Disclaimer: Because our history spans over 100 years, some of it has been lost so a lot of this information has been gathered through old year books, composites, and good-old Google!
Queen’s Bands originated in 1905 which makes us Canada’s oldest university marching band.
The band was started somewhat spontaneously when Queen’s students and Gael’s fans picked up some instruments and began to cheer the football team on. This is where our beloved Brass Band started. They did not gain widespread acceptance at first and were kicked out of their practice space, the equipment room of the football team, so they dissolved temporarily. In the 1910s, they came back as a more formal and organized band with uniforms, their own instruments, and some executive positions such as president and treasurer. In the late 1930s, the Brass Band and Pipe Bands merged to become a great big Queen’s Bands family; this merger also brought us the Highland Dancers. Our cheerleaders made their first appearance in Queen’s Bands in the early 1930s and our colour guard section emerged in the 1980s.
At their inauguration, Queen’s Bands did not have a formal uniform. When they re-emerged, their uniform consisted of white duck trousers, tricolour sweaters, and tams. In 1935, they received a donation from a former student and were able to purchase new uniforms consisting red tunics with brass buttons and blue cuffs, a yellow belt, and blue trousers with a gold stripe down the side. Around World War II, the members wore a Canadian Army uniform. Post World War II, beginning in 1948, the kilted sections adopted the Royal Stewart tartan, the official tartan of the British royal family and the personal tartan of His Majesty The King. The AMS along with several student organizations, faculties, and private donors came together to raise the money for these uniforms. Throughout the uniform evolution, Bands grew to identify themselves under one of three colours: red, green, and white. The “Reds” are the brass band musicians, the “Greens” are the highland dancers, drummers, and pipers, and the “Whites” are the colour guard members and cheerleaders.
Fun fact: Our beloved Boohoo, who is now a friendly mascot, was once a real live bear! Boohoo as he stands now made his debut in September 1980 but our first Boohoo was a bear cub in 1922 who was purchased by Queen’s students. There were five bear cubs who represented BooHoo before the practice of keeping a live animal as a mascot ceased due to valid concerns over the welfare of the animal and safety of all involved.
Queen’s Bands has grown to become a beloved and integral part of the Queen’s University spirit. We perform at all home football games and several away games, select basketball games, the Carr-Harris cup, other sporting events, important university events, club events, and more. At our core, we are dedicated to fostering a vibrant and inclusive community through the power of music, tradition, and school spirit. We strive to uphold and celebrate the rich heritage of Queen’s University by delivering performances that inspire and engage both the university and the broader community. Through our commitment to performance, cultural preservation and community service, we aim to create lasting memories, promote school pride, and support the personal and professional growth of our members. As a student-led organization, we embrace leadership, teamwork, and diversity, ensuring that the legacy of Queen’s Bands continues to thrive for future generations.
Fun fact: John Bertram Stirling, who would go on to become Chancellor Stirling and have Stirling Hall named after him, was one of the founding members of Queen’s Bands! Duncan McArthur, who McArthur Hall is named after, endorsed the Bands creation in his role of “Chairman of the Music Committee.”
Queen’s Bands has been an ambassador for the university, performing at various prestigious events across Canada and internationally. Some of their most notable performances include:
The Grey Cup Parade (Kingston, Ontario 1922), (Toronto, Ontario 1964), (Hamilton, Ontario 1972)
Can-Am Bowl; Tampa, Florida (1979)
The Cotton Bowl; Dallas, Texas (1982)
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade; New York City, New York (1983)
Calgary Stampede; Calgary, Alberta (several years, most recently 2017)
South Boston St Patrick’s Day Parade; Boston, Massachusetts (several years, most recently 2023)
Some other fun features and cameos:
The Amazing Race Canada, 2016
Performing in the send off for Nobel Prize winner Dr. Art McDonald
The installations of several Queen’s Chancellors
Leading the Orientation Parade (Annual)
Reveal of the Smith Engineering donation (2023)
Fun Fact: Queen’s Bands performed their first halftime show in Richardson Stadium (which was, at that time, brand new) on September 18th, 1971.
Queen's Bands 