The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps

The Cavaliers were founded in 1948, as the drum and bugle corps for Boy Scout Troop 111 in Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood. Their growing reputation as one of the best of Chicago's neighborhood drum corps soon led the boys in the troop to reorganize themselves as a standalone operation,  borrowing their name and logo from a brand of then-popular cigarettes, and choosing their colors of green, black, and white - a name, logo, and color scheme that have part of the corps history ever since.

• 1949: Adopted the name "The Cavaliers".
• 1950: Entered the field for first competition.
• 1951: Donned green, black, and white uniforms. Won first contest at Cedar Rapids, IA
  • With the Grenadiers, Norwood Park Imperials and the Four Lakes Council Boy Scouts (soon to be the Madison Scouts)
• 1957: Corps wins first VFW National Championship.
• 1961: UNDEFEATED SEASON (21 consecutive wins).
• 1964: Corps wins World Open, performed for the U.S. Congress.
• 1967: Corps win both VFW and American Legion National Championships.

• 1971: Total show concept introduced. "The Circus Show"
• 1973: 25th Anniversary. Corps moves to Park Ridge, IL.
• 1981: Cavaliers move to Rosemont, IL.
• 1983: Winter Guard wins WGI for the third consecutive year.

As charter members of Winter Guard International (WGI), The Cavaliers have an impressive history in the winter guard activity.

The Cavaliers Winter Guard competed in WGI from 1978 through 1983, as well as 1985 and 1988, winning a total of five medals: one (1) bronze in 1980, one (1) silver in 1988 and three (3) gold in 1981, 1982 and 1983.

• 1990: Corps wins first DCI regional in corps history at Whitewater, WI. Corps wins U.S. Open.
• 1992: Corps wins first DCI World Championship.
• 1995: Corps wins DCI World Championship.
• 1998: 50th Anniversary. Corps wins first Spirit of Disney Award for Innovation.
• 2000: Corps ties for DCI World Championship.
• 2001: Corps wins DCI World Championship.
• 2002: Corps wins DCI World Championship, record score of 99.15. UNDEFEATED SEASON. Three-peat Championship.
• 2003: Corps wins Spirit of Disney Award for Innovation.
• 2004: Corps wins DCI World Championship.
• 2006: Corps wins DCI World Championship. First time to win both Championship and Spirit of Disney Award for Innovation in the same season.
• 2008: Corps celebrates 60th Anniversary.

• 2009: Adolph DeGrauwe elected President of the Board of Directors when founder, Don Warren, steps down.

• 2012: Corps places 8th at DCI World Finals, lowest since 1984.

• 2015: Chris Lugo selected as First-ever Cavaliers Executive Director.

• 2016: Michael Cesario designs new iterative uniform to be customized per each show.

• 2019: Don Warren passes over the rainbow. Monte Mast selected as Cavaliers Executive Director.

• 2021: New non-profit name - The Cavaliers Arts, Performance & Education (CAPE). Organization celebrates 40th years with the Village of Rosemont!