Milwaukee City Wire

The annual Battle of the Drumlines is set to take place on December 14, 2024, marking its 22nd edition. This year, the event will be held at Rufus King International High School, located at 1801 W. Olive St., where a new city champion will be named. Admission is $3, cash only.

The competition begins at noon, but attendees are encouraged to arrive as early as 11:15 a.m. due to expected high attendance and potential delays in ticket sales and safety screenings.

This year's event features performances from 17 drumlines, an increase from the 10 that participated in 2023. This marks the highest number of participants in over ten years. The growth reflects an expansion in music education within Milwaukee Public Schools (MPS) since 2020, with six schools adding drumlines this year alone. Notably, Obama School of Career and Technical Education now boasts two drumlines.

The lineup for the competition includes performances by:

- Reagan College Preparatory High School (varsity)

- Milwaukee Marshall High School

- Rufus King International High School (varsity)

- Washington High School of Information Technology

- Rufus King International High School (junior varsity)

- Riverside University High School

- Bradley Technology and Trade School

- James Madison Academic Campus

- Obama School of Career and Technical Education (high-school-age students)

- Reagan College Preparatory High School (junior varsity)

In addition to these competitors, exhibition performances will feature drumlines from:

- Thoreau School

- Rufus King International Middle School

- A.E. Burdick School

- Obama SCTE (middle-school-age students)

- Milwaukee Parkside School for the Arts

- MacDowell Montessori School

- South Division High School

A special performance by the Milwaukee Hittaz Drum Corps is also scheduled. This community drumline includes many MPS alumni.