacular Parade will follow the same parade route as previous years.  The parade will begin at the Oblong City Park, travel west on Main Street (IL Rt. 33) through town, and end at the west end of town by the Oblong Elementary School.  The bands will turn south (left) on Jefferson Street , go 2 blocks, turn east (left) , travel 2 blocks to Adams – turn south (right) on Adams and continue to the Oblong High School. 
 
Concessions at Park
There will be concessions available at the Oblong City Park since there can be a long wait to march.  Debbie’s concession trailer will be there, as well as the local 4-H club, with a variety of foods available.
 
Parade Line-up
Parade bands will need to be at the Oblong City Park no later than 6:00pm for line-up, Also there is no entrance to the park from Main Street.  When arriving in Oblong, either from the east or west, turn north on Taylor Street and go all the way to the end of Taylor.  This brings you to Wisconsin Street, where you will turn east (right) and follow the road around the Oblong Lake. 
 
The buses and equipment trailers will be directed to the high school after unloading. The band will meet up with the buses at the high school following the parade.
            
Post-Parade / Awards
When arriving back at the Oblong High School, the pavilion and concession area will be serving hot food, popcorn, candy and drinks.  A DJ will be there to play music, and students are welcome to dance on the football field.  Please ask your bands to use the trash and recycle containers located around the school grounds.  There will be portable toilets available in the school parking area, and limited indoor restrooms are available at the southeast corner of the school.

The Marching Tigers will perform the Spar Spangled Banner, School Song, and the first movement to the show this Friday at 6:30 PM in the RCHS stadium.

The call-time for all Marching Tigers is 5:30 PM in the rehearsal hall (room 137). Students, please eat a healthy dinner and drink plenty of water prior to the call-time. 

This event is hosted by the athletic department to showcase members of the dance team, cheerleaders, fall teams, and the Marching Tigers. 

The performance uniform for Meet the Tigers is the summer uniform (department shirts, department shorts, black crew socks, and Drillmaster shoes). Students, please do not wear old show shirts or section shirts.Those of you that participate in a fall sport (examples: football, cheer leading, dance, tennis..) will wear your sport/cheer uniforms instead. I anticipate the band will be done by 7:30 PM at the latest.

Just a reminder that the RCHS Bands performance & events calendar may be found at ​https://www.rchsbands.net/2019-2020-calendar.html. 

EIU PRESEASON CAMP: Good evening, Marching Tigers friends, family, and students. My name is Christopher Jones, director of bands at Richland County High School with a reminder that the RCHS Marching Tigers preseason camp at Eastern Illinois University starts tomorrow, Sunday, August 4th. This message, as well as all other RCHS Bands messages, may be found on the band’s website www.rchsbands.net.

The call-time for drumline & front ensemble is 12 pm tomorrow in the high school band room. Winds (woodwinds and brass) & color-guard, your call-time is 1 pm. The Marching Tigers depart for Charleston, IL at 2 pm. We will not return until Friday, August 9th around 5:30 pm.

Dinner is not provided tomorrow night in Charleston. Students, please pack money or a sack dinner. While not required, it is recommended that students bring and additional $20-40 for spending money for frozen yogurt, or snacks at the bowling alley. With the exception of tomorrow night, all meals are provided at the Andrews/Thomas dining facility on the campus of Eastern Illinois University.

Please take a moment to review the packing list & 2019 season information for the EIU camp. There are several required items on the list of which you may not consider packing for the week long camp. The staff does not have the ability to provide those items once we leave Olney. Unfortunately, that means a parent or guardian would have to make the trek to Charleston to drop off any missing items.

The Marching Tigers concludes the second week of our preseason camp with a rehearsal on Saturday, August 10th. That rehearsal starts at 8 am, and concludes at 12 pm at Richland County High School. We end the camp with the Parent-Preview performance for all friends and families of the Marching Tigers at 6 pm at Richland County High School. The performance is open to the public at no charge. You even have a chance to dunk staff in the dunk tank following the performance!

Keep in mind that much of RCHS is under construction, so please stay clear of those areas. Parents, I advise dropping off your students at the back of the high school at exit 21.

Finally, the performance schedule for the 2019 Marching Tigers has been posted under the calendar tab of the RCHS Bands website.

For the full schedule pertaining to this week’s EIU Camp, as well as all things concerning the RCHS Marching Tigers, please visit www.rchsbands.net.  As always, please feel free to contact me should you have any questions. I may be reached at cjones@rccu1.net, or at (618) 393-2191 ext. 3137.