The Mello-Dears All-Girl Drum & Bugle Corps will be holding a reunion on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025 at Pavilion 3 at Hickories Park in Owego starting at noon. All past members and friends are invited to attend.
The Mello-Dears were formed in 1961 and was made up of hundreds of girls from Tioga and Broome counties in New York State and Bradford County in Pennsylvania throughout their history. The group participated in hundreds of parades and competed throughout the United Staes, most notably winning the 1972 World Open All-Girl Championship.
Rehearsing throughout the winter months, members traveled throughout the summer to places such as Denver, Colorado, Greenbay, Wisconsin; Boston, Massachusetts; and Orlando, Florida, as well as local competitions against neighboring drum corps like the Watkins Glen Squires, Elmira Mark Twain Cadets, and Apalachin Grenediers. The Mello-Dears fielded a competitive corps until the early 1980s.
An alumni corps was formed in 2001 to commemorate the 50th anniversary, and the ladies participated in several local parades. Long-time corps director Fred Ford was honored that year as parade marshal of the Strawberry Festival parade.
Alumni members, support staff, instructors, and friends are invited to the reunion picnic, where a display of local drum corps memorabilia will be on hand, as well as lots of stories of the glory days of local drum corps.
Those attending are asked to bring a dish to pass if possible.
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