Donate to Bands of Wando Foundation
The Bands of Wando Foundation’s purpose is to provide critical financial assistance to deserving band students in the middle feeder school programs and Wando High School band program. Without financial assistance for instruction, instruments and travel many deserving kids would not be able to fully participate in the nationally recognized Wando Bands concert and marching program.
Instrument Donations for Tax Savings
Donate an instrument!
The Bands of Wando Foundation is a 501c3 tax exempt nonprofit foundation. You can donate an instrument to the foundation and the foundation will provide a tax donation form for the fair market value for your taxes. If you have an instrument that you no longer need, please consider donating it to the Foundation. The Foundation will find it a good home at one of our schools. To donate and instrument, please contact: director@bandsofwandofoundation.org
2025 Jazz & Arts Community Festival
Please join us on Saturday, May 17, 2025 for an exceptional day of performances from the Jazz ensembles of Laing Middle School, Cario Middle School, Wando High School (and alumni).
The event will be held at the Dodds-Durst House, 858 Von Kolnitz Rd, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464 (across the street from James B Edwards Elementary School).
2025 Annual Charity Celebration
Event: 2025 Annual Charity Celebration
When: Saturday, March 29
Where: Charleston Harbor Resort and MarinaWe strongly believe that learning a musical instrument and the marching arts have wide reaching benefits. The Bands of Wando Foundation seeks to help develop students’ life skills, foster empathy, reflect community identity, social progress, and open a gateway for higher education through our efforts.
We invest in students to provide access to and equity in the excellent band and marching arts programs of Wando High School, Cario Middle School, and Laing Middle School of South Carolina by means of band, color guard, and music lessons scholarships, program enrichment, summer camps, as well as the purchase of musical instruments and equipment.
Join the Party & Bring Your Friends!
This year, we’re switching things up with a fresh, fun, and less formal feel—think business casual, great company, and a fantastic cause. Join us on March 29th at the Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina’s Sunrise Terrace & Deck—a stunning venue with spectacular waterfront views, incredible food and music!
This is a night for the entire Mount Pleasant community to celebrate, connect, and make an impact. The more, the merrier! Invite your friends, neighbors, and colleagues to come enjoy a fantastic evening in support of our talented students. Whether they have a direct tie to the band or simply love music, great company, and supporting local programs, this event is for them to be part of something special! Get your tickets today!
Bands of Wando Foundation Jazz & Arts Community Festival 2025
Please join us on Saturday, May 17, 2025 for an exceptional day of performances from the Jazz ensembles of Laing Middle School, Cario Middle School, Wando High School (and alumni).
The event will be held at the Dodds-Durst House, 858 Von Kolnitz Rd, Mt Pleasant, SC 29464 (across the street from James B Edwards Elementary School).
2022 Jazz and Percussion Concert
The Bands of Wando Jazz and Percussion Concert will be held on Thursday, April 21, 2022 at 7:00 pm at the Wando Performing Arts Center. Don't miss one of the most popular events of the year.
2022 Wando CBDNA Performance at Koger Center
On Thursday, February 24, 2022 the Wando Symphonic Band performed for the CBDNA/NBA Southeastern Convention at the USC Koger Center for the Arts in Columbia, SC.
The program and video of the is available for those who missed the amazing performance:
2021 Wando Bands Holiday Kaleidoscope Concert
Join the Wando Band for their Holiday Concert on Tuesday, December 14, 2021 in the Performing Arts Center (PAC). The concert officially begins at 6:30 pm but small ensembles will entertain in the lobby at 6:00 (if not sooner) . Diverse ensembles of all sizes perform in this fun, exciting, and fully entertaining concert.
2021 Bands of Wando Community Performance
The Bands of Wando cordially invite you to their Community Performance of the 2021 marching show "Cabinet of Curiosities" on Saturday, October 23, 2021, at 8 pm. The event will be held at the District 2 Regional Stadium at Wando High School Campus, 1000 Warrior Way, Mount Pleasant, SC.
Tickets are $5. All proceeds benefit the band programs at Cario and Lang. Children/Students 17 and under are admitted free with donation of non-perishable food item to restock ECCO's food pantry. More information about the event is available on the Bands of Wando website.
2021 Lowcountry Invitational
The Wando High School Band Boosters are pleased to announce the 2021 Lowcountry Invitational Marching Band Festival to be held on the campus of Wando High School in Mount Pleasant, SC on Saturday September 25, 2021.
Since 2005, the Lowcountry Marching Band Invitational (LCI) is a unique educational experience for some of the finest high school marching bands in the Southeast LCI is run exclusively by the Wando Band Boosters. The purpose is to provide national-level adjudication for all music students who participate. The judges are solicited from among the finest music and visual educators in the country. Directors are able to participate in a post-performance critique that provides immediate and valuable feedback about their ensemble's performance.
The Festival is successful due to the support of our community and the hard work and dedication of hundreds of parent and student volunteers, but the young people are the stars of the show. We are proud to host almost 2,000 talented musicians and color guard members each year who, through tremendous commitment to excellence, treat our spectators to a day of amazing music and pageantry through the marching band activity.
Please join us for an amazing day of marching at the LowCountry Marching Invitational (LCI) on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021
Bands of Wando Foundation Middle School Audition Clinic
On December 12, 2020 the Bands of Wando Foundation welcomed the students from our Cario and Laing band family to gain valuable private instruction in preparation for upcoming auditions. In our first ever audition workshop, private instructors and Wando students volunteered their time to work with small groups of middle school students to give them a boost of support and confidence in their preparation for audition recordings. We had such a great time that Foundation Board Members commissioned the creation of a video to help us remember this great day and give you the final push to having a great audition.
Help us recruit and retain young musicians
We need your help to continue the history of excellence that the Bands of Wando and our middle school programs have earned. Our music programs rely on continually recruiting new, and retaining existing, students of all musical ability levels. It may be hard to believe, but the majority of our exceptionally talented musicians at Wando began their musical journey by joining our middle school band programs with no experience playing an instrument whatsoever. We ask that you explore the following promotional videos of our middle school programs and the Bands of Wando and then register your young students in the fine music programs that our schools have to offer.
- Why Wando Band?: 4 years, 5 minutes (video)
- Bands of Wando 8th grade recruiting (video)
- Student Leadership (video)
- Supporting Wando Bands (video)
- Middle school band programs seek innovative ways to recruit (Moultrie News)
- Cario students say about band (video)
- Join the Cario Band - information about 6th Grade Beginning Band (presentation)
- Cario Bands Promo (video)
2020 Bands of Wando Foundation Gala
The 3rd annual Bands of Wando Foundation Gala will be held on April 17th, 2020 on the U.S.S. Yorktown. Join us for music, food, auction, and fun.
Online Tickets and Sponsorship Form
A great evening is being planned with Cameron and the Saltwater Brass performing! Join us for dinner, live & silent auctions and lots of fun! Volunteers are needed!
In the past, funds raised at the Gala have allowed the Foundation to purchase new instruments for the Wando, Cario, Laing and Moultrie Bands. In addition, during the 2019-2020 school year, the Foundation has expanded to provide 12 private lesson scholarships and 4 Legacy (Fair Share) scholarships based on the recommendations of the Directors, and they anticipate being able to help even more students in the future.
Gala Sponsor Letter (pdf)
Gala Sponsor Form (pdf)
Gala Donor Form (pdf)
Gala Ticket Purchase Form (pdf)
We would like to thank our Gala Sponsors:
East Cooper Medical Center
Wando Symphonic Band - Midwest Clinic Preview Concert
On Sunday, December 15, 2019 at 4:00 pm the Wando Symphonic Band will perform a complete preview of their Midwest Clinic program. Join us locally at the Wando Performing Arts Center (PAC) for this special event as the band showcases the program they have prepared for the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Conference in Chicago.
Wando Bands Holiday Kaleidoscope Concert
Join the Wando Band for their Holiday Kaleidoscope Concert on December 11, 2019 at 7:00 pm in the Performing Arts Center (PAC). Diverse ensembles of all sizes perform in this fun, exciting, and fully entertaining concert.
Mt. Pleasant Christmas Light Parade
The Wando Band will march in the Mt. Pleasant Christmas Light Parade on December 8, 2019 from 5:30 pm to 7 pm. Parade starts at Live Oak St. traveling South and ending at the intersection of West Coleman Blvd. and Patriots Point Rd.
Wando Symphonic Band - Midwest preview 2
The Bands of Wando presents a concert performance of their Symphonic band on November 14, 2019 at 7:00 pm in the Performing Arts Center (PAC) at Wando H.S. Join the Symphonic band as they give a preview of several pieces that they are preparing for their performance at the Midwest Clinic International Band, Orchestra and Music Conference (https://www.midwestclinic.org/) this December.
Cario Bands Halloween Concert
Join Cario's 7th and 8th grade bands for their Halloween Concert on October 29, 2019, at 7:00 pm, in the Cario Middle School Gym.
2019 Bands of Wando Community Performance
The Bands of Wando present the 2019 marching show "Absentia". Join us for a community performance on Saturday, October 26, 2019 at the District 2 Stadium (behind Wando H.S.). Gates open at 5:00 pm and the program starts at 7:00 pm. There is a $5 admission charge and all proceeds will go to the Cario, Laing, and Moultrie middle school band programs.
New this year, middle school musicians will take the field with the Wando band to kick off this event. The event will have food vendors available, a car raffle (drawing following the performance), and the Bands of Wando Foundation will have a membership booth as well.
Wando Symphonic Band - Midwest preview 1
The Bands of Wando presents a concert performance of their Symphonic band on October 24, 2019 at 7:00 pm in the Performing Arts Center (PAC) at Wando H.S. Join the Symphonic band as they give a preview of several pieces that they are preparing for their performance at the Midwest Clinic International Band, Orchestra and Music Conference (https://www.midwestclinic.org/) this December.
Bands of Wando Annual Car Raffle
Please support the Bands of Wando with our annual car raffle. For only $20, you can buy a chance to win a 2019 Subaru Outback from Crews Subaru! You can buy a ticket online at http://wandobands.org/carraffle/ OR in person from any current band member.
We also have a video to promote the raffle & would love you to share this with friends & family via your social media networks:
Thank you again for your support of the Bands of Wando!
Lowcountry Marching Band Invitational (LCI) 2019
The Lowcountry Marching Band Invitational 2019 (hosted by the Wando Band Boosters) will be held on Saturday, October 5, 2019 in the District 2 Regional Stadium behind Wando HS (1000 Warrior Way, Mt Pleasant, SC, 29466).
Schedule (times subject to change)
2:00 pm – Gates open
3:00 pm – First Performance
7:30 pm – Wando Band Exhibition
8:00 pm – Awards Ceremony
Bands of Wando Spring Concert 2019
The Bands of Wando presents its Spring Concert on Thursday, May 9, 2019 at the Wando Performing Arts Center at 7:00 pm. Performances will include Wando's Chamber Winds, Concert Band II, Concert Band I, and Symphonic bands.
Bands of Wando Foundation Jazz Festival 2019
The Bands of Wando Foundation presents our Jazz Festival 2019 fundraiser at the Tradesman Brewery from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm on May 5, 2019. Gates open at 12:00 Noon and a suggested donation of $5/adult is appreciated.
This amazing event will feature Jazz performances from the Jazz bands of Cario Middle, Moultrie Middle, Laing Middle, and Wando High School.
Bands of Wando Jazz and Percussion Concert 2019
The Bands of Wando Jazz and Percussion Concert will be held on Thursday, May 2, 2019 at 7:00 pm at the Wando Performing Arts Center.
Join us for a wonderful evening of music! Admission is free, but a donation of $5 is appreciated. See you there!
Bands of Wando Foundation 2nd Annual Gala
The Bands of Wando Foundation held its 2nd Annual Gala on February 15, 2019. The event was held on the USS Yorktown at Patriot's Point. The event featured Cameron and the Saltwater Brass.
Bands of Wando Foundation - 1st Annual Gala
The Bands of Wando Foundation presents their 1st Annual Gala on May 4, 2018, from 7-11 pm, at the Omar Shrine Temple. This event is sponsored by United Community Bank. Join us for a night of Jazz, Food, and Friends including live music by the Robert Lewis Jazz Quintet, dinner catered by Charleston Bay Gourmet, and a live auction. This event will support the Bands of Wando, Cario, Moultrie, and Laing.